download (PDF, 140KB)

download (PDF, 272KB)

download (PDF, 134KB)

download (PDF, 274KB)

download (PDF, 131KB)

download (PDF, 289KB)

download (PDF, 141KB)

download (PDF, 135KB)

Please note that the excursions on 04.08.2026 will depart from the parking lot of Hotel Magister at 9:00. The buses will be ready to board from 8:45. The excursionists will be given a sandwich and water before departure.

Hotel Magister, Veszprem

The largest all-arts festival in the City of Queens fills the streets of the castle district and the city center with a colorful cavalcade of free music and cultural programs every May. Combining thousand-year-old historical traditions with modern-day experience programs, the week-long Gizella Days are a real celebration of joy in the life of Veszprém!

We are pleased to inform you that registration registration for the 32^nd EFOL has officially opened!
You can find all the detailed information, including the registration process, deadlines, and other important details on this official website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us – we are happy to help!

We look forward to meeting you at the event!

Best regards, Gábor Ákos Ugron CEO – VERGA Ltd.

Today we held an on-site EFOL board meeting together with VERGA Ltd., focusing on field access, event setup, and competition areas. The visit was highly productive: we reviewed key locations, discussed logistics and aligned on the practical details. During field access the competition course kept one of its best secrets: the normally stunning panoramic views were completely hidden by fog. So while the EFOL board members were happy with the location and our plans, the scenery decided to stay mysterious for now.️ We’re excited and motivated to keep moving forward and turn EFOL 2026 into a memorable, well-organised championship in Hungary. The championship will also be part of the Veszprém–Balaton 2026 European Sport Region programme, highlighting the region’s commitment to international sport and outdoor activities.

Saturday, 1 August 2026

Sunday, 2 August 2026

Monday, 3 August 2026

Tuesday, 4 August 2026

Wednesday, 5 August 2026

Climate change

Global warming is having a significant detrimental effect on Hungarian forests. The survival of forests in large areas is at risk, and many tree species are becoming extinct due to warming and drying. Diversified research and studies are trying to estimate the processes that await us and their consequences. The goal is to preserve the forest reserves in the rapidly changing conditions.

Forest damage

The previously existing biotic and abiotic forest damage has increased enormously due to climate change and globalization. Due to the deterioration of climatic conditions, numerous pests have appeared in our forests and in many cases they cause the complete destruction of already weakened tree stands. Of particular note is the spread of previously harmless fungi and insect pests introduced from distant continents, as their natural enemies follow the invasive species only late or not at all.

Lake Balaton is the largest lake in Central Europe, located in Transdanubia, and is also known as the “Hungarian Sea”. Its average depth is 3 meters, its length is about 77 km, and it is located northeast-southwest. It awaits visitors with a rich wildlife, volcanic buttes (Badacsony), historical sights (Tihany) and numerous beaches.

The name Balaton originates from the Slavic word blato or boloto, meaning “marsh”, “swamp”, or “mud”. This refers to the lake’s marshy surroundings in ancient times.

Ancient Name: The Romans called it Lacus Pelso, which likely translates to “shallow lake”. Wine Heritage: The region has a wine culture dating back to Roman times. The volcanic soil on the north shore creates distinctive, mineral-rich white wines.

The Benedictine Abbey of Tihany peninsula is one of the most significant historical and cultural monuments of the Balaton Uplands, founded by King Andrew I in 1055 in honor of Saint Agnes and the Virgin Mary. The crypt of the monastery is the burial place of the founding king, while the Baroque church visible today was built in the 18th century. The founding charter of the abbey is the oldest Hungarian-language scattered monument that has survived in its original form.

Balatonfured is the oldest resort on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, the “capital” of the northern shore and the first health resort town in Hungary, famous for the treatment of heart patients (State Heart Hospital) and its carbonated springs. The small town in Veszprem County is the center of the Balatonfured wine region, and has been the international city of grapes and wine since 1987.

Brief details: Bus trip, easy walking. Boat trip Balatonfüred-Tihany, small train ride. Lunch cold package. Duration: ~ 6 hours. Price: 70 € per person.

(The excursions will take place based on the number of applicants. In the event of cancellation, expansion, or merger of individual excursions, the affected applicants will be informed in a timely manner and their payments will be adjusted.)

„Szentgal” Yew tree forest

The forest on the border of the village of Szentgal hides a national and even European rarity. The shade-tolerant yew, which requires a cool, humid climate, grows together with the beech tree species in the northern-facing forests, directly in contact with the heat-loving downy oak stands on the slope leading to the Séd valley. Szentgál was a royal hunting village in the Middle Ages, its inhabitants enjoyed noble privileges and paid tribute to the king with game. One of the important hunting tools was the bow, and the dense, flexible wood of the yew tree is an excellent bow material.

