Following the red marble and the ancient crocodile

Itinerary

• We start from the center of Héreg on the Z trail going northwest and follow it to the forestry house on Bánya Hill.
• Next to the forestry house on Bánya Hill, we turn right onto the K trail.
• At the junction of the Gerecse-side hiking trail, we turn right, take the K▲ marked path climbing toward the summit of Nagy-Gerecse, then bypass the highest point and descend on the far side of the hill to Serédi Castle.
• Next to the castle, we turn right again onto the K trail and follow it over the Water Divide to Pusztamarót.
• From Pusztamarót, we return on the K trail to the Water Divide junction, where we turn left onto the P trail. This leads us to the end of our hike, back to our starting point in Héreg, completing the hiking loop.

Detailed description of the hike

From Héreg to Bánya Hill

Our hike begins from the center of Héreg. The village has a grocery store, café, and restaurant, all within a few minutes’ walk – so you can easily get anything you might need before setting off.

This historically mining village (numerous Roman coins and other finds have been uncovered within its boundaries) has a main street serving as the ridge path, marked by P/Z tourist signs leading northwest into the forest. From here, you get familiar with the elongated massif of Nagy-Gerecse towering above the village, easily identifiable by its slender TV tower rising from the summit. Walking among the houses, the asphalt soon changes to gravel road leading to the edge of the settlement. At the signpost clearing in front of the forestry house, turn left onto the Z trail entering the woods.

On a wide track, we cross a young, park-like forest called Gyertyános, dominated by oak trees. Our steadily ascending path gradually steepens, and mossy rock outcrops embellishing the forest floor indicate our arrival at the slopes of Halyagos Hill. A short but steep climb leads us up to a medieval beech forest on gentler terrain. At the junction marked for Halyagos, our path joins the National Blue Trail, turning right along K/Z signs.

Shortly, after passing a majestic old oak tree, we emerge from the forest onto a small grassy area at the crossroads with the haul road from Tardos to the Bánya Hill quarry, in the saddle before Nagy-Gerecse. From here, a small detour allows a visit to the red marble mine. Since it is still operational today, ask the workers at the gate if it is possible to enter!

The red marble that is not really marble

The rock called red marble colloquially is actually very dense, hard limestone. Geologists know it as Pisznice Limestone, deposited on the bottom of a Jurassic ocean (about 150-200 million years ago) in a warm climate with many small-shelled creatures living in the sea. Because it was not subject to the forces required for marble formation, fossil imprints remain visible today: round ammonites, crinoids, and other small ancient animal fossils can be seen in the rock.

Formed in huge layers, the rock is easily extractable. Enormous natural forces fused the layers, which are separated by pneumatic hammer and blasting, then cut by machines. Its reddish to brownish colors come from iron and manganese oxides embedded during sedimentation. Thanks to its excellent polish, workability, and unique color, it earns the name marble and has long been an important building and decorative stone.

Extensive mining started in Roman times and expanded during the Kingdom of Hungary. Over centuries, it was used in many buildings, statues, and tombstones both in Hungary and abroad (e.g., Wawel Castle in Krakow, buildings in Vienna and Bratislava, royal palaces in Óbuda and Visegrád, the Bakócz Chapel in Esztergom, cathedrals in Pécs and Eger, the Budapest Lenin Memorial inaugurated in 1965, and much of the city's quayside is mainly made of this red limestone). The mining golden age was during the Dual Monarchy when huge amounts were transported mainly for construction in the capital.

After intensive mining at several locations (Tölgyhát, Vöröshíd, Pisznice, Kis-Gerecse), only the Bánya Hill above Tardos is still quarried today. The abandoned quarries have become a paradise for mineral collectors, fossil hunters, and climbers.

Gerecse from both sides

From the saddle, along the K/Z dozer road after a curve, we reach the ruins of the former Bánya Hill forestry house. The area is overgrown with weeds, a pity as it was recently useful, serving as a workers’ hostel, hunting lodge, and forest ranger residence. Facing the former main building, we turn right into the forest along the K trail. The gently descending cart track follows the embankment of a former narrow-gauge industrial railway, which operated between 1917 and 1971 transporting stone and timber to Süttő and carrying tourists. The railway winds in two branches for 24 km through the forest. Remnants can be found in many places, and a challenging hike along its often visible route tells the story of transport before trucks replaced carts.

