Hiking to the Source of the Kapos River – World Water Day
“Before every hike, we’re glued to weather forecast sites, and we never forget a little ‘prayer’ too, hoping the forces of nature will be on our side. This time, the rain held off until the very end of our trip. As part of our Waters of Somogy project and in celebration of World Water Day, we followed the Kapos River and its surroundings. We started in Kiskorpád, where we visited the source of our county’s largest river. We completed an approximately 8-kilometer hike, exploring the beautiful and exciting natural landscape. Along the way, we learned many historical facts from Máté, who once again made sure we noticed as many local curiosities as possible. The morning was filled with good spirits—it felt great to be with the team and simply chat about everything.”
Levente Sipos
*”This hike reminded us a lot of a previous challenge hike—getting from point A to B was no small feat. We thought the direct route would make things easy, but we encountered all sorts of hidden and unexpected obstacles: muddy terrain, fallen trees, thick branches, and even some quietly sneaking or contemplatively staring animals. It felt like a unique dress rehearsal for a game of ‘hide-and-seek’ and made us nostalgic for our most demanding hike yet. It also inspired us to start planning our next adventure with equally tricky terrain. We truly enjoyed every moment, and we finally reached the source of the Kapos River. Of course, just like our path, the source is not simple to define. It is said to originate from three main branches—and even a barely trickling fourth one. These together form what is considered the origin of one of Somogy County’s major rivers. The Kapos itself meanders significantly before finally reaching the Sió Canal. In our project, we are tracing its path to better understand the influence of natural waterways on how settlements were formed and how they function—both in the past and today.”*
Dominik Antal
On March 22, World Water Day, we continued our field trips connected to the Waters of Somogy project. The original idea was to walk along the entire length of a stream or river, but even a short one would have been too long for a single day. We chose the Kapos River because it is the largest waterway in Somogy—and the 10th largest in Hungary (considering only the sections within the country).
But where exactly does the Kapos begin? That’s not easy to answer. It’s widely agreed that its source is in Kiskorpád, a location that has been marked as such for hundreds of years. However, three different branches are possible candidates. We chose the one coming from Gige, known as the Pogácsási Branch. Here, water trickles through a narrow valley already dotted with the first flowers of spring.
During our hike, we passed the lakes dammed along the river, visited the Kapotsfy Chapel, and discussed old manors, noble families, and even a Reformed church built on a triangular floor plan. Let’s not forget that the renowned poet Mihály Csokonai Vitéz also has ties to Kiskorpád—he often visited the Sárközy family estate here.
You can find a photo gallery of our hike in the Gallery section.
— Máté Varga, Development Coordinator