Keszthely - Tapolca (OKT - 04.)

Itinerary

 Follow the Blue (K) marker all along the trip.

• At Keszthely railway station take Kazinczy Street, which soon continues as Apác Street and Toldi Miklós Street when bending east.
• The trail turns left in Gyenesdiás onto Balaton Street. Continue to a roundabout and take the first exit (Road 71). Head straight and where the street forks take the street to the left (Hunyadi János Street).
• Continue straight ahead. The paved track soon changes to a gravel/dirt track as it enters the woods to reach Nagy-mező (Grand Meadow).
• ATTENTION! TRAIL RELOCATION! Set off from the fitness trail. Pass it and change from the gravel track to a dirt track to the left and then turn right to arrive at a little valley.
• Follow the dirt track along the valley. The trail bends right. Pass Hatlábú pajta (6-legged shelter) and Csider-kút picnic spots. Take the track on the left and hike 1000 meters to reach a paved road.
• Turn left to reach the old route of the Blue (K) Trail in a few steps.
• Turn right to follow the Blue (K) markers. Heading north you will reach the woods after a lengthy walk and arrive at a large field where turn right angle right.
• Take the paved road and turn left to arrive at Vállus (stamping location). Walk to the village center and head right to exit the village.
• The trail crosses vineyards of Lesencefalu and climbs to Kő orra peak then ascends to Lesenceistvándra (stamping location).
• Leave the village southward and head northeast in Lesencetomaj. The trail follows a busy road to Tapolca where the section ends at the railway station.

Detailed description

Keszthely – Vállus

Stamp your hiking log at the railway station in Keszthely. Return to the Blue (K) Trail and take Kazinczy Street (later Apát and Toldi Miklós Street). As you leave the town behind you will soon reach Gyenesdiás. Take the first left and continue to a roundabout. Take the first exit. Past 100 meters where the street forks head left (Hunyadi János Street). Following a short hike the trail enters the woods.

Walk past the abandoned mine pits to reach Nagy-mező picnic spot. Check the view from Festetics Lookout on the peak next to over Keszthely Bay and the town. You can spot not only landmarks in Keszthely but also some other lookout towers in the mountains. Although Keszthely Mountains are below the height to be called “mountains”, however, considering typical shapes of the landscape it would be deceiving to call it “hills”. Unfortunately, recent draughts greatly affected the local Austrian pine stands so clear-cuts due to disease also contribute to the view.

The trail leaves the picnic spot at its western tip along the fitness trail. The trail soon changes to a gravel track. Take the dirt track to the left and past a few meters turn right to arrive at a little valley. The trail slightly descends and head right onto the sandy dirt track. Continue in the valley. Pass Hatlábú pajta (6-legged shelter) and Csider-kút picnic spots. Take the track on the left and hike 1000 meters to reach a paved forestry road. Turn left to reach the old route of the Blue Trail in a few steps and turn right to follow the Blue (K) markers. Heading north the trail slightly descends along Iván-hát and arrives at a tiny village called Vállus. It has a population of around 100 and it is a dead-end village with only one road in and out. The stamper is placed in a metal box at a store (closed down) near the church.

Vállus – Tapolca

Head along the main street until a roundabout with a bus stop. Head right and at the cemetery the trail turns onto a dirt track across the fields near the village. Cross the woods to arrive at the fields and vineyards on the outskirts of Lesencefalu. The trail continues along fenced gardens and crosses the road connecting Várvölgy and Lesencefalu.

Hike uphill among typical vineyards of Balaton Uplands towards Kő orra peak. At a bend the trail offers a nice view over the Tapolca Basin with the town and buttes. At a junction take Blue▲(K▲) spur trail to reach the peak for an overview from the hillside.

After winding on the hill slope the trail takes a sharp turn and starts a steep descent to vineyards near Lesenceistvánd and then enters the village along a wide road. The village has a stamper in Fapados Pub and another in Fatehén Pub.

The last part of this trail runs along paved roads (7 km). First take the road connecting Lesenceistvánd and Lesencetomaj. At the junction in Lesencetomaj turn left. Past the village head straight and cross Road 84. At the next junction turn left onto the main road (Road 77) and continue to Tapolca railway station. The stamper is placed near the station on the terrace of Lokomotív Pub.