Hungary Trail (Cottage Point)

There’s no information available online, but the Hungary Trail is marked on my topographical map. It’s a fire trail off General San Martin Drive. If there is a walking track here, it would be the only one on the Cottage Point peninsula – a stark contrast to West Head, which has over 20 trails. After finding a very small parking area where my map shows the trail should start, I flail around in the thick scrub around. As I’m about to give up, I stumble upon a reasonable trail that has been re-routed slightly from it’s original path. As I continue, there’s some very overgrown sections and some fallen trees, but the now trail is mostly obvious.

As a reminder of what the Hungary Trail once was, there’s the occasional remnants of concrete drainages pipe that would have run under the firetrail.

As I near the end of the Hungary Trail – at least where my map shows the trail ending – the track becomes very distinct as it enters a section of casuarina forest. Even more exciting is the sudden asbsence of the thick and scrubby undergrowth.

But… it doesn’t last… within a few minutes the undergrowth is thicker than ever, and the track pretty much disappears. As I’m now a few hundred metres from the end of the Hungary Trail as shown on the map, I push on through the sometimes head-high scrub. I finally reaching a long sandstone platform. Perhaps, a long time ago, there was a view over the valley. Now there’s just a sea of eucalyptus trees.

I head back before it gets dark, discovering that the very start of the Hungary Trail (which is fairly distinct) actually starts directly behind a row of sandstone boulders that marks the edge of the parking area – and not where the oldd gate used to be.

Definitely not a walk I’d recommend – unless you like getting scratched by thick scrub or you really want to find a walk that no-else is doing!

There is a bright spot though; towards the end of my bushwalk I spot a huge rocky area on the opposite side of the valley. Although it’s getting dark, I’ve got just enough time to find another very rough track that starts a bit further up General San Martin Drive. I’m soon on a massive sandstone platform, overlooking the valley.

It’s a nice spot to catch the last of the colour in the sky.

More information on Hungary Trail

Although parts of the Hungary Trail are obvious, some sections very overgrown. Treat this as an off-track walk and bring a map!

For more bushwalking suggestions, have a look at the Guide to Ku-ring-gai Chase, which lists all the official and informal routes in the park.