Castle ruins, quarry lake, and pine forest within arm’s reach of the capital

We get off the 137 bus, walk up Hedvig Street, and immerse ourselves in the forest following the green trail. The first point of interest is the Guckler Rock, or Nelli Rest. The former name is linked to Károly Guckler, a forest ranger associated with the afforestation of Hármashatár Hill. Unfortunately, I couldn't find significant information about the latter, but it is certain that the name is somewhat unjustified since there is no bench nearby, and it would be difficult to sit on the rock.

At the Virágos saddle, children usually shout; heading towards Csúcs Hill, the path leads among friendly little houses, and from here, the church in Gercse or Gercsei is also visible. The building is very interesting because it dates back to the 13th century, and it looks wonderful for its age. It was restored in 1996, and it is one of the best-preserved medieval churches. The church still uses it today.

Soon we reach a 19th-century boundary stone. This stone marking the edge of the settlements was placed in 1878 and bears the inscriptions "Solmar" and "Hidegkut." Here we can make a small detour from the green trail to the nearby Calvary Hill, which is worthwhile just for the viewpoints along the way, although the view of the Auchan supermarket in Solymár is rather disappointing. At the 11th station, we turn onto the path leading to the summit of Calvary Hill and, after a short climb, from 384 meters, we can look around and observe the Buda Hills and Pilis.

If we're unlucky and can’t find our way back to the green trail, we are rewarded with a pleasant wander through waist-high grass, so a GPS comes in handy. Heading toward the Solymár quarry lake, we can indulge in the ancient tradition of jumping through the wheat field.

A good tip: if you already know you want to get down to the water, definitely wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty because the only way down here is to slide on your bottom down the hillside. A part of the pond next to an unused brick factory is surrounded by trees, but mostly you will see a more barren, sandy ground, giving the place a unique, almost lunar character.

Then we head towards the Solymár Castle. The walls of the ruin were raised in 2005–2006. It's definitely worth climbing the tower for the view. Archaeological excavations are still ongoing here, and as the castle's website states, it is not yet certain for sure why it was built and what its purpose was. Some opinions suggest that the Lackfi noble family built it in the 14th century, while others believe it was not a castle but one of the central monasteries of the Pauline monk order.

In Solymár, reaching the triangle of the church-pub-CBA, you can get lunch/snacks/dinner and sit on a bench to enjoy it. From here, only one challenge remains: from the Church of the Name of Virgin Mary, you have to get up to Zsíros Hill (424 m). Don’t be afraid, the path mostly gently climbs, and the steeper sections are short. However, I must note that the trail markings are quite sparse around here.

When Zsíros Hill is mentioned, true nature lovers surely think of the legendary Zsíros Hill tourist house, whose ruins can now only be seen. It’s interesting how the place got its name: at the beginning of the 1900s, the surface was so barren that from afar, the limestone rocks reminded observers of a slab of fat. Between 1930 and 1934, the area was planted with black pines, which is quite rare in Hungary, so it's worth visiting not only for the panorama but also for a unique nature experience.