The lie of the Village Lator (with Farm Lator under the red arrow), with Bükk National Park at the background.

Small scale farmland, rocky grasslands and woodland, a very promising combination!

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Ancient forest

Bee-eaters, common in the surroundings. Image from Monique van der horst, a guest in 2000.

The village

Farm Lator is part of the romantic village Lator. Lator comprises 15 houses at the Southeast border of National Park Bükk (click here for map). It is the smallest settlement in the region. Therefore it is quiet and peaceful. NP Bükk is located in Northeast Hungary near the baroque city Eger. Bükk is a rough mountainous area. It is scarcely populated and has few tourists.

The village Lator has a friendly atmosphere. The people are soberly living, but not poor. They have their own vegetable garden and animals and still use the surrounding nature as a source of wood, food and herbs. They all know for instance what mushrooms, from hundreds of species, are edible or poisonous. We regularly buy very tasteful mushrooms from our neighbours.

The surroundings

The village's surrounding is a beautiful place to walk around. There are marked tracks to several directions. Maps are available on the farm.

To the South, paths lead up to the lavaplateaus. These are of volcanic origin. They consist mainly of wasteland. Partly it is abandoned arable land and partly meadows for the local sheep and cows. The vegetation is open with flowerrich, rocky and shrubby grasslands. Some rare orchids, like Orchis Coryophora and Orchis Morio are flowering here in abundance. This various type of nature is very good for insects. Many butterflies have their home here. Dominating birds are Stonechat, Red-backed Shrike, Bee-eater and Yellowhammer. There is always a chance to meet with a hunting Eagle or a Hoopoe as well. The landscape is panoramic.

To the North, roads lead you into extended forests, with here and there an open panoramic spot. These forests in this part of the Bukk mountains consist mainly of Oak and Hornbeam. The more humid valleys have Sessile Oak, but on the southern hills several Oak-species are growing typical for dry (mediterranean) forests. These open forests are extremely rich in rare plants and insects. Nine species of Woodpecker can be encountered here. Collared Flycatchers and Hawfinches are common. It is wonderful to walk here in springtime accompanied by the melancholic call of Grey-headed Woodpecker (not like the sarcastic laughing of Green Woodpecker) and hoopoeing Hoopoe's. In addition, there are good chances to meet with game.

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