Beautiful view: A little alpine atmosphere in the Pilis - the Labyrinth hiking route

Itinerary:

• Start from the Kopár Csárda parking lot on the P hiking trail that passes here, heading into the forest behind the tavern.
• We ascend through the forest to the ridge of the mountain, from where a small path on the left leads down to a simple stone labyrinth built in a former sand pit, not marked on the map.
• From the labyrinth, we return to the hiking trail marked with P.
• A few hundred meters later, we reach a resting place with a rain shelter. Here, we turn right onto an unmarked but well-trodden path leading to the most beautiful rocky panoramic parts of the Zajnát Mountains.
• After exploring the rocks, we return to the P marked trail and continue north along a beautiful ridge flanked by pine forests, where after passing another rain shelter, the Klotild Cave awaits us, opening from the steep mountainside.
• The cave is the northern end point of the hike; from here, turning back, we first descend on the P+ marked trail into the area called Fényesliget in Piliscsaba,
• then from there, on the S◼ marked path, we make our way back to the P trail.
• We leave the P hiking trail on the P↺ marked path, then shortly before the finish, return to it again.

Detailed hike description:

The hike begins at the Kopár Csárda parking lot on the border of Pilisvörösvár, taking the P trail passing behind the tavern into the forest. The winding path ascends moderately through a twenty-minute forest climb to the ridge of the mountain, from where a small path leads down to the simple stone labyrinth in a former sand pit, not marked on the map. The stone spiral was likely inspired by the more elaborate labyrinth of the nearby Álomvölgy meditation center. I read that although every maze is a labyrinth, not every labyrinth is a maze. Ancient labyrinths have a single path leading into the center and back again, so it's impossible to get lost inside. Walking inward can be seen as a form of meditation, "breathing slows, the mind clears, a new experience unfolds," while the outward path leads confidently towards the future.

Armed with this knowledge, we tried the forest labyrinth spiral, but our experience suggested it is not advisable to hike the labyrinth quickly, as by the end of the spiral one can become dizzy. Therefore, we walked out slower, repositioning the moved stones of the snail shape, allowing us to finish the round with the consciousness that we have done at least something useful.

Returning to the P hiking trail, we almost immediately reach the first lookout point, from where the view stretches beyond the forest trees. Then, slightly leaving the path, we reach the first beautiful rocks. Standing on the rocks reveals a real panorama. From an interesting new angle, we can inspect the Hármashatár Hill and the adjacent Csúcs Hill, whose name becomes understandable from here, as well as the white cliffs of Nagy-Kevély and Oszoly.

On the flat mountain ridge winding at about 350 meters elevation, pine forests become dominant; in winter, they can create a Christmas atmosphere. Moreover, the alternation of pine forests and rocks, and the silhouette of waves of distant mountains, gives a slight alpine touch to the area, intensified by significant snowfall. These mountains were not always pine-covered; until the early 1800s, the area was covered by continuous oak forest. Then large-scale logging began, resulting in the area becoming completely barren in about a hundred years. It was then realized that the rapidly deteriorating mountains could only be saved by reforestation and afforestation with hardy trees, so great efforts were made to plant black pines capable of stabilizing the soil.

However, the days of the pines are numbered; they have fulfilled their duty and can now be replaced. The soil is now suitable for replacing them with native turkey oak and downy oak species, which are slender and resinous, often prone to fire. Therefore, if all goes well, in a few decades the old natural order from 300 years ago may return.

After taking in the views from the first rocks, we return to the P trail and continue north. A few hundred meters later, we reach a resting place with a rain shelter. Here, we turn right onto the unmarked but well-trodden path leading to the most beautiful rocky panoramic sections of the Zajnát Mountains. This section can essentially be explored via three parallel paths (one on the ridge and two below). We took a detour on the ridge and the northern path. At the end of the northern path stands the huge Vércse Rock (its official name), better known to many as Eagle Rock.

The 8-10 meter high rock got its name due to its shape; standing opposite it, it looks as if a huge stone eagle is spreading its wings. There are two beehive stone-like depressions in the rock, one presumably from the distant past. On the way back from the rock, the terraced, wooden-wedged supported, stepped mountainside testifies to the afforestation efforts.

After exploring the rocks, we return to the P marked hiking trail and continue north along a beautiful ridge flanked by pine forests. After passing another rain shelter, the Klotild Cave opens from the steep mountainside and awaits us. The cave is open, meaning with a headlamp, you can venture into its first chambers. Don’t be surprised if you see some bats hanging on the walls inside. Avoid going too close as the warmth from our breath could awaken them from hibernation, which is life-threatening. On the cave walls, if you shine a light, a white sparkling cloud of points appears, similar to a clear night sky.

The smooth surfaces and hemispherical shapes on the walls suggest the cave was once flooded with flowing water, as stated on the information board at the entrance. This swirling water mass created the cavities by dissolving the more than 200-million-year-old limestone. The cave is named after the Klotildliget neighborhood of Piliscsaba, itself named after Archduchess Klotild of Austria-Hungary.

The cave is the northern endpoint of the hike. Turning back, the trail forms a mirrored B-shaped graffiti as it first descends on the P+ marked path through some beautiful slopes into the Fényesliget area of Piliscsaba, then on the S◼ marked path we return to the P trail, which we leave at the P↺ marked path, then shortly before the finish, return to it again.

If in a hurry, one can also return from the cave along the P trail the same way, but this is less rewarding and less interesting. Lastly, I owe you the origin of the strange mountain name: it is assumed the mountains preserve the name of Aynárd, son of Miklós, who not far away on the Zajnát Peak in the Buda Hills around 1200 also had a wooden-earth-structured rampart castle. The Aynard family came from southern France to Hungary in the 12th century and received among other things Tinnyé and its surroundings from King Béla III. The fortress of Aynard became known colloquially as Zajnát Castle after some transformations, and the slightly more northern Zajnát Mountains probably went through a similar name evolution.