In the garden of giants

Itinerary

• From Kétbükkfa-nyereg, we start upwards on the Z+ trail.
• At a forest junction, we turn right onto the Z▲ trail, where we take a detour to the Fekete-kő (Black Rock).
• From the Fekete-kő, we return following the other (to our right) branch of the Z▲ trail to the Pilis-nyereg saddle.
• From Pilis-nyereg, we proceed on the S trail to the junction near the Kapisztrán hut.
• After the hut, we turn left onto the Z+ trail.
• The Z▲ signs lead us out to the Kémény-szikla (Chimney Rock).
• From the Kémény-szikla, we return to the junction on the Z▲ and then on the Z+ trails.
• We turn left and descend on the S trail that leads to Klastrompuszta.
• We leave Klastrompuszta on the KΩ trail and visit the Legény Cave.
• From the cave lake, we return on the KΩ trail to the last junction.
• We turn right onto the PΩ trail to visit the Leány Cave.
• We descend back to the hiking trail junction, from where we follow the P trail to the right.
• On the side of Nagy-Bodzás Hill, we climb up turning right onto the P+ trail.
• On reaching the top, we turn left onto the Z trail.
• At a junction, keeping straight we switch to the Z+ signs, which lead us back to Kétbükkfa-nyereg.

Detailed description of the route

In the shadow of the plateau

Kétbükkfa-nyereg, the highest part of the line separating the sedimentary rock-formed Pilis and the volcanic origin Visegrád Mountains, is the starting and ending point of our hike. The path now hides it, but once a clearing covered the pass – the namesakes were two old beech trees. As we gently climb on the Z+ trail into the trees, this species becomes dominant and remains so almost throughout our hike. We cross a line, then shortly after, at a junction, turn right onto the Z▲ trail, which heads towards Fekete-kő.

The majestic atmosphere of the forest truly unfolds here: an impenetrable, old beech forest covers the plateau and slopes, with shy streaks of light penetrating the high canopy. From this half-dark domain, we soon reach behind a rock ridge where the mountain ridge ends and a narrow tongue connects to a noticeable dolomite tower among the foliage. The tower rises majestically above the Pilisszentlélek Basin, from the border we can look towards the Kétágú Hill and the Maróti Mountains; behind the low ridges of the Visegrád Mountains, the Börzsöny rises broadly like a pancake. A trail winds down the jagged cliffside to one of the towers. Its traversal