Várgesztes – Szárliget (OKT Day 25 hike)

Our tour starts at the stamp station located in the Várgesztes shop area, near which there is a bus turnaround and parking lot. We set off northwards along Arany János Street, then at the edge of the settlement, following the K markings, we turn right towards the fishing lake. By the lake shore, we find a spacious rest area with numerous benches and tables, and during the season, a buffet line is also in operation. It is worth already viewing the rocky ridge above the lake: the eastern one is Zsigmond Stone, which we can reach with a short detour from the Blue Trail.

Leaving the beautifully situated lake, we quickly find ourselves at the foot of the tour's first ascent: over the next narrow two kilometers, we will climb from 270 meters to 430 meters in a shaded, narrow valley with a gorge-like character in places. In the upper third of this, we can take a right turn following the K▲ marked path to the already mentioned Zsigmond Stone. The treeless rocky terrace is 5-10 meters wide, where we can admire soft-stemmed plants typical of dolomitic grasslands; from above, we get a bird's-eye view of Várgesztes, with the panorama stretching from Majk to Várgesztes, crowned by the ruins of Gesztes Castle rising high. The cliff falling perpendicular along a straight line forms one edge of ravines created by structural movements that dissect the Vértes northwest–southeast; its western continuation is a known climbing spot.

On reaching the plateau, we hike without significant ascent or descent, sometimes through clearings and sometimes through orderly beech groves. Under the trees, we arrive at the Mátyás-kút rest area, whose central feature is a key house guarded by a large wooden statue. The water flow of the spring varies and may completely dry up. It is surrounded by shelters, benches, tables, and fire pits, and the unusual forest comfort is enhanced by a swing and a toilet. The spring's name commemorates King Matthias, who often hunted in Vértes. The rest area and the house were established in 1970 thanks to two local miners and nature walkers.

Leaving the rest area, we arrive at the Szarvas-kút on a pleasant forestry road winding through forest surroundings, crossing a gas pipeline clearing. The spring here is not operational, but we find benches, tables, and a stone-built fire pit. The core of the rest area is a bivouac cabin with an attic that comfortably accommodates 2-4 people; the ground floor serves as a shelter from the rain or even a covered campsite. Although the house is surrounded by the forestry asphalt road, thanks to the steep terrain of the valley head, nothing of it is noticeable; the location is secluded, peaceful, and perfect for overnight stays in the forest. (The attic is always open.)

The Blue Trail section dominated by beech forest continues, and less than 1 km later, at the Vitányvár junction, on the right side descending the path, we find a carving of Pál Rockenbauer’s portrait carved into a beech tree cavity. The work was created 15-20 years ago by an unknown artist in tribute to the filmmaker who earned timeless merits in promoting the hiking movement.

After the memorial tree, we soon reach a junction where, turning left on the KL marked trail, we can make a short detour to Vitányvár. This is one of the most atmospheric spots in Vértes: while walking in the forest, massive walls suddenly emerge from the trees; this is the site of the former fortress guarding the road crossing Vértes, believed to be built by members of the Csák clan after the Tatar invasion. The castle, repeatedly captured by Turks, was intentionally blown up in 1597 to prevent it from falling back into the Ottoman Empire’s hands. Its building stones hide in surrounding buildings, yet much of it remains. Despite its abandonment, the romantic large wall remains have open windows, offering a beautiful view of the Kisalföld from beside them.

Our path then turns toward Körtvélyes, entering a particularly picturesque forest section adorned with old beeches, although the trail also skirts a small clearing. We cross a larger field, then turn left at a right angle — here, under the trees on the left, is the old cemeteries of vanished Parány settlements, the Körtvélyes forest cemetery. It was the estate of Count Miklós Esterházy, and Körtvélyespuszta was nearby; besides its residents, people from Csákányospuszta, Szenttamáspuszta, and Kapberekpuszta were buried here. Today, the cemetery and its surroundings exude infinite peace, a quiet shaded spot where even the most rushed hiker slows down. The small cemetery is surrounded by a waist-high wooden fence; the graves are marked by wood, iron, or stone-carved crosses. On the outer side of the fence, we find a joint memorial for seven Hungarian soldiers who fell in the spring of 1945 at the end of World War II.

Next to the cemetery, the Blue Trail descends into a former stream valley, where we continue along the most beautiful natural environment of the entire section, the Márcia Gorge. The steep trail follows the riverbed bends, descending among huge rocks in a true gorge evocative of the Bakony atmosphere. As the limestone blocks and vegetation on the walls testify, water once surged here like a waterfall after snowmelt or heavy rains. Nowadays this is less typical, as the formerly abundant Csákányos stream has dried up, but the short, rocky narrowing remains spectacular.

The valley widens near the Csákányospuszta tourist house, and cultivated fields, meadows, and pastures replace the forest. The tourist house has four rooms: the ground floor rooms have 6-8 beds, and the upper floor offers space for 10 beds.

Winding around meadows, we reach the last historical sight of our tour, the small hilltop Csákányospuszta church ruins, the only remaining building of the 13th-century village of Csákányosegyháza. After the Tatar invasion, King Béla IV donated this area to the Uz warriors in exchange for their help; the name comes from their favored weapon, the battle pickaxe. The short detour to the ruins is worthwhile not only for the historical atmosphere but also for the beautiful views over meadows and the distant houses of today's Csákányospuszta, through which the Blue Trail continues. The Nagy-Csákány, rising above us at 487 meters, is in fact the highest mountain of the Vértes.

Crossing the "main street" of Csákányospuszta, we climb the last ascent of the tour, from where we can already look towards the Gerecse, then descend toward Main Road 1, passing through another atmospheric forested section with abandoned concrete blocks and bunker-like structures. After the road-side section, we walk down the rest of the distance along the paved, practically traffic-free road to Szárliget. This was the embankment of the wood and sand-carrying narrow-gauge railway opened in 1918 — the track was destroyed during World War II. A small memorial was dedicated to this and the other narrow-gauge line in Szárliget along the Blue Trail, where benches and tables provide resting opportunities.

Finally, we arrive at the railway station, crossing the overpass, where the last Vértes stamp of the Blue Trail can be found on the station building’s side — with the cliffs of Gerecse already rising in the background.