Mária-út, M01-35 (Nyíregyháza – Nyírszőlős – Napkor)

The Mária-út M01-35 is a 20.26-km point-to-point pilgrimage trail in northeastern Hungary, gaining just 80 m of elevation across the gently rolling Nyírség sandy plain. Rated Level II (easy-moderate), this stage links the regional city of Nyíregyháza to the gateway pilgrimage town of Napkor through birch forests, thermal resort areas, and quiet agricultural villages on the International Walking Network.

About the Mária-út, M01-35 (Nyíregyháza – Nyírszőlős – Napkor)

The Mária-út — Mary's Way — is Central Europe's most significant Marian pilgrimage network, comprising more than 2,000 km of waymarked routes across Hungary and neighbouring countries, all converging on shrines dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Stage M01-35 is the 35th section of the M01 arm and belongs to the International Walking Network (IWN) — the same route classification held by the Via Francigena and the Camino de Santiago. The route is managed by the Mária Út Közhasznú Egyesület, the non-profit association responsible for waymarkers, pilgrim documentation, and stage information across the entire network.

The stage begins at Nyíregyháza-Nyírszőlős, a residential district on the southern edge of Hungary's eighth-largest city, Nyíregyháza (population approximately 119,000). From here the route traces a south-easterly arc through the Nyírség — Hungary's largest contiguous sandy region, shaped by windblown dunes left from the last Ice Age. Slender birch trees, Scots pine, and silver poplars line the sandy paths as the trail passes through the thermal-resort of Sóstó, the lakeside recreation zone of Sóstóhegy, the villages of Nyírpazony and Oros, arriving at Napkor, a small market town that stands at the gateway to the Máriapócs pilgrimage axis.

At 20.26 km with only +80 m of ascent and −60 m of descent, M01-35 is one of the flattest stages on the Hungarian Mária-út network. There are no exposed ridges, river crossings, or technical terrain — this is a true plains pilgrimage, walking on sandy field tracks, village lanes, and quiet minor roads. The trail is waymarked with distinctive red-and-white pilgrim markers. Note that the signage is described as partially marked (hiányosan jelzett) on this section; downloading the free GPX track from the official website before departure is strongly recommended.

Route Overview & Stages

M01-35 is a single linear stage of 20.26 km, completed on foot in 4–5 hours at a comfortable pace. The table below breaks the route into four segments based on the main settlement waypoints, each with approximate distance and elevation figures.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Sóstó Thermal Lake — the natural mineral lake at Sóstóhegy, roughly 5 km from the trailhead, is the stage's earliest landmark and the most popular rest point. Water temperatures reach 25–28 °C in summer months, and the surrounding resort complex includes beaches, shaded picnic areas, and a water park.
• Sóstói Állatkert (Sóstó Zoo) — one of Hungary's largest zoos occupies a 24-hectare forest park within the Sóstóhegy resort. Housing more than 2,500 animals across European, African, and Asian collections, it is a natural detour for families and wildlife enthusiasts completing the stage.
• Nyírség Birch-Pine Woodland — between Sóstóhegy and Nyírpazony the trail enters the most atmospheric section of the route: sandy underfoot, shaded by slender birch and Scots pine, with the scent of resin and the calls of woodpeckers overhead. The Nyírség's unusual sandy soils support endemic plant communities found almost nowhere else in Central Europe.
• Kunhalom Earth Mounds — several kunhalom — Bronze Age and Sarmatian-era earthen burial and ritual mounds — rise above the flat Nyírség near the trail corridor. These protected archaeological heritage sites are unique to the Carpathian Basin and a reminder of the region's deep pre-Christian occupation history stretching back 4,000 years.
• Nyírpazony Reformed Church — a medieval Calvinist church at the heart of Nyírpazony village with origins traceable to the 13th century. The whitewashed exterior, simple wooden interior, and folk-carved 18th-century gravestones in the churchyard typify the Reformed tradition of eastern Hungary. The church is open to pilgrims for passport stamps.
• Oros Market Town — the largest settlement on the stage (population approximately 12,000), Oros offers the last reliable café, grocery shop, and ATM before Napkor. Its weekly market has run continuously for over 250 years and remains a living part of local agricultural life.
• Napkor Reformed Church — the 16th-century church on Napkor's central square marks the stage end and is celebrated for its rare painted wooden coffered ceiling executed in the Hungarian Calvinist folk-art style. The church is open to walkers during pilgrimage hours and provides a stamp for the pilgrim passport.
• Mária-út Waymarker Pillars — red-and-white stone and wooden pilgrim marker posts appear at regular intervals from Nyírszőlős to Napkor, each displaying the remaining distance to Máriapócs (approximately 22 km south-east of Napkor), the principal Marian shrine of northeastern Hungary and the spiritual destination of the entire M01 pilgrimage arm.