One of the oldest protected areas in the country covers an area of ​​213 hectares. The end point of the yew tree excursion is a wooden lookout tower. From the topmost (17.5 m) resting level of the 22.15-meter-high lookout tower, a magnificent 360° panorama opens up to the northern and southern peaks of the Bakony and towards the Balaton Uplands. In clear weather, Lake Balaton can also be seen.

Herend Porcelain Manufactory

In the world’s largest porcelain manufactory, in Herend, in a modern visitor center, the Porcelanium, we can get acquainted with Hungary’s most famous luxury export, Herend porcelain. It is worth visiting not only for porcelain lovers, but also for those who would like to take a look at the past of nearly two hundred years, or simply pay their respects to the successes of our country, as Herend porcelain is famous all over the world.

Brief details: Bus trip with museum visit, forest walking tour, medium difficulty level. Lunch in a forest setting, venison hamburger. Easy city walk in Porcelanium. Duration: ~ 5-6 hours. Price: 60 € per person.

(The excursions will take place based on the number of applicants. In the event of cancellation, expansion, or merger of individual excursions, the affected applicants will be informed in a timely manner and their payments will be adjusted.)

„Pinter-hill” forest

In the highest part of the Bakony Mountains, in the High Bakony, lies the country’s highest (400 m) small town, Zirc. The forest-covered Pinter-Hill, directly adjacent to the town, is a popular excursion destination for locals and those living in the city’s catchment area. The Pinter-Hill park forest is diverse and diverse in terms of age and plant species. The middle-aged and old stands are typically hornbeam beech and hornbeam oak. Among the tree species, beech, hornbeam, pedunculate and sessile oak, mountain maple, tall ash, bird cherry, Scots pine and larch are also found. The aim of VERGA Ltd. is to reduce the proportion of felled forestry and to prioritize continuous forest cover. In addition to gradual renewal cutting, our forest area managed as permanent forest is increasing, either through clear-cutting or clear-cutting, or without significant intervention. One representative demonstration site of this is the Pinter-Hill Park Forest.

Cistercian Abbey in Zirc city (founded in 1182 by King of Hungary Albertus III)

The library of the Cistercian abbey in Zirc has been collecting works since the 1700s – today the extraordinary collection counts 65 thousand volumes, including invaluable old prints, exceptional books and rare journals. You can mainly find theological writings here, but many other disciplines are also represented in this sublime place, which is home to one of the most significant and long-standing church collections in our country.

Natural forestry in the Bakony beech forests

The renewal of the hard-leaved stands (typically beech, tan and sessile oak as the main tree species) in the mountain and hill regions is based on locally grown seeds. This, supplemented by some seed sowing and seedling planting, ensures genetic stability. Our forests, renewed through continuous forest cover, not only fulfill a public welfare and protective function, but their economic role is also not negligible. All this without ecological and landscape trauma.

Brief details: Bus trip with museum visit, walking forest tour, easy difficulty level. City walk in the Abbey. Duration: ~ 5-6 hours. Lunch at Alsopere hunting lodge. Price 60 € per person.

(The excursions will take place based on the number of applicants. In the event of cancellation, expansion, or merger of individual excursions, the affected applicants will be informed in a timely manner and their payments will be adjusted.)

Veszprem city tour

Veszprem is a historical county seat and archbishopric city located in the heart of Transdanubia, at the junction of the Bakony and Balaton Uplands, built on seven hills. Known as the “City of Queens”, the settlement was the estate of the Hungarian queens from the 10th century and the first episcopal seat. It is a vibrant university and tourist center, holding the title of European Capital of Culture in 2023.

The old town of Veszprem (mainly the Old Town Square and its surroundings) is the historical, cultural and social heart of the city, located at the foot of the castle hill. It is characterized by cozy, Art Nouveau and eclectic town houses, the historic square, the nearby Fire Tower, and numerous cafes and restaurants. The masterpieces of Baroque architecture and the pedestrian streets evoke a true Central European atmosphere.

Prison Museum (The Human behind the bars – Prison exhibition) in Veszprem

A misdeed, a story, a sentence, a fate. But in fact it is the sum of all of these, a person behind bars, the society around them, the perception of crime and punishment and the attitudes towards these.

This is this concept that inspired us in the process of completely reinventing the prison exhibition at the Dungeon Visitor Centre, which now focuses both on the history of the Dungeon, and the role of the famous or infamous prisoners who once served time here. On crime, punishment and the prison itself, through the special Veszprém stories and in general, to all visitors interested in this closed world, still shrouded in legends, misconceptions and secrets, which has defined our society and left its mark on it, – among the walls, and with the approach, of an unconventional exhibition.

Brief details:
Guided city tour, Dotto sightseeing train ride. Prison Museum. Lunch. Difficulty level: easy. Duration: ~ 4-5 hours. Price 60 € per person.

