Mine Hill Forester's Lodge – Mogyorósbánya (OKT day 28 hike)

Following the Z trail on the broad access road of the Tardos mine, we arrive at the Mine Hill Forester's Lodge, the stamp station of the Blue Trail. The building at the saddle point currently operates as a wellness hotel, with prices and services aligned accordingly, not specifically optimized for hikers. We connect sharply left to the K trails, which run along the path parallel to the former Süttő narrow-gauge railway. The embankment is clearly visible on our right side; due to remnants of smaller and larger bridges, it might be worth taking a detour or even covering this section of the route on it.

Construction of the Süttő forest railway, on the estate of the Archdiocese of Esztergom, began in 1915, aimed at economically transporting wood and stone extracted in Gerecse. The tracks extended all the way to the Süttő transfer station, from where raw materials continued their journey by main railway. At its peak, the railway was approximately 30 km long, comprising two main branches diverging at Bikolpuszta – one to Mine Hill and the other to Pusztamarót – with shorter branch lines revealing quarries and inclines. After nationalization, the freight volume of the narrow-gauge railway rose steeply, and passenger transport was introduced, facilitating everyday life for residents of Bikolpuszta and Pusztamarót. In 1971, the new owner, the Hungarian People's Army, deemed operation uneconomical and dismantled the line.

We come out onto a cart track on a narrow track. To the right, amidst young trees, an old oak stands with a huge inscription: "Gerecse 50" – the route of the popular annual endurance hike follows from this point to Pusztamarót, following the National Blue Trail. It skirts the Nagy-Gerecse massif on the level; various forests alternate. Passing by an old tree, the Sandl-linden, then reaching a clearing, a wide panorama opens toward the north. The Nagy-Pisznice quarry, an intensely quarried limestone pit over millennia, now a strictly protected area, is visible: habitat of several protected animal and plant species such as the peregrine falcon, the crested tit, and the Hungarian pasque flower.

The fence of the Serédi Castle appears, then we arrive beneath the next stamp station of the Blue Trail, the former primate summer residence. Built in 1935 by Jusztinián Serédi, archbishop of Esztergom, the building, used as children's holiday home during the socialist era, became church property again after the regime change and currently belongs to the Esztergom Franciscan high school. The castle is visitable only by prior arrangement; beside it operates a tourist hostel (also by booking in advance).

Gerecse Resort – Pusztamarót

The K trail continues straight, but we strongly recommend the unmarked path that goes left, touching the Tűzköves Cave and Jura Abyss, leading to the viewpoint above the abandoned Kis-Gerecse quarry lookout point. Leaving the vertical shafts formed by dolomite karstification, we reach the panoramic viewpoint above the steep walls of the former mining yard. From Pisznice, we can view the Slovak side of the Little Hungarian Plain: the steam towers of the Mohi nuclear power plant are clearly visible, with the silhouette of the Tribecs mountains and Madaras in the background.

A short branch connects to the former Süttő narrow-gauge railway's Pusztamarót branch line, ending below the Kis-Gerecse quarry. Stones were lowered by incline from the mine to the railway track, where a stone crusher also operated. The incline's brake, route, and the embankment of the narrow-gauge railway together with the base of the stone crusher are still visitable, although one has to descend to the mining yard and even further down into the forest on the slope of Kis-Gerecse.

From the lookout point, we can climb back to the Serédi Castle junction, but it is better to head east. Passing the impressive rock walls of the main mining yard of Kis-Gerecse, we return to the Blue Trail route. The hard dolomite provides excellent terrain for rock climbing; bolts drilled into the walls, magnesium-cleaning brooms, and ladders signal the spot's popularity, except when it is crowded with athletes.

The rock blocks of the mining yard are quite regular, as if cut by human hands. In fact, the limestone was formed into such "benches" due to continuous flooding and retreating of the sea—the great popularity of the quarries in Gerecse is partly thanks to this: these were easier to quarry and transport than their more homogeneous counterparts. A small resting bench on a ridge faces the direction of Nagy-Gete and the Visegrád Mountains, offering a beautiful view from there too.

