National Parks in Hungary
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2/16/09 3:20 PM Parks Hungary Hungary ional t Na www.nationalpark.hu Aggtelek Bükk Duna-Ipoly Fertő-Hanság Hortobágy Balaton-Uplands Őrség Körös-Maros Touristic regions www.hungary.com www.kvvm.hu, Kiskunság Budapest and Surroundings Eger-Tokaj Wine Region Puszta and Lake Tisza Pannonia Duna-Dráva Balaton Design: VIVA Média Holding • DTP: Makáry Stúdió • Printing press: Pauker Nyomda • Free copy Free • Nyomda Pauker press: Printing • Stúdió Makáry DTP: • Holding Média VIVA Design: Published by the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Hungarian National Tourist O ce O Tourist National and the Hungarian Water and the Ministry by of Environment Published NemzetiPark_Eng_20090216.indd 1-2 Let’s go! Roughly a tenth of the land area of Hungary is classi ed as protected na- ture area. Within this there are ten designated National Parks – areas of countryside where there are wild rivers, rolling hills, sprawling lakes, thick hillside forests, seemingly endless plains, and parts where limestone rocks and caves secrete a truly amazing array of hidden treasures. All these wonders are simply waiting to be rediscovered by visitors. Just a few words before we begin … Glossary Demonstration site: a facility usually found in and run by the Na- tional Parks aiming to raise the environmental awareness of visitors. Visitor and study centres: larger demonstration sites usually situated at one of the main entry gates to a nature reserve, or at a convenient, central place, and comprising mainly exhibition space. Staff of spe- cialist are on hand to talk to visitors about their work in the fi elds of nature and cultural conservation, to explain what visitors should look out for, and to give guidance about certain basic rules to be observed while in the nature reserve. Nature trail: a designated route ideal for visitors wishing to roam independently. Stop-off points and information boards along the way give information about the natural and cultural signifi cance of the area. Guided tours: led by guides who are experts in the natural and cultural treasures of the respective area. Guided tours are especially popular in those parts of the National Parks considered to be at a particular risk of damage from the passage of visitors or where the land is subject to the highest level of protected status for conserva- tion reasons, as here this is the only means of observing nature at close quarters. Week of Hungarian National Parks: It is an annual ecotourism event which this year be held between 20th – 28th June and is organised by the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Local Governments, the Hungarian National Tourist Offi ce, as well as the directorate of the national parks of Hungary. Th e aim of this program is to encourage people to go out and get acquainted with the beautiful natural environment. Entrance fees will be discounted at all 10 national parks across Hungary and there will be huge variety of eco programs to encourage more visitors. Full details about visitor centres, opening times, directions, etc., are available on the National Parks’ website. Information about special events is also posted there. Now let’s set off ... ...on a fantastic journey. NemzetiPark_Eng_20090216.indd 5 2/16/09 3:22 PM aggtelek Treasures and adventures – the Aggtelek National Park is karst region, home to myths and legends, possesses outstanding natural and cultural treasures. Besides the many rare plants and animals found here, the area’s fantastic cave systems are internationally renowned. Did you know … – Aggtelek National Park was originally designated primarily in order to conserve its inanimate natural assets? – It is the only World Heritage Site in Hungary to gain the coveted designation in the natural (as opposed to cultural) heritage category? – At 16 miles, Baradla-Domica is the longest cave system in Hungary, and at 62 feet, Csillagvizsgáló (literally “Stargazer”) is the tallest stalagmite? – Th is is the only place where the protected golden-drop (Onosma tornense) grows, a plant so rare it is listed in the International Red Data Book? – Th is is the designated site of gene preservation of the Hungarian stock of the ancient and distinctive Hucul breed of mountain horse. Demonstration sites and Nature trails Baradla Cave: 1, 2, 4, 5 & 7-hour cave tours graded from easy to diffi cult; o 1st April to 30th September 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 1st October to 31st March 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rákóczi Cave: cave of pea shaped stones and crystal clear lakes o 1st April to 30th September 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 1st October to 31st March 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vass Imre Cave: special dripstones o 1st April to 30th September 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 