Gödöllő (almost) circular hike

Itinerary:

• We hike from the Gödöllő HÉV terminus following the P marker to the Máriabesnyő railway station.
• Before the railway underpass, we turn right onto the P▲ markers, which we follow to the Csörsz ditch.
• We continue following the K markers to the right, and after bypassing the Arboretum, we reach the bus stop at Isaszegi road.

Detailed description of the hike:

From the university to Máriabesnyő

We leave the Gödöllő railway station - which is also the HÉV terminus - towards the east through the underpass and start our hike by the park-surrounded main building of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, following the P markers. We walk alternately on paths and paved surfaces past houses and park areas. We pass the university beach, then the smallest cemetery of the town, the Premonstratensians'.

Due to the Trianon border changes, the Premonstratensian order established a new educational institution in Gödöllő in the 1920s, consisting of several buildings. The current university main building we saw at the beginning of the hike was originally the Premonstratensian monastery. The monks were buried in the small cemetery, including the founding provost, whose grave is marked by a bronze copy of the famous statue by János Fadrusz.

Heading past the botanical garden and various university buildings, we turn onto the MATE Park forest walks. We cross the green zone and then turn into Őz Street on the other side, winding through the residential district of Gödöllő called Fenyves, guided by the P markers. We pass by the Fenyves ABC store, where we can shop if needed.

The tower of the Máriabesnyő pilgrimage church becomes visible here, where we can soon make a detour. Descending to the railway, we turn sharply right onto the P▲ marker before the underpass. We traverse 1.5 km along the noise barrier wall parallel to the tracks on the hiking trail. Gardens belonging to the estates line up on our side, and ahead, the forested slope of Juharos dominates the view. We reach the outermost street of the settlement, where an intersection awaits at the last house. The P▲ marker continues along the tracks, while the Pᵯ marker branches left onto Mária Road, passing through a railway underpass leading to the basilica 400 meters away; this is the opportunity to take a detour to visit the pilgrimage site.

We continue through acacia groves in bushy-thorny areas, but the path itself is well worn. Soon we encounter a fence, which we overcome using a ladder made for this purpose. On the other side, we step onto a wide trail and, turning left, march again beside the wire fence. Looking back, we can see the tower of the pilgrimage church rising among the trees.

Through Juharos

Soon a locked gate blocks our further passage, but we do not need to cross it because the hiking trail turns right and heads up the hill. The distance to the Juharos summit is just over 2 km with an elevation difference of 120 meters; this is quite steep in the Gödöllő Hills.

The path leads upward along the base of a wildlife protection fence through a sparse forest area, allowing occasional views beyond the trees to distant lands from the high point. Soon we cross a power line clearing, offering a unique panorama: behind the pylons, we can observe the rolling hills of the range and the ridges of the Buda Hills. This lookout is also suitable for observing the large relative height differences of the prominent mounds like Juharos compared to the neighboring Danube valley.

By now, we have overcome most of the ascent and are on the long, gently sloping ridge. The hiking trail widens, and walking on flat terrain, we enjoy the easy passage. The 308-meter-high ridge of Juharos offers only limited westward views due to vegetation. Crossing over the summit, we begin to descend, eventually stepping onto a paved road. This narrow asphalt strip branches off from the Gödöllő-Valkó country road and leads to the hunter's lodge standing at the Erzsébet rest area 1.3 km away. Here the P▲ marker ends; turning right, we continue hiking on the K marker.

Near this junction, it is worth lingering a bit or even taking a detour. We see a ditch heading east at the forest edge, known as the Csörsz ditch, which is the remains of an ancient border defense line. Built under Roman guidance by the Sarmatians in the 4th century, this ditch and rampart system stretched about 1200 km along the edge of the Great Hungarian Plain down to the Lower Danube Iron Gate. The ditches, 2-5 meters deep and 5-10 meters wide, with ramparts along their edges, were visible until the 19th century, when significant landscaping removed most of it. In the Gödöllő Hills, some sections remain recognizably preserved. Along part of it, a nature trail has been designated, currently only virtual, but the founding association plans to install information boards at stations. Walking the Csörsz ditch nature trail provides insight into the history of the ancient defense system.

Arboretum at the end of our hike

We continue southwards on the K marker. We cross to the far side of the Gödöllő-Valkó country road, where a stone cross and a World War military grave rest quietly. We bypass a metal barrier and enter an oak forest reaching a ruined hunting lodge.

From here, we hike for longer stretches on wide dirt and gravel roads parallel with a wildlife protection fence. The mostly young forests consist of acacia, poplar, and oak trees, with some pine groves here and there. At the end of the sharply winding route, we arrive at the fence of the Gödöllő Forestry Arboretum and soon stand at the entrance of the botanical garden. It is worth spending time exploring, walking the educational trail, and learning about the several hundred species of trees, shrubs, and other botanical specimens of value.

Continuing from the arboretum entrance along the K markers for another 200 meters, we reach Isaszegi road, where from the Gödöllő, méhészet bus stop, we can return to the town center by bus.