Hiking trail marks in Hungary

The first marked hiking trail in Hungary was inaugurated in 1888 in Northern Hungary. Since then a dense network of hiking paths has been set up all over the country. The total length of the Hungarian hiking trails is almost 25.000 km.

These hiking trails are marked with a combination of a colour and a form.

The colours can be: blue, red, yellow and green.

The forms can be the following (in every above mentioned colour):

a horizontal line: to mark the main trails, the most important paths, which are the base of the network

a cross (also in blue, red, yellow and green): to mark a connection between two main roads

a triangle (also in blue, red, yellow and green): to mark a path leading to a peak

a square (also in blue, red, yellow and green): marking a path to a settlement or accommodation

a circle (also in blue, red, yellow and green): marking a path to a spring

a letter omega (also in blue, red, yellow and green): marking a path to a cave

a letter “L” (also in blue, red, yellow and green): marking a path leading to a ruin

a circle with an arrow (also in blue, red, yellow and green): path with a round tour

and a letter “T” (also in blue, red, yellow and green): marking an educational trail, where you will find several information boards along the path about the flora, fauna, geology, history, etc. of the region.

The marks are painted on trees, stones along the path, and on pylons and traffic signs in or around the settlements.

Nowadays the majority of the paths are well marked and easy to follow. (When I was a child in the beginning of the 1990’s there where regions, where you could find only one or two signs per kilometre).

At more and more junctions you can also find direction signs board, but still a lot of places are without them. So you surely need a (printed or electronic ) map, but with that you will not be lost.

Good luck!

Attila Hernády

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