Useful informations:
GPS: N46° 47.084′ E17° 22.502′ High: 126 m Parking: next to the street, on quarters
Access:
From the Bélapi ly-by to East on the yellow-triangle sign or from the Stépkilátó Balatongyörök on the red-triangle sign till to the so-called Szerelemdomb (Love Hillock), than from there to the West on the yellow-triangle sign.
From the lookout tower, built in 1972 by the forestry of Keszthely to the 221 meter high dolomite hilltop are well observable the south group of the volcanic mountains, the west hollow of the Balaton together with the coast of Somogy and the big, wavy surfaced forest of the Keszthely-mountains.
Balatongyörök – Bél Mátyás lookout tower, lay-by, (Garga-mountain)
The yellow-triangle sign takes us from the Szépkilátó to the lookout tower, staying on the hilltop of the Garga-mountain. The Bél Mátyás lookout tower stand on a a not more than 221 meter high hill, but offers a wonderful panorama. The lookout tower built in 1972 was renewed in 2001 with by the Balaton Highland National Park with the subsidy of the Enviromental Department. The south group of the volcanic mountains, the west hollow of the Balaton together with the coasts of Somogy and the big, wavy surfaced forest of the Keszthely-mountains are well observable from the wood lookout tower. These forests, rich is species gives home for many protected animals and plants, first of all you can find the rare dolomite plants (gaudy cowslip, valinat flower, farinose sorb, spiky wonderberry). And because we are in the Bél Mátyás lookout tower, we have to tell a story about the eponymous of the tower: Bél Mátyás (1684–1749) was Hungary’s first scientific descriptor. He finished his schools in Losonc, Kálnó, Alsószregova, Besztercebánya and Pozsony, than he get his university certificate in Halle. As the director of the high school of Pozsony, he was the first who started teaching Hungary’s contracted hisoty and geography. As an ambition to give his students a textbook, the main goal of his life was Hungary’s general description, but – differently from his predecessors – based on his own experiences. The result of his monumental work is the incomplete Notitia Hungariae Novae Historico Geographica, released between 1735 and 1742. Trustworthily to Bél Mátyás, we have to add to the description of the Garga-mountain from 2003, that next to the path we can find a big, dazzlingly white and nice dolomite mine, respectively the intensive pine scent is also the part of the tour. Returning to the Szépkilátó next to the road (if we come with car, here can we park) we meet pines as well; some of them supposedly was planted by the wife of prince Festetics Tasziló, the English family related Lady Mary Hamilton, who took here a ride often to enjoy the wonderful panorama of the Szépkilátó.