Szalajka Valley, one of the most famous hiking places of Hungary is great place for a stroll every day of the year. The last 4 km long part of the – once more than 30 km long – forest railway made in 1908 is operated here, with which we can reach the Gloriett glade after a 15 minute ride. This is the steepest no-gearwheel railway track of Hungary, with more than 41% elevations at some places. When choosing our path, it is best using the train in one direction and see the valley by foot on the way back. We will start by foot, starting at the beginning of the Szalajka Valley, from the branching of the Egri street.
At the beginning of the Szalajka road, on the other side of the spring to the left the indoor equestrian arena, on the right side the outdoor equestrian arena can be found. Walking further we can find gift shops, restaurants and buffets, then arrive at the forest railway terminal to the right.
Going into the valley, following the green Δ sign, our path goes along the winding, alder tree bounded bed of the Szalajka Stream. We leave the estuary of Tótfalusi valley and the wildlife park, then cross the tracks of the forest railway and reach the Zilahy Aladár Museum of Forestry, where forestry related objects, models, documents demonstrate the forest works and workers of the previous centuries.
Going deeper into the valley, the 2002 made “Guardian of the Carpathian Mountains” – a statue carved out of wood – greets us under a Szekler gate, which was made based on the statue destroyed in 1918 in Cluj. The statue faces the Great Lake. After passing the lake, we arrive at the trout ponds. The facility suitable for intensive rearing was established in 1957 on the site of the original local fish farm. After the trout pond there is a nice clearing to the right, where from 1802 the “Szilvás massa”, i.e. the smelter, or with modern phrasing the blast furnace stood. Behind it is the Veil Guest House, hiding in the mountainside. Crossing the bridge of the stream again, after a small climb we reach the Small Lake, which once provided the water supply of the “massa”. On the other side of the lake the Rock Spring amazes us. The water temperature of the spring is always a few degrees warmer than the water of the Szalajka Spring, due to most of the waters absorbed by the karstic rocks reaching the spring fast, the smaller part getting warmed up between the deeper layers of the rocks before it reaches the spring, where the two types of waters mix and become lukewarm.
As we leave the Rock Spring the slope of the spring gradually increases. After walking past smaller rapids, we reach the estuary of the Horotna Valley, where the outdoor forest museum is located. It is worth making a small detour here. Along the path leading us around the pleasant meadow the forest related works and their tools are displayed. We can see a lime kiln or “boksa”, a charcoal kiln (also called “boksa” at some places), an iron forge, a glass furnace, a gutter, various transportation devices, huts, wood using and working places and tools. You can even count the rings of the more than 200 years old tree, but the 4-5 million years old lignified tree and the remains of the 8-10 million years old fossilized tree are also special attractions.
Returning to the Szalajka Valley, after a few 10 of meters we reach the Veil Waterfall, the most beautiful sight of the valley. The tuff that on the surface separates from the dissolved, water filled lime coming out of the mountain root builds dams in the bed and swells the water of the spring. The water falling down on more than a dozen steps shows a different sight in every season, one more beautiful than the other.
Climbing up the slope besides the waterfall we reach the Gloriette Glade, where once the houses of the Szalajka village, then later the hunting cabin of the Pallavicini family and the gloriette stood. This is the destination of the forest train from coming from Szilvásvárad, which we can take to travel back.
