Repülős emlékhely is a modest but moving memorial tucked away in the forest on Hajag-tető in the Bakony hills, marking the site of a tragic aviation accident from 1973. It draws not only history enthusiasts but also hikers looking for a quiet woodland trail with a story worth telling.

The area around Hajag-tető is classic Bakony scenery — dense beech and oak forest, gentle slopes, and a stillness broken only by birdsong. In spring and summer the path winds through cool, shaded woods, while in autumn the hillside glows with color, adding a reflective mood to the walk. The memorial itself, erected in 1998 by the Association of Hungarian Veteran Pilots, commemorates three Soviet MiG-21 pilots who died here in 1973 during a military exercise, when their aircraft crashed into the hillside due to poor visibility.

How to get there

• Herend — forest trail towards Hajag-tető, duration depends on chosen route, difficulty: easy to moderate
• Also reachable from nearby Bakony villages via marked forest paths

Practical information

• The memorial is visited and decorated with wreaths every year by aviation veterans
• Fragments of the wreckage can still occasionally be found scattered in the surrounding forest

It's a place where history and nature intertwine quietly — a peaceful forest hiding a dramatic story that still reminds visitors of the price sometimes paid in the sky.