Bukk National Park

Declared in 1976, Bukk National Park covers the highest karst plateau in Hungary, a block of limestone lifted above the surrounding basins and covered almost entirely in beech forest. The plateau surface is pitted with sinkholes and dry valleys because the water goes underground rather than running off, which also explains the caves: several hundred are recorded, a handful open to visitors. Istallos-ko, at 958 metres, was long considered the high point of the range, though surveys since 2014 give that title to nearby Szilvasi-ko at 961 metres. Between the woods lie the Nagymezo and other upland meadows, cleared long ago for grazing and still open. On the flanks the water reappears as strong karst springs, feeding the valleys at Szilvasvarad and Lillafured where most visitors start.

Highlights

• The beech plateau - continuous high forest over limestone, with sinkholes and dry valleys.
• Istallos-ko - the 958 metre summit and the cave near it used by early humans.
• Upland meadows - open grassland clearings such as Nagymezo in the middle of the forest.
• Karst springs - strong outflows on the flanks that feed the Szalajka and Garadna valleys.

When to go

May and June for fresh beech leaf and flowering meadows, October for colour that is as good as anywhere in the country. Winter brings snow on the plateau and some cross-country skiing, though roads over the top can close. Summer weekends crowd the valley entrances at Szilvasvarad and Lillafured while the plateau itself stays quiet an hour's walk in.

What to expect

The plateau is genuinely remote once you are on it: no water sources, no signal in places, and thick forest that hides the views many people expect from a mountain park. Distances between trailheads are long and buses infrequent. Valley honeypots are crowded and commercial while the interior is empty. Trails are muddy after rain and marked to a Hungarian standard that assumes a map.

Nearby

Eger sits on the southern edge, with Miskolc and Lillafured to the north-east.

Key facts