I visited this WHS in 2022 and didn't have high expectations. However, from the moment I arrived on the never-ending flat terrain to the moment I left, I was positively surprised. Having read Hubert's and Nan's reviews, I made an extra effort to put aside my birdwatching bias, and I tried to focus on also covering the man-made structures which shaped this cultural landscape.

You'll notice you have reached the Hortobagy plains, once wherever you look the sky meets the land on the infinite horizon. The landscape of this romantic region has inspired countless works by celebrated painters and some of the greatest Hungarian poets have sung its praises, a bit like the Tuscan landscape of Val d'Orcia. Especially in spring, gazing at the endless flat panoramas, the breeze will take you by surprise with its scent of sweet chamomile and mint. The only noises are the stamping of hooves, the ringing of cattle bells and perhaps the wafting of birds' wings. The steppe landscape of Hortobagy reminded me of the Saryarka Kazakh steppe landscape on a much lesser scale or the El Rocio horseback landscape near Donana National Park in Spain. However, Hortobagy is a unique example of harmonius interaction between human beings and nature.

The earliest human settlers left their imprint on the landscape in the form of so-called kurgans (kunhalom), or rounded burial mounds visible on the endless horizons. Besides their archaeological and cultural value, these tumuli provide a habitat for vegetation characteristic of the Puszta, such as crested wheatgrass and feather grass, furrowed fescues and the butter-yellow Austrian sage, Jerusalem sage, royal midget and mullein. In total today there are still between 1,300 and 1,700 mounds dating from the Copper and Bronze Ages. Most of them were built by the Neolithic people or nomadic tribes (Thracians, Illyrians, Dacians, Celts, Scythians and Sarmatians) on higher areas, so as to be protected from floods. The mounds known as kurgans were originally used for burials (later also reused as lookout posts or border markers), while the "tell" (living) mounds were dwelling places.

In as early as the 15th century, huge herds of grey cattle grazed on the swampy pastures of Hortobagy. Herdsman drove their animals out to pasture after the thaw, and kept them in the open until the first snows enough just to build dams. It is also vital that certain regions can still be inundated with water when and where necessary. Otherwise, the Hortobagy Pustza (which actually means "salt desert") would quickly look like a desert. Apart from the pastoral and agricultural structures, such as sheds, barns, dwellings, or the characteristic sweep wells or shadoofs, deep inside the Hortobagy plains there are also the csárdas or 18th and 19th century provincial inns for travellers, and for 2 nights I stayed in one that is used as a local guesthouse. The most popular touristic way of exploring the natural landscape is to book a tour on an ox-driven cart with modern wheels or by train to the different fish ponds. However, since I explored the restricted natural area, signposted everywhere, very early in the morning (like Els) to improve my chances of spotting fauna and avifauna as well as to escape the heat, there was no way for me to buy or pay for a ticket.

So shortly after sunrise, after passing over the nine arched bridge, I drove past the only small petrol station just out of town and parked near a not so tall birdwatching tower near the main road which is the starting point to the Szalka-Halom Nature Trail which offers a very good overview of both the cultural and especially the natural qualities of the Pustza landscape. The nature trail is a loop which starts at the highest elevation, i.e. the kurgan which lends its name to the nature trail, and descends to lower habitats ending at an alkaline marsh. The burial mound was constructed by nomadic peoples of the steppe, who arrived there well before the Hungarians. The length of the trail is approximately 1 kilometre taking about 45 minutes (without photo or nature-viewing stops). The trail follows the right hand side of a small grove just opposite a few pastoral and agricultural structures with lots of cows, racka sheep (with their long spiralling horns), and chained pastoral dogs. After reaching the left hand side of the grove, a dry steppe grassland opens up. Approaching Road 33, the habitat gradually becomes damper, and consequently the vegetation changes to alkaline meadow and marshes. The microclimate greatly differs within just a matter of a few millimetres or centimetres between the alkaline soils known as micro berm or szikpadka, and the lower barren areas, readily signalled by the different plants.

The area is in fact a mosaic of milfoil and wormwood alkaline steppe and loess steppe grasslands, alkaline wastelands, alkaline meadows and marshes. Whilst the most sodic areas are quite barren, sustaining but a few plant species, they are covered with a pretty flower blanket mostly of chamomile and buttercups in full bloom in April and May. Hungary's largest rook (Corvus frugilegus) colony nests in the grove next to the burial mound, together with kestrels and red-footed falcon (photo). On the left hand side of the grove, there is another higher birdwatching tower from where you can easily spot kestrel nests (lots of nestlings when I visited), owls, smaller birds and the rarer red-footed falcons. Shortly after descending from the birdwatching tower, probably since it was still quite early, near the nyiro marshland I startled a group of wild hares which ran back to their burrows and in turn startled a wild deer which leaped across the flat steppe and hid inside the corn fields near the main road. The temporary water bodies appearing mostly during spring attract rich birdlife. Huge flocks of geese can be observed here, among them the rare and strictly protected red-breasted geese and lesser white-fronted geese which accompany the flocks of greater white-fronted geese. If you're really lucky, the Pustza is the best habitat to spot the bustard, Hungary's largest bird. In spring and summer, you'll definitely also spot lots of storks.

The area close to the nine arched bridge comes alive later in the day with a sort of small market with locals selling lots of handicrafts. From 1st July to 15th September one can go for a boat ride (organised by a local guy running a small company called Csonaktura) from near the bridge. The UNESCO WHS marble plaque or marker can also be found here. All in all, I really enjoyed this WHS and I would gladly revisit for a short stop by car whenever I opt for a road trip to Romania and/or Bulgaria.