Walking comfortably through oak and beech woods, we reach the path branching right with K▲ signs leading to the ridge of Nagy-Gerecse. This is the most difficult part of our route with about 230 meters of elevation gain. We climb a sweaty ascent on a root-entangled, crumbly path, rewarded by the beautiful beech forest and mossy rocks below. Turning right near a young fenced area, the terrain softens and we reach the wide plateau of the summit where the trail continues level.

The summit is accessible via an unmarked detour with a four-storey geodetic measuring tower rising above the treetops, but climbing it is strictly prohibited and dangerous. From here you have a great view: beyond the slopes of Gerecse, the volcanic peaks of Börzsöny enclose the horizon past the ribbon of the Danube, with the Esztergom Basilica visible in the foreground. Looking east, you can see Pilis behind Nagy-Gete, parts of the Visegrád and Buda Hills, and farthest the Nagy-Naszály summit over the Danube Bend. Southwestwards, views include the Vértes and Bakony hills, while west and north stretch the plains of the Little Hungarian Plain enveloped in haze. On clear days, the ranges of the Little Carpathians and Tribecs frame the horizon, and Selmec Mountains’ highest peak Szitnya also reveals itself.

Continuing on the K▲ trail across the summit plateau, we pass a GSM relay station before reaching a clearing with a large fenced TV tower erected in 1972, 126 meters high. Circumventing the tower, we begin descending on the gravel service road on the east side of Nagy-Gerecse. Passing the Jusztinián resting place and the ruins of an old forestry house, we arrive at the saddle between Nagy- and Kis-Gerecse where our path rejoins the K trail. We follow it right towards Pusztamarót, catching sight of the former prince-primate castle’s towered building, which can only be viewed from beyond its fence.

From ancient creatures to wild garlic

Before continuing, it’s worth a short detour. From here, a forest road without tourist marking branches off, leading to the now abandoned quarries of Kis-Gerecse about 700 meters away. We pass the grated entrances of two vertical shaft caves, Tűzköves and Jura pits, and soon stand on the fenced edge of the quarry yard. We get a fine view of the expanse of the Little Hungarian Plain and the gentling Gerecse ridges toward the Danube valley.

Opposite, the heavily protected excavations of Nagy-Pisznice are visible, accessible only with permission from the Danube-Ipoly National Park because their cliff ledges provide breeding and seasonal habitats for the peregrine falcon and saker falcon, identified in Hungarian tradition with the Turul bird (which may also be the origin of the mountain range's name). In the second half of the last century, due to adverse effects, these species almost vanished from the Carpathian Basin; peregrine nesting was not recorded for 30 years. Thanks to protection programs, both species are now happily increasing their populations in Hungary. Another paleontological curiosity from Pisznice was uncovered in 1996: fossils of a previously unclassified ancient crocodile. This reptile lived about 180 million years ago in the Tethys Ocean, whose sediment now forms the quarry material. "Magyarosuchus fitosi" is notable as one of the first crocodyliforms adapted to a marine lifestyle. The sensational find is exhibited at the Hungarian Natural History Museum.

Descending along a single path to the accessible Kis-Gerecse quarry yards, we observe up close fantastic formations of the colorful red, yellowish, and gray limestone. The walls also hold Hungary's most challenging climbing routes, formed due to the quarrying techniques. It’s not uncommon to see climbers attempting ascents on weekends.

We continue east on the K trail toward Pusztamarót, crossing an air cable clearing and walking among white limestone outcrops under the trees. In front of one cliff wall there is a bench and small carved niches with tension and statues: we visit a woodland chapel dedicated to Mary, where we can rest a bit. The path then slopes down into the side of Kis-Gerecse.

