Natural Surroundings of Hollókő

Hollókö, the most beautiful gem in the gently rolling Palóc countrysidehas been a part of the World Heritage since 1987.

The forests covering the hills are native there. Now it is very rare to find any Turkey oak ("cser" in Hungarian) from which Cserhát Hills ("slopes with Turkey oak) got their name, but their original habitat can be reconstructed. Now the most common trees are the different species of oaks, mainly sessile and downy oaks. There are also some hornbeams and maple-trees with a very few northern red oaks, as well. The forests of spruces and acacia have been planted artificially.

Under the sessile oaks one mainly finds garland chrysanthemums, peach-leaved bellflowers or yellow bedstraws. The vegetation on the southern slopes of the andesite hills is primarily composed of oak trees, European cornels and different shrubs, while the northern hillsides are covered by sessile oaks. The forests of hornbeams and oaks in the valleys and on the mild hills are rich in different types of mushrooms: e.g. golden chanterelle, boletus and penny bun.

In the valleys and on the meadows one finds different plants, mainly meadow fescue, sweet vernal grass, geranium and autumn crocus. The verges of Hollókö are made varied by meadows with seed trees in them, and little woods of hornbeams, maple-trees and different types of oaks. The most typical plants in the  undergrowth are briar roses, hawthorns, cornels and blackthorns.

The stock of game in the Cserhát forests includes some large animals like roe deer, red deer and wild boar, and there are also many foxes, badgers, ferrets, weasels, forest dormice and hazel dormice living here. The bird life of the area is very rich. Here hikers often see falcons and buzzards, and once in a while even eagles. The forests also provide a habitat for common and long-eared owls, jdifferent species of thrushes, titmice and larks, woodpeckers and cuckoos.

The national network of hiking routes includes Hollókö, and a leg of 15 Km runs through the Hollóko Landscape Protection Area. When walking along the "Castle" study trail hikers get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the area.

Map of the study trail around Hollókö

The length of the trail in blue is 4.5 km, and it takes about one hour and a half.