Fátyol Waterfall offers a tangible way to experience the landscape of Szilvásvárad: it cascades over a travertine terrace formed by the Szalajka Stream, which is fed by nearby karst springs. In the Szalajka Valley, nature and learning go hand in hand. Alongside the waterfall, a nature trail and the information centre shape the options. You can focus on the landscape, natural history or nature conservation.
Waterfall and protected Szalajka Valley
The Szalajka Valley covers 558 hectares and was declared a nature reserve in 1957. Since January 1, 1977, it has been part of the strictly protected areas; it is also a strictly protected area of Bükk National Park. The history of its protection puts the landscape into context, while the waterfall and stream highlight individual natural features. The valley can be explored on foot, by bicycle or by narrow-gauge railway. This gives you several options for planning your visit.
Nature trails and interpretation
The nature trail in the Szalajka Valley follows a footpath along the Szalajka Stream and introduces visitors to the natural and cultural heritage of the Bükk Mountains. The information centre presents the valley’s natural values and the nature conservation work of the Bükk National Park Directorate. It can be reached via the paved footpath beside the wildlife park. The two offerings have different focuses: the trail covers nature and culture in the mountains, while the information centre focuses on the valley’s landscape and conservation work.
Another nature trail lies nearby: the Olasz-kapu Nature Trail starts at the Olasz-kapu car park, which can also be reached by car from Szilvásvárad. Its themes range from geology and geomorphology to botany, zoology and cultural history. This gives it a different thematic focus from the nature trail in the Szalajka Valley. If you’d like to learn about different aspects of the landscape, the two trails offer distinct subject matter.
Other perspectives in the wider destination of Heves County
Beyond the Szalajka landscape, the wider destination of Heves County has its own nature-related attractions. The Hevesi Füves Puszták Landscape Protection Area lies in the southern part of Heves County. It covers 16,114 hectares, was designated in 1993 and reached its current extent after expansions in 2005 and 2008. Another regional nature trail is the 6.5-kilometre Ilona Valley Nature Trail along the Ilona Stream. It passes the geological features of the Eastern Mátra Mountains and traces of former ore mining. Thus, alongside protected areas, geology and mining history also feature among the region’s themes.
Heves County offers other points of interest for culture and food: the Szépasszony Valley is home to Eger’s largest contiguous area of wine cellars. Wine culture and the gastronomy associated with it are among the valley’s key tourist attractions. The Hevesi szőttes, a traditional woven textile, is also part of the county’s textile heritage and is associated with Heves, Mátraderecske and Bodony. These subjects broaden the regional perspective to include wine and craft traditions; they are distinct aspects of the wider destination of Heves County.
Discover more destinations: Bátor, Bekölce, Bélapátfalva, Mónosbél, Nagyvisnyó, Balaton, Mikófalva, Bükkszentmárton.
Back to the main travel overview: Bélapátfalvai.