Best Time to Hike the Mária-út, M01-35 (Nyíregyháza – Nyírszőlős – Napkor)

April–May (Spring): A fine window for M01-35. Birch trees leaf out in vivid green, wildflowers — including yellow gorse, white wood anemone, and sand violet — carpet the forest margins, and daytime temperatures sit between 12 °C and 20 °C. Mud from winter rains is largely gone by mid-April, and bird activity peaks in May with numerous woodland species audible from the sandy paths.

June–August (Summer): Long days — up to 15 hours of daylight — give ample time to complete the 20.26 km at a relaxed pace. However, summer temperatures regularly hit 32–35 °C on the exposed plain between Nyírpazony and Napkor, with no natural shade for the final 5 km. Carry a minimum of 2 litres of water and plan to start before 08:00 to beat the worst midday heat.

September–October (Autumn): The sweet spot for this trail. Temperatures moderate to 14–22 °C, the Nyírség birch woodland turns amber and gold, and insect pressure drops sharply. The Hungarian Marian pilgrimage season peaks around the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows in mid-September, when the M01 corridor sees noticeably more foot traffic heading toward Máriapócs. October is the single best month to walk M01-35: reliable dry weather, optimal temperatures, golden birch foliage, and a calm post-festival atmosphere. As of 2026, the Mária Út Közhasznú Egyesület is continuing infrastructure and waymarker improvements along the M01 arm, making autumn conditions more navigable than in previous years.

November–March (Winter): Walkable but not ideal. Sandy sections soften after sustained rain, daylight is limited to 8–9 hours, and accommodation options thin out significantly. Recommended only for experienced walkers with a specific religious or winter-pilgrimage purpose.

Practical Information

Accommodation

Nyíregyháza, at the stage start, offers the widest range of accommodation — business hotels at €60–€100 per night, mid-range guesthouses at €35–€55, and budget options from €25. The following options sit directly on or near the M01-35 route:

• Sóstói Wellness Hotel Svájci Lak (Nyíregyháza) — approximately €55–€90 per night; full-service hotel adjacent to the Sóstó thermal resort at the start of the stage. Breakfast included, direct access to thermal bathing facilities.
• Camping Sóstó (Sóstóhegy) — approximately €8–€12 per person per night; seasonal campsite operating May through September within the Sóstóhegy resort complex. Shower facilities on-site, well-suited for walkers who prefer to start the next stage early from this midpoint.
• Nyírpazony Pilgrim Guesthouse — approximately €20–€30 per night; simple rooms in the village rectory run by the local parish. Capacity is very limited — advance booking is essential. Contact through the Nyírpazony parish office.
• Napkor Vendégház — approximately €25–€45 per night at the stage endpoint, offering double rooms and basic dorm beds. Contact through the Napkor municipal office. The guesthouse is within walking distance of the Reformed church and the bus stop for the return to Nyíregyháza.

Getting There & Back

To the start — Nyíregyháza: Nyíregyháza railway station is served by direct intercity trains from Budapest Keleti, with journey time approximately 2 hours 45 minutes on the IC and ICp express services. Regional trains connect to Debrecen (~55 minutes) and Miskolc (~1 hour 30 minutes). Check current timetables and book tickets at MÁV Group — Hungarian National Railways.

From Nyíregyháza station to the trailhead at Nyírszőlős: take urban bus line 2 or 7A (approximately 20 minutes, departures every 20–30 minutes during daytime hours). A taxi from the station to the trailhead takes around 15 minutes and costs approximately €6–€8.

From the end — Napkor: Regional bus line 1A connects Napkor to Nyíregyháza bus station (journey time approximately 40 minutes, departures roughly every 30–60 minutes on weekdays). A taxi from Napkor to Nyíregyháza takes approximately 25 minutes and costs around €12–€15.

Nearest airports: Debrecen International Airport (DEB) is approximately 50 km south-west of Nyíregyháza and handles seasonal European routes. Budapest Liszt Ferenc (BUD) is the primary international gateway, roughly 280 km to the west — from there, take the direct intercity train from Budapest Keleti to Nyíregyháza.

Permits & Fees

No permit or trail fee is required to walk the Mária-út M01-35. The route follows public rights of way, village roads, and agricultural field tracks throughout its 20.26 km. Walkers should respect closed farm gates and keep to the marked path when crossing active crop fields.

A voluntary pilgrim passport (zarándokigazolvány) — similar in concept to the credencial del peregrino on the Camino de Santiago — can be obtained from the Mária-út official website or from the starting parish in Nyíregyháza, then stamped at churches, guesthouses, and information points along the route. The passport is strongly recommended for walkers planning to continue beyond Napkor toward Máriapócs and eventually receive the official pilgrim completion certificate at the shrine.

