Hiking

Choose from one of the following itineraries.

1. Pörböly - Lassi - Milling - Pörböly

Distance: by forest railway: 16 km + on foot: 1,5 km

Time: 1.5-2 hours depending on the forest railway timetable

Starting point: Ecotourism Centre

The first stop for scheduled trains from Pörböly is Lassi station, where there is a Fishing Exhibition (by appointment) and a playground. From Lassi, you can walk along the blue cross tourist sign to Malomtelelő, where there is a nature trail, a birdwatching tower and a stop for the forest railway. From the forest railway, you can return to Pörböly, or you can get off at the Wildlife Observatory, from where the Ecotourism Centre is an easy walk (in this case, please inform the forest railway staff in advance).

2. Pörböly - Lassi - Milling - Pörböly

Distance: by forest railway: 8 km + on foot: 8,5 km

Time: 3.5 hours

Starting point: Ecotourism Centre

The first stop on the Gemen Forest Railway, which runs from Pörböly, is Lassi Station, where there is a Fishing Exhibition (by appointment) and a wooden playground. From Lassi, you can walk along the blue cross tourist sign to Malomtelelő, where there is a nature trail and a birdwatching tower. From the forest railway station, the hiker continues along the blue cross tourist sign to the protective filling of the Danube. From here, turn D and walk along the embankment for about 6 km to Pörböly.

Pörböly - Lassi - Baja-Duna Forest - Summer pasture - Pörböly

Distance: by forest railway: 8 km + on foot: 18,5 km

Time: 6 hours

Starting point: Ecotourism Centre

The first stop of the Gemenci Forest Railway from Pörböly is Lassi station, where you can visit the Fishing Exhibition (by appointment) and the wooden playground. From Lassi, you can walk along the National Blue Trail to Baja-Dunafürdő, which includes the Rezéti-Holt Danube, the Káposztás-Duna and the Vén-Duna. When you reach Baja-Duna Forest, follow the red tourist sign to the Pörbölyi Forest and the Csertaparti hiking forest to the confluence of the Cserta-Duna with the Old Danube. From here, the path is familiar to the Nyárilegelő (National Blue), where the hiker takes the forest railway back to Pörböly.

3. Pörböly - Milling - Lassi - Summer pasture - Baja-Duna Forest - Pörböly

Distance: by forest railway: 8 km + on foot: 9 km + by train: 8 km

Time: 4.5 hours

Starting point: Ecotourism Centre

The hiking part of the tour starts from the Gemenci Forest Railway station at the Milling Station of the Gemenci Forest Railway, which departs from Pörböly according to the timetable, and follows the National Blue Tour to Baja-Dunafürdő. Along the way, you can walk around the Malomtelelő nature trail, pass by Lassi station and visit the banks of the Rezéti-Holt Danube, the Káposztás-Duna and the Vén-Duna. The Gemenc Forest Railway starts from Pörböly station, 10 km from Baja, and takes you back to Pörböly, where you can take the Gemenc Forest Railway, which is operated by Gemenc Zrt. Ecotourism Centre - to the Gemenc Forest. The Pörböly stop of the MÁV is about 300 m from the forest railway departure point. The Pörböly Ecotourism Centre is located next to the main road 55 - it can be reached by car, bus or train passing the Türr István Danube Bridge.

The current timetable and fares of the Gemenci Forest Railway: www.gemenczrt.hu.

More information:

7142 Pörböly, Bajai út 100.

Tel: (+36) 74/491-483, Fax: (+36) 74/591-029

E-mail: okocentrum@gemenczrt.hu

Web: www.gemenczrt.hu

The Ecotourism Centre offers: accommodation, meals, bicycle and hiking canoe rental, horse-drawn carriage rides, forestry, beekeeping and fishing exhibitions, wildlife observation, arboretum, forestry school, conference room for rent, parking, buffet, gift shop, events, tourist information, guided tours, forest railway, educational trails, observation towers, guided tours in the Gemenese Forest. Gemenc Zrt. has opened its hunting lodges to the public from 15 March to 15 August. The hunting lodges offer 2-bed rooms with bathroom (shower or bathtub) for relaxation. Guests have the possibility to participate in a hunt, with a horse riding in the woods.

More information and booking:

Gemenci Forest and Game Farm Zrt.

