Thirring Circuit

Itinerary

• Start westward from the bus stop, then after 50 meters turn left towards the Báró Eötvös Loránd Shelter following the K, P, S, K+, P▲, Z◼, K↺, S↺ markings.
• On the continuation of the road behind the shelter building, you will find the Great Lookout and the Téry Ödön Memorial.
• From here, we must follow the S↺ signs all the way (the route is walkable in both directions).

Detailed description of the route

Since this is a short, comfortable circular route, it is worth paying attention to every single sight along the way. Whether at the start or the end, it is a good idea to visit the Tourist Museum next to the Báró Eötvös Loránd Shelter. The cabin itself is a special attraction, as this was the first tourist house in the capital's surroundings, built on the initiative of Dr. Téry Ödön and Dr. Thirring Gusztáv in 1897-98. The exhibition offers a true time travel experience for passionate nature walkers.

A few steps away to the north is the area called the Great Lookout, from where you can not only enjoy the panorama but also see the Téry Ödön memorial. A unique view of the Danube gorge that horseshoes around the Szent Mihály hill and the sharply contoured, lively relief of the Visegrád Mountains can be admired, making it hard to believe that one of the wildest roads of the surrounding area runs right below us along the steep mountainside.

Following the S↺ sign eastward, we soon pass through a carved gate that welcomes us with the inscription "God bless you". The Z◼ and our marking run in the same direction for a while. Within 50 meters, at a sharp right turn, we take the unmarked road that branches off to the left to reach the Mária shrine (about a 20-meter detour back and forth).

The sloping path is soon enriched with new elements. Looking down, dark spots appear among the trees: we have reached the summit of the Thirring Rocks. Some have trails leading to their tops – you can carefully dare to climb them. The highest one penetrates the canopy level of the trees, so from its summit, we can also admire the Börzsöny. After the last rock, the Z◼ sign leads straight down, but we take a sharp left following the S↺ signs.

A memorable, distinctive atmosphere begins on this stretch of the trail, unmatched anywhere else in the country. The moderately wide path leads under house-sized, dark rock towers. A close look at the walls of these rock giants reveals their diverse material: andesite breccia made up of various sizes of rock fragments. Millions of years ago, debris sliding down the steep slopes of a volcano accumulated at the valley bottom and fused due to heat. Its hard material — unlike rocks more prone to erosion — resisted erosion, becoming "prepared" and rising above its surroundings. The rock towers rising on the steep northern slopes of Dobogókő are the offspring of this process.

The winding, root-entangled tourist path occasionally offers views of the Predikáló Rock side, the Vadálló Stones rock formations, and the typically rugged Szent Mihály hill rising on the far side of the Danube. Plenty of deadwood lies on the forest floor, and our path runs across the seemingly natural forest floor richly filled with timber.

Where our path curves left and ascends, at the "head" of the turul bird, you find the memorial pole erected in memory of Róbert Hegedűs. Since we again travel the rock summit level, a sign and a stretched fence remind us that for our own safety, it is worth not leaving the hiking trail. Our path continues westward, then takes a sharp left turn back to Dobogókő, where we find ourselves between the Téry memorial and the shelter. The end of our tour is marked by another carved gate.

In the tourist house, you can take some snacks, and at the southeast corner of the building, you can visit the Tourist Memorial. If you arrive with children, they can test their dexterity in the wooden playground between the two, and additionally, you can also walk to the nearby Rezső Lookout.