You can get to Eplény going on main road No. 82 from Veszprém towards Zirc and after crossing Gyulafirátót. The small village of 548 inhabitants in the Bakony hills has become well-known recently. It was first mentioned in records in 1749 as a plain-land, puszta belonging to the neighbouring Olaszfalu. The origin of its name is uncertain, it means the crossbeam connecting the runners of the sleigh. The settlement was founded by the Cistercians and the Cistercian abbey of Zirc settled some cottars here. The Kökényesi inn, which was popular with the highwaymen of the Bakony, used to stand here. In the 1930s a mine was opened in the neighbourhood, which made the village flourish. The mine was closed in 1979 as the manganese ore reserves ran out. The chapel of the village was consecrated in honour of St. Bernard, its school was built by Ödön Vajda, the abbot of Zirc. Since 1992 Eplény has had its own local council; the dedication of its flag and coat of arms took place in 1997. The children’s day is held on the first Saturday of June, while the Festivity of Eplény is organized at the beginning of August. The feast of its patron saint is held at the end of August. Eplény attracts many visitors all year round with the 230ha Leisure forest on Ámos hill opened in 2003, the look-out tower, the forest playgrounds, the gymnastics course and other facilities. Eplény awaits skiers from this year not only in case of favourable snow conditions but in cold weather as well, as it offers 5 ski slopes treated with snow machines, 2 of which are lit. The ski slopes, which start at the top of Ámos hill and end in Malom-valley under ’Prédikálószék’, are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with three ski lifts. This is the most popular target of winter tourism in Transdanubia. High-standard accommodation facilities are provided for the visitors of the village. The mountains are popular areas for hunting, especially in autumn.