6500 Baja, Szent Imre tér 2.

Tel: (+36) 79/324-144; Fax: (+36) 79/324-181; (+36) 30/945-0522

E-mail: csiszarangela@gemenczrt.hu

Online booking: www.gemenczrt.hu 

Information on visiting the Karapanca Castle and Major and the Hunting Memorial can also be obtained by calling the latter numbers. Information on the current timetable of buses and trains to Pörböly can be obtained from the following telephone numbers in Baja:

Bus station: tel: (+36) 79/321-791; web: www.menetrendek.hu

Railway station: tel: (+36) 79/321-645; (+36) 40/49-49-49; web: www.elvira.hu

NATURE TRAILS IN THE FOREST OF GEMEN

Molnárka nature trail

The youngest hikers can learn about the treasures of the floodplain forest in an interactive way, accompanied by the trail's mascot, Molnárka. Visitors can learn about the origins of the Gemen forest, the wild boar and roe deer that live in the floodplain forest, the birdlife, forest flowers, mushrooms, black walnut and other tree species, floodplain forestry and the ship mills.

One of the trailheads is located on the shores of the intermittent Milling Lake, where you can see eagles and black storks from a birdwatching tower.

The trail is open all year round. It's worth visiting the floodplain forest in all seasons, because it always shows a different face to hikers.

In the spring, starflowers are a star of the ligneum, in early summer the summer peat moss is a delight, in autumn the hardwood forest is a riot of colour, and in winter the deer rut and the wild boar are more visible in the forest.

DISCLOSURE

By regular Gemenese Forest Railway trains from the Malomtelelő or Lassi stops, on foot or by bicycle from the flood protection embankment along the path marked with a blue cross.

Length: 2200 m

Duration: 1 hour

Indication: blue cross

Open all year round

Black stork trail

The trail starts from the Keselyűs Inn and runs through the outstandingly beautiful hardwood forests of the floodplain, then returns to the Inn along the shore of a ravine of the Sió. Information panels introduce the visitor to the forest and game management of the floodplain and Gemenc's famous bird, the black stork. Rest areas and rain shelters are provided along the path.

Length: 1500 m

Duration: 40 minutes

The trail is open all year round.

Lake Trout Nature Trail

The educational trail from the Gemenc-Dunapart stop leads to the shore of the nearby Lake Forgó, with its special feature of a row of planks overhanging the water, where visitors can hide behind a wall and admire waterfowl and deer and wild boar quenching their thirst or cooling their thirst in the water. It's a world of egrets, herons and black storks, but you may also spot a bald eagle in the sky.

DISCUSSION:

the trail can be reached with the regular trains of the Gemenci Forest Railway.

Length: 2000 m

Duration: 1 hour

Indication: green oak leaf

Nyéki-holt Danube nature trail

The trailhead is located 1 km from the Pörböly Ecotourism Centre, at the intersection of road 55 and the flood protection embankment. The trail is located in a forest and on the embankment between an old backwater, floodplain meadows, reed beds and cubic pits. The five information panels tell the story of the river regulation works in the intermuddy area, of floodplain fishing and former life, as well as of the woody species of the groves, the protected flora and fauna of the marshy landscape and beaver reintroduction.

Length: 2500 m

Duration: 1 hour

Indication: red semicircle

Open all year round

Butter gates nature trail

The nature trail is located on the left bank of the Danube, next to the flood protection embankment, 3.8 km south of the St. Stephen's Bridge.

It starts at the dam house and leads to the Danube bank. The easiest way to reach the embankment is by bicycle on the EuroVelo 6 route.

On the trail you can learn about the history of the Vajas Canal, the Eurasian beaver that lives and can be observed in the estuary, and the floods that have affected the Gemenian floodplain.

There are tables, benches, a covered rest area and a designated fire pit along the trail.

Garden History Trail - Karapancsa

Walking through the garden history trail of Karapancssa Castle and Major, you can learn about the history of the castle park, the neo-Baroque ornamental garden reconstructed in 2015, the former princely hunts and the culture of the Socacian ethnic group in the area.

The route of the trail leads around the two castle buildings, the hunting ground, the chestnut grove, the fruit tree display, the former farmstead and the meadow around the large castle.

6 of the 9 stations on the trail are accessible. For the blind and partially sighted, there is a Braille sign describing the castle garden.

Length: 1900 m

Duration: 1-1.5 hours

DOWNLOAD

Weekdays: 10.00 - 17.00

Weekends and public holidays: 9.00 - 17.00

The Castle Park is free of charge during opening hours.

Cherta hiking forest

Distance: 7 km

Time: 2 hours

The floodplain forest area at the right bank of the Baja Danube bridge, the Danube river, the Old Danube tributary, the "concrete road" across the Cserta-Duna backwater and the 55 road is part of the Gemen Forest. It is open to the public. Fishing is allowed in the waters bordering the park forest, rowing boats are allowed in the tributary, and tents are allowed on the banks. It is easily accessible by train, bus, local bus, car, bicycle or even by ladis. The western part of the hiking forest is part of the Baja town centre, where the National Blue Trail and the marked "Dunafürdő hiking trail" pass through. Along the banks of the Old Danube, there are several places with rain shelters, fireplaces, resting places and playgrounds.