Returning to the K trail, it descends steeply. White dolomite blocks frequently appear on the rocky slope, one with a Marian shrine, where benches allow us to rest. Shortly, we reach the Water Divide saddle, crossing the former narrow-gauge railway's route again, then walk along a potholed asphalt forestry road into Pusztamarót. The stamp can be found on the information board next to the cemetery and on the wall of the Sólyomszem buffet.

Arriving at the formerly independent village, its iconic site, the historical memorial park welcomes us. In 1526, after the Battle of Mohács and the fall of Buda, the remains of the Hungarian army camped at Pilismarót's border. The pursuing Turkish army found them and carried out a massacre: estimates suggest 20,000-25,000 Hungarians lost their lives – commemorated by György Kovács' sculptural work resembling a church ruin.

The village, mainly living from apple cultivation, was sealed in its fate by the closure of the Süttő narrow-gauge railway in 1971. The once mobile population, typically commuting to the Gerecse quarries or nearby towns, was suddenly left without transport connections, resulting in near depopulation. The current resort village of Pusztamarót owes its survival partly to the establishment of a pioneer camp there in 1978.

Pusztamarót – Péliföldszentkereszt

While the previous stage was rich in sights, the walk to Péliföldszentkereszt is rather stimulus-poor. We bypass the Vaskapu ditch, follow a power line corridor, turn onto the Bajót paved road, and cross the ridge of Domonkos Hill. Reaching the fields of Péli-föld, we enjoy a beautiful view of Nagy-Gete, the flat plateau of Pilis-tető, and the Buda Hills; opposite us, the asymmetrical cone of Öreg-kő stretches out. Though close to Péliföldszentkereszt, the small settlement in the valley "cannot be seen from the bushes" – its hidden location symbolizing the spirituality of monastic life.

We arrive on paved roads at quiet Péliföldszentkereszt, passing the nursing home, then the Blue Trail turns left toward the Salesian convent. Heading further, we can visit the Gerecse Nature Park Visitor Center, where next to its buffet is one stamp option; another is behind the convent at a rest spot, directly next to our route.

Péliföldszentkereszt’s church guards a wooden fragment – traditionally said to be from the cross of Christ – designated a pilgrimage site in the 18th century by Prince Primate Eszterházy Imre. Subsequently, the monastery was built, initially inhabited by Templars, then Nazarenes and Pauline monks. In 1913, the Salesians took over, who, after 42 years of nationalization, regained the convent and its vicinity in 1992.

Péliföldszentkereszt – Mogyorósbánya

The Blue Trail circles the charming building complex, then turns right behind the convent. A gravel, wheelchair-accessible path leads to the Holy Well, along which the “path of joy” or “path of light,” the Via Lucis, was established. Unlike the Calvary with 14 stations depicting the crucifixion, this cross-way illustrates post-resurrection biblical events with a message more positive and clearly oriented toward the future. The idea came from a Salesian monk, and the order has created “paths of joy” in many places worldwide.

Leaving the Holy Well and the open-air mass site in the clearing, we head toward the Bajót Old Stone (Öreg-kő). Approaching it, observe the asymmetry of the eagle's ridge, caused by the later tilting of horizontally deposited layers. On the gentler western side, ascend the summit via the rock ledges, but the Blue Trail passes at the eastern foot, so a left turn on the K▲ trail ascends the steep rock strata along a long, tiring stairway to the panorama viewpoint, offering a semi-circular view from the Little Hungarian Plain across Börzsöny to the Buda Hills.

The Blue Trail route and the cliff walls between it and Öreg-kő contain caves formed by hot water seeping from below; some are freely accessible. The most spectacular is undoubtedly the collapsed-roof Jankovich Cave. The steep, hard dolomite cliff makes Öreg-kő a favored destination for rock climbers.

From the rest area at the foot of the mountain, another 3 km lies ahead as we descend onto Mogyorósbánya located on an ancient Danube river terrace, where a bus stop and the stamp station are situated in the center. The settlement was originally named Mogyorós, and coal was discovered on its border in 1825, which became so influential that in 1907 — like Tardos — the village's name acquired the suffix "-bánya" (mine). What has remained is its name and coat of arms proudly reflecting this heritage.