(The excursions will take place based on the number of applicants. In the event of cancellation, expansion, or merger of individual excursions, the affected applicants will be informed in a timely manner and their payments will be adjusted.)

Orienteering Disciplines

EFOL Sprint

Short distance, daytime, one-stage individual championship in the announced categories.
Location: Veszprém city centre
Date: 2 August 2026, 16:00

EFOL Forest Middle Distance

Daytime, one-stage individual championship.
Location: Forests within 10 km of Veszprém
Date: 3 August 2026, 10:00

EFOL Relay

Forest relay championship for national teams.
Location: Forests within 10 km of Veszprém
Date: 5 August 2026, 09:30

Eligibility for EFOL Championship Categories

Participation is linked to a professional or family connection to forestry. The following groups are eligible:

• Employees of forestry organisations (active or retired)
• Forestry education and research staff and students
• Private forest owners
• Persons with a forestry qualification not working in the profession
• Family members (spouse, children) of the above

EFOL Championship Categories

Sprint & Middle Distance

M10, M12, M14, M16, M18, M20, M21, M35, M40, M45, M50, M55, M60, M65, M70, M75, M80
W10, W12, W14, W16, W18, W20, W21, W35, W40, W45, W50, W55, W60, W65, W70, W75

Open

Open to everyone (orienteers, beginners, locals, company representatives, etc.).

Open Categories

Sprint & Middle:
Open Beginner (OB)
Open Advanced (OA)

Relay:
OPEN1 (individual open course)

Entry Deadlines

Online registration is closed, we will no longer accept new online registrations!

We will not be able to refund any cancellation fees after 27.07.2026!

EFOL Championship categories: 30 June 2026
Open categories: 20 July 2026
(after this and on site only if vacancies remain)

Relay team composition: until 4 August 2026, 20:00.

Entry

EFOL Championship categories:

Through the national team leader using the official EFOL entry form.

Entry by e-mail: registration@efol2026.hu

Entries must be confirmed by the national team leader by 5 July 2026, otherwise they will be deleted.

Open categories:

Using the official EFOL entry form.

Entry by e-mail: registration@efol2026.hu

Contacts of national team leaders:
https://efol.eu/teams.html

Hungarian team leader: Ferenc Kovács kofo23@gmail.com

Documents proving eligibility must be sent by 25 June 2026.

Awards

1–3rd place: medals and prizes. All finishers in non-championship categories receive a diploma and/or small souvenir.

Terrain

Sprint

Historic city centre of Veszprém with streets, alleys, squares, courtyards, arcades and stairs. Significant climb for a sprint.
90% hard surface. Excellent runnability and visibility.

Middle Distance & Relay

Altitude 350–530 m, with valleys and steep slopes. Mostly well-runnable hornbeam and beech forest.
Very good visibility and runnability; speed reduced mainly by valley crossings.
Medium-dense path network.
Green areas with younger forest and reduced visibility.
Fallen trees are not mapped. Active forestry and hunting in the area.

Maps

Sprint: 1:4,000 / 2.5 m (some senior classes 1:3,000)
Middle & Relay: 1:10,000 / 5 m (M/W50+ 1:7,500)

Punching System

SPORTident electronic system (contactless SI Air+ enabled).

Transport

No organised transport. Competition areas accessible by public transport.
Special transport requests: info@efol2026.hu until 15 July 2026.

By air: Airports of Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna are within 200 km.

By motorway:
Budapest – Veszprem via motorway/expressway: approx. 1 hour.
Vienna/Bratislava – Gyor – Veszprem partly motorway and main road: approx. 1.5 hours.

Public transport:
Train and bus connections run hourly between Budapest and Veszprem (travel time: 1.5 hours).
https://www.menetrendek.hu/

Local transport:
Veszprém can easily be explored on foot, by e-scooter, e-bike or local bus.
https://vbusz.hu/

Event Centre

Hotel Magister – 8200 Veszprém (Hungary), József Attila u. 34/2
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4LhmMTomh1ztwbQf9
https://kollegiumok.uni-pannon.hu/kollegiumok/veszprem/hotel-magister

Questions about the competition

Melinda Németh Zsoltné

vhs.tajfutas@gmail.com

General questions, accommodation, programs:

Attila Németh

info@efol2026.hu

Registration

registration@efol2026.hu

Technical support with registration and website

support@efol2026.hu

1. Download registration Excel file (short: EFOL26REG)
2. Fill out EFOL26REG
3. Send the completed EFOL26REG by email to registration@efol2026.hu
4. Receipt of confirmation e-mail
5. Receipt of fee request by e-mail
6. Payment of fee by bank transfer
7. Receipt of invoice by e-mail

Send registration Excel file to

registration@efol2026.hu