On our third day in Eger we drove out to Lillafüred to walk the Green Loop, a long circuit that starts at the shore of Lake Hámori and then disappears into the Bükk forest. We had picked it because the route description in the Hiiker app spoke of natural beauty and a romantic setting at the lake, and we had pictured something to match: open views, a few lookouts, the kind of day you remember for its scenery. We set off around ten in the morning, in great weather, and walked for six hours and two minutes. This Lillafured hike turned out to be a different day from the one we had imagined, and in this post we tell you honestly what it was, so you can decide whether it is your kind of day.
The short version is that the Green Loop is a long, quiet, well-marked walk through real forest, and that it is not a viewpoint hike. We enjoyed it, we would not call it spectacular, and we came home with very tired legs.
Lillafured hike at a glance
- Route: Lillafüred Green Loop (as listed in the Hiiker app)
- Start and finish: Lake Hámori, Lillafüred
- Length on paper: 17.2 km
- Our distance: 19.08 km (about 2 km extra from a wrong turn)
- Climbing on paper: about 700 m (Hiiker lists 702 m)
- Height range: roughly 210 m at the lake to about 570 m at the highest point (from the route file)
- Time on paper: about 4 h 36 min (Hiiker’s estimate)
- Our time: 6 h 2 min, with rests and no hurry; we set off around 10 in the morning
- Difficulty: “medium” in Hiiker; see our take below
- Waymarking: well marked
- Parking: a car park near the start; no more than €10 for a day
- When we walked it: early October, great weather
A long day in the forest, and the wrong turn at the start
We drove from Eger, where we were staying for four nights. Our planning notes put Lillafüred about an hour and a half from Eger, which is why it had almost ended up on the list of things to skip: it is outside the one-hour radius we had set for day trips. Looking back, we are glad we made the effort, even though the day did not give us what we expected. There is a car park for hikers close to the start, and for a full day we paid no more than ten euros, which is easy to live with.
The first thing that happened is also the thing we would warn you about. Close to the start, the red and the green markers split off onto different paths, and we followed the red ones by mistake. We had walked for a while before the Hiiker app showed that we were no longer on our route, and we turned back to the split. That detour cost us about two kilometres, which explains why our total came to 19.08 km instead of the 17.2 km listed for the loop. It was a small mistake with a simple lesson: at the first split, stop, look at the markers and look at your app, because the path that looks like the obvious one may belong to a different trail.
After that the Green Loop took us in earnest into the Bükk forest. We kept a relaxed pace, rested when we wanted, stopped for the views we did get, and had no urge to set a personal record. Hiiker estimates the loop at about four and a half hours; with the detour, the rests and our unhurried pace we needed six. If you plan the day, count on a full one.
Is the Lillafured hike worth it? Our honest verdict
It depends entirely on what you are hoping to find. We went in expecting scenery, and what we got was mainly dense forest. That is not a complaint about the trail so much as a lesson about expectations: the description we read had talked about a romantic place at Lake Hámori, and we had let that colour our picture of the entire loop. The lake is where the romance is. The rest of the walk is a path through trees.
That said, we did enjoy it, and we do not want to undersell that. Being properly out in nature for a whole day, with few other people around, has its own value, and it is the reason we hike in the first place. The trail was not busy. We met some people, mostly near the villages, but never so many that it felt crowded. We did not see much wildlife either, mainly birds. If what you want from a day is a long, calm walk in the woods, this loop delivers it. If you want panoramas to photograph, treat the lake as your highlight and know that the rest is a forest walk.
We also want to be honest about the effort. Hiiker rates the route as medium, and the route is well marked, but 17 kilometres with roughly 700 metres of climbing is a lot if you do not exercise or walk much. How hard it feels depends on your condition. For us it meant sore legs for two days afterwards.
Following the route in Hiiker
We used the Hiiker app to follow the loop, and it is the reason we noticed the wrong turn. The route is a circuit, so you end where you began, at the lake. If you want to walk the same one, you can open it here: Lillafüred Green Loop on Hiiker. The figures in the app are the route on paper; our own numbers, as described above, include the extra two kilometres. If you are still choosing a navigation app, we compared the options in our best hiking apps guide.
What we wore and carried
For a day this long, we were glad to have the right things with us. We both wore proper hiking shoes from Decathlon, not sneakers, and each of us carried a small backpack. Between us we had around three to four litres of water, sandwiches and a bag of salted peanuts. The weather was great, so a thin hiking shirt was all we needed on top. For a loop that took us six hours, we would bring at least this much again.
Recovering afterwards
Because of the sore legs we had planned a massage for the same evening, but it was not possible that day. We booked one for the following day instead and drove to Hatvan, about an hour from our accommodation, for a Thai massage at twelve o’clock. After a hike like this one it was very welcome, and we noticed that massage prices in Hungary are much lower than at home. If you walk a long loop on your way through Hungary, it is worth planning a gentle day afterwards.
Tips for the Lillafured hike
- Plan a full day. Hiiker estimates about 4.5 hours; we needed 6 with rests, no hurry and one wrong turn.
- Watch the markers at the first split. Red and green separate onto different paths early in the walk, and we followed red by mistake. Keep the app open and check it when the path splits.
- Set your expectations for forest, not views. If you want scenery, treat the lake at the start as the highlight and everything after as a walk in the woods.
- Wear real hiking shoes and bring enough water and food for the whole day.
Other things to do in Lillafüred
We did not visit these, so we cannot review them, but Tripadvisor’s list of things to do in Lillafüred includes the Hanging Gardens of Lillafüred, the St. Stephen Stalactite Cave, the Libegő chairlift and the Anna Sinter Cave. If the forest is not enough for you, they are the places to look at.
FAQ
How long is the Lillafüred Green Loop?
Hiiker lists it as 17.2 km with about 700 m of climbing and an estimated 4 h 36 min. We walked 19.08 km in 6 h 2 min, including rests and a 2 km wrong turn.
Is the Lillafured hike worth it?
Yes, if you want a long, quiet forest walk. No, if you are mainly after views: the loop was mostly dense forest for us.
Is the Green Loop well marked?
Yes, the route is well marked. We still took a wrong turn at the start, where the red and green markers split, so keep an eye on your app.
Where do you park for the Lillafüred hike?
There is a car park where you can leave your car for the day; we paid no more than €10.
How far is Lillafüred from Eger?
Our planning notes say about 1.5 hours by car. We drove.
How hard is the Lillafüred Green Loop?
Hiiker rates it medium. For us it was a long day with sore legs afterwards. If you do not walk much, 17 km is a lot.
More European trails
This is one of our trail reports from central Europe. For more, see our European Trails section, or read about a longer coastal challenge in our Fisherman’s Trail Portugal guide.
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