1st October to 31st March 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Béke Cave, Kossuth Cave and Meteor Cave: adventure tour for small groups by appointment. Guided land tours at Jósvafő, Aggtelek and Mohos-tavak at Kelemér. Nature trails: Baradla 7.5 km, Tohonya-Kuriszlán 10 km, Fürkész 1.5 km, Szádvár 4.5 km, Bódva-völgy 2.5 km, “In Harmony with Nature” 4 km. Kúria Study Centre: land programs, lectures on environmental protection, open air school programs. Further information: Tourinform-Aggtelek H-3759 Aggtelek, Baradla oldal 1. Tel.: +36 48/503-000 E-mail: [email protected] Permanent exhibitions, Nature trails in Zemplén Area Land house at Bodrogkőváralja Nature trail at Regéc Várhegy: 1 km Nature trail by canoe at Bodrogzug: 5 km NemzetiPark_Eng_20090216.indd 6 2/16/09 3:22 PM What’s blooming here? e greenness of Lake Balaton! – the Balaton Uplands National Park Discover the quieter, greener side of life near Lake Balaton. Observe a great crested grebe as it goes about its daily business, wander in the gentle hills, pet ancient breeds of Hungarian domestic animals. Did you know … – “You can move a huge rock in the Sea of Stones at Szentbékkálla”? – You can walk in fragrant lavender meadows on the Tihany Peninsula? – You can pet tame buff alo and enjoy bird watching at Kis-Balaton? – You can clamber through the exciting branches of Csodabogyós Cave at Balatonederics? – You can climb extinct volcanoes in the Tapolca Basin? Demonstration sites and Nature trails Hegyestű (Monoszló, Tel.: +36 30/620-4082) – lavish panorama from the top of a basalt volcano, with a path in its onetime crater. Ideal starting point for exploring the Káli Basin. o all year from 9 a.m. until sunset. Salföld Manor (Salföld, Tel.: +36 30/939-0770) – ancient type domestic ani- mals, herb garden, exhibition of landscape photographs, carriage riding. o 15th March – 30th April and 1st September – 15th November: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1st May – 31st August: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Kotsy Water Mill (Zalaszántó, Tel.: +36 30/256-6727) – relics from the age of mills, functioning milling machines. o 15th March to 15th October: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Csodabogyós Cave (Balatonederics, Tel.: +36 30/306-6050, +36 30/237-3759) – underground adventures, not only for adults! o all year by appointment: www.csodabogyos.hu Bu alo Reserve, (Kápolnapuszta, Tel.: +36 30/287-0249) – a fantastic site at Kis- Balaton, with wallowing buff alo, exhibitions and picnic places.o 1st April – 31st October: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., 1st November – 31st March: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Szentgál-kőlik – (Szentgál, www.szentgali-kolik.hu, Tel: +36 70/382-8595, +36 30/639-5554) overall cave tour inside the hill o 15th March – 31st Oc- tober by appointment. Lake Cave of Tapolca (Tel.: +36 87/412-579) – boating under the ground. o 15th March to 30th June, and 1st September to 31st October: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 1st July to 31st August: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., 1st November – 14th March: Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. NemzetiPark_Eng_20090216.indd 7 2/16/09 3:22 PM Karst plateau above the forests – the Bükk National Park The Bükk Hills sustain an enormously rich plant and animal kingdom, thanks to the area’s unique climate and its unusually varied terrain. Numerous species of plants and animals of Hungary can only be found in this part of the country. Some ninety species of birds, including many in danger of extinction, make their nesting ground in the Bükk. And the best evidence of prehistoric Bükk is to be found in the area’s huge caves, such as at Szeleta-kő and Istállós-kő. Did you know … – Hungary’s most extensive network of forest cycle paths is here? – Th e area’s three narrow gauge railways (Szalajka Valley, Lillafüred and Felsőtárkány) run over 28 miles of track? – At a depth of over 800 feet, the 2½ mile long Istvánlápa Cave is the deepest cave in Hungary? Demonstration sites and Nature trails Szent István Cave, Anna Cave (Lillafüred, Tel./Fax: +36 46/334-130) – there are two caves in the Bükk which are open to visitors: the dripstone Szent István Cave and the tuff aceous limestone Anna Cave. Folk Museum at Oszla (Cserépfalu, Tel.: +36 49/423-132) – bygone life depicted in everyday objects in a peasant house built at the beginning of the 20th century, situated at the entrance to Hór Valley. Millennium Nature trail and lookout tower: 2.1 km (Szilvásvárad, Tel.: +36 30/910-2037) – highlighting the abundant natural heritage of the Bükk, with particular reference to the ecological and economic role of forestry. Bél-kő Nature trail: 5 km – showing the cultural heritage of the Bél-kő area, the geological makeup of the rocky hill itself, and the fl ora and fauna to which it is home.