Gear & Packing List

M01-35 is a flat, predominantly sandy 20 km stage with no technical terrain. A pack in the 25–45 litre range is ideal: enough room for water, food, a dry layer, and overnight kit if you are linking stages, but light enough to stay comfortable on a warm day. Footwear with moderate ankle support helps on soft sandy sections, though light trail runners work well for the majority of the route.

Key items to pack:

• Minimum 2 litres of water capacity — no reliable water sources between Oros and Napkor (approximately 5 km)
• Packed lunch and high-calorie snacks — no café or shop between Sóstóhegy and Oros, a gap of roughly 10 km
• Sun hat and SPF 30+ sunscreen — the final plain section is fully exposed with no shade
• Light wind and rain layer — continental weather in the Nyírség can turn quickly in spring and autumn
• Downloaded GPX track from mariaut.hu — waymarking is partial on this section and should not be relied on alone
• Pilgrim passport if continuing the M01 arm beyond Napkor toward Máriapócs

Backpack recommendations: For a pure day-walk of M01-35 the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider keeps weight minimal while carrying everything you need for 20 km in moderate conditions. Walkers linking multiple consecutive Mária-út stages with overnight kit will appreciate the structured support of the Deuter Aircontact Lite 45+10. For extended multi-week pilgrimage use requiring maximum capacity, the Osprey Aether 65 is a well-proven choice that handles heavy loads across long pilgrimage networks.

Calorie planning matters more than many walkers expect on a warm flat stage — read our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day before packing your food bag. If you are still choosing a pack, our best ultralight backpacks of 2026 tests seven options across weight classes and load types.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the gentle plains pilgrimage character of M01-35 appeals — flat terrain, cultural heritage, and a waymarked corridor through rural Hungary — the following trails in the same region and wider Danubian network offer comparable walking with their own distinctive highlights:

• Camino Benedictus (Tihany – Pannonhalma – Mosonmagyaróvár – Rajka) — Hungary's Benedictine pilgrimage corridor linking medieval abbeys across Transdanubia to the Austrian border, with richer topography than the Nyírség section
• ST307 Nagylók – Mezőfalva — expert-rated Danubian stage traversing the Central Hungarian agricultural plain south of Budapest
• ST311 Kalocsa – Bóni-fok — riverside expert stage through the Kalocsa paprika-growing heartland along the Danube floodplain
• ST202a Čunovo – Lipót — Danubian flood-plain walking bridging the Slovak-Hungarian border near Bratislava, excellent bird habitat
• ST203a Lipót – Győr — scenic Danube-bank stage arriving at Győr's magnificent Baroque city centre, one of Hungary's finest historic cores

For something completely different after walking Hungary's flat plains, our guide to the Theth to Valbona hike in Albania covers one of the Balkans' most dramatic point-to-point mountain routes — a contrast in every sense to the Nyírség pilgrimage experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time of year to hike the Mária-út M01-35?
October is the single best month: birch foliage turns amber and gold across the Nyírség, temperatures average 14–18 °C, and the trail is dry underfoot. April and May are a strong second choice for wildflowers and comfortable warmth. Summer walking is possible but the exposed plain sections become very hot midday — start before 08:00. November through March is navigable but limited daylight and soft sandy paths make it less enjoyable.

How difficult is the M01-35 stage?
The trail is rated Level II (easy-moderate) by the Mária Út Közhasznú Egyesület. Total ascent is just +80 m over 20.26 km, with no technical terrain at any point on the route. The main physical challenge is the sun-exposed open plain between Nyírpazony and Napkor, where there is no shade for approximately 5 km. Suitable for walkers of all ages with basic walking fitness; trekking poles are optional and not required for terrain reasons.

How many kilometres per day should I plan when walking the M01 arm of the Mária-út?
M01-35 is a single stage of 20.26 km, typically completed in 4–5 hours at a moderate pace of 4–5 km/h on flat sandy terrain. Most pilgrims walk it as one full day with time for village stops and rest. If connecting consecutive M01 stages, the network averages 18–22 km per stage, so planning 20 km per walking day is a sensible baseline for this section of northeastern Hungary.

What accommodation is available along the M01-35 route?
The most reliable options are at the stage start in Nyíregyháza (broad range, approximately €25–€100 per night depending on category) and at the stage end in Napkor Vendégház (approximately €25–€45 per night, double rooms and dorms). A pilgrim guesthouse operates in Nyírpazony (approximately €20–€30 per night, advance booking required). A seasonal campsite runs at Sóstóhegy from May through September (approximately €8–€12 per person). Book ahead during the September pilgrimage peak.

Do I need a permit or pay any fees to walk M01-35?
No permit or trail fee is required. The Mária-út M01-35 follows public rights of way for its full 20.26 km, and no registration or payment is needed to walk it. A voluntary pilgrim passport (zarándokigazolvány), available free from the Mária-út association, can be stamped at churches and guesthouses along the way. The passport is recommended for anyone planning to continue to Máriapócs and claim the official pilgrimage completion certificate at the shrine.