In the beautiful oak-beech forest in spring and early summer, a strong scent of garlic can be noticed. The source is wild garlic growing all along the hillside. According to folk belief, its name derives from the bear emerging from its cave after hibernation seeking it first to cleanse its body.

The sloped section ends soon as the trail joins a dozer track where the P trail connects. Arriving at the saddle between Nagy-Pisznice and Kis-Gerecse at the Water Divide, we go around a barrier and turn right onto the joint K/P markers on a wide forestry haul road. We cover the remaining 1.2 km to Pusztamarót. Here we can observe the remains of the former embankment along which ran the narrow-gauge Süttő-Pusztamarót railway between 1917 and 1971. This branch line served the Bánya Hill area and was built originally as an industrial railway; passenger transport started in 1960 but was unfortunately discontinued later. The now abandoned Water Divide stop was one of its stations.

Pusztamarót

Pusztamarót is a mountain settlement with a long history and serves as a major tourist hub in Gerecse. In the Middle Ages, a small village was established here; the Knights Templar built a monastery and the Esztergom archbishop a hunting lodge. All was destroyed during the Turkish era but later the place revived as a mountain farmstead. It functioned as a hunting area, forestry management center, and later as a fruit growing center (apple, plum), supporting a school and store in its heyday, and was the terminus of the Süttő narrow-gauge railway. The 1940 Gerecse guide still recorded 76 inhabitants, but by the 1980s Pusztamarót had become depopulated. When the film crew of the "One and a Half Million Steps in Hungary" series arrived in early autumn 1979, only 8 residents remained. The economy and direction changed significantly as the railway connection was terminated despite being an essential part of the local landscape and community by then. Today, the cemetery and remaining buildings remind of Pusztamarót’s active past.

Fortunately, it has avoided complete decay and has developed into a recreation area. It offers shelter from rain, benches, tables for tourist comfort, operates the former pioneer camp turned "Harrier Nest," and has a seasonal buffet. It’s a great spot to rest, refresh, and get acquainted with the location before continuing.

The historic memorial site next to the old cemetery commemorates the tragic events of September 13-15, 1526. After the defeat at Mohács, the local population and refugees from the Turks dug in a wagon camp here, which was besieged by the Turks. A three-day bloody and cruel battle ensued. Following their victory, the Ottomans slaughtered part of the survivors; sources estimate about 20,000 died, many ending up in slavery.

One participant known by name was Mihály Dobozi. Legend tells he fled the lost battle on horseback with his wife, Ilona Farmos; overwhelmed by the double burden their advantage over pursuers dwindled. Ilona begged her husband to kill her and save himself since she could escape alone. When almost caught, she jumped to the ground. Dobozi did not want to abandon his wife, struck her down with his sword, and then heroically fought until his last breath. His name is preserved in public places, memorial plaques, artworks, and literary works. The nearby forest section called "Mankiller" reminds of this tragic event.

King’s rest and return to Héreg

From Pusztamarót, we return along the familiar K/P trails to the Water Divide saddle, then continue on the P trail all the way to Héreg. We follow the service road of the TV tower, gently ascending along the eastern side of Kis-Gerecse past fenced young forest. At a signposted turning point, we leave the dozer road to the left and proceed on a natural path. Reaching the Kajmát Hill area, a recent clearcut reveals views on both sides. To the left among the rocky hills of the mountain range lie the fields, forest patches, and cultivated areas of the Héreg-Tarján basin, fitting together like massive puzzle pieces, contrasting sharply with the forested view of the opposite Gerecse side. The TV tower antenna rises above the treetops.

The clearcut ends soon, and we descend through a beautiful oak forest to the large clearing of Király-kút (King's Well). This charming meadow with rain shelter, benches, tables, and fire pit invites hikers for short or longer rest. Its abundant karst spring is enclosed in a special vaulted shelter, and the rock is red limestone. Its name honors King Matthias, who reportedly rested here during his hunting in the Gerecse. Leaving the meadow behind, we descend through oak woods heading toward nearby Héreg. We reach the village edge alongside the fenced forestry house, go around a barrier, and walk back on the familiar route to the center of the village, concluding our hike.