Top 10 Natural Monuments in Nógrád

A lookout point on a meadow with a magnificent view. Seating and a table invite you to take a break. At 490 meters above sea level, the paved pass road is accessible by any type of bike.

The old pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) of Forró-kút can be approached more easily from the settlement of Sámsonháza. If you approach Sámsonháza from the main road No. 21, you have to turn right on the first street. From the end of the street, take the dirt road to the Hot Fountain vineyard on the blue sign. The area is named after a lukewarm spring nearby. It is probable that the spring water used to be not only lukewarm but also hot, because it was brought to the surface by the post-volcanic operation of the Mátra volcanism. The old tree stands alone on the edge of the clearing, its broken branches lying next to the trunk. Its age is close to 300 years and its trunk circumference is 600 cm. Its height is over 20 m, but it still rises above the high-voltage light pole nearby.

After the spring, turn right at the marked hiking trail towards the Cave Dwellings, we continued straight through the gorge.

In the short gorge valley we meander among some large rocks, meanwhile we can read from a sign that, according to legend, King St. Ladislaus jumped over these gorges with a horse. It could have been quite a hair-raising stunt, whether the story was true or not.

It is also worth taking a short walk into the valley of the Szentkúti stream, on the walk along the charming stream we reach a canyon marked with a sign in a few minutes. To the right, according to legend, the great teasing of the king took place in the rift of St. Ladislaus. In 1091-92 he fought serious battles with the troops of King St. Ladislaus in Cserhát with the Moldavian Kun army. Legend has it that they were surrounded by the enemy, and in today’s Holy Well Valley, thirsty thieves tormented soldiers, and the king set out alone to explore the area. He got his horse named Szög into a spur and jumped over a gaping gap in front of him. When he got down, water flowed from my first horseshoe. He touched the rock with his battle ax, and water erupted at the point of touch. According to another legend, the Cumans who persecuted St. Ladislaus pushed the king into a valley, before which there was even a huge chasm. However, the king had a good horse, jumping over the abyss with a quick and firm decision. Crystal-clear water bubbled in a thin stream from the traces of the horseshoes. According to a third legend, St. Ladislaus jumped into this valley from the top of the distant Ágasvár. Either way, it is a fact that the Szentkút stream has cut itself into a canyon-like valley in several places over the millennia. Layers crushed by volcanic activity in the area can store little water. On the steep slopes, the water runs down quickly, so there are very few springs in this part of the Cserhát. This is why the valley of the Szentkút stream is a special place, where several sources of drinking water flow along the sandstone, limestone and andesite deposits. Some of the sources in the area have lukewarm water due to volcanic aftermath. In several places in the valley of the stream you can see beautiful rock outcrops and traces of water erosion work.

The arboretum can be easily connected to the Szakadas Gorge. It was laid out in the 1920s, and some interesting giant trees can be seen there. Unfortunately, the arboretum is a bit confusing due to the many, probably unplanned, spruce trees. However, the map at the entrance provides information about which trees are growing where. Instead of spending almost 50 million forints on the road (EU money), it would have been better to clean up the arboretum. Nevertheless, if you are already there, it is definitely worth seeing!

This gorge in the Matra Mountains is freely accessible and has no signposts. Therefore, you can usually find peace there, even on weekends. Most of the time there is only a little water in the stream bed, and the trunks in it will help you get further. Popular with families with children!

Amazing view from the cliff edge. Basses look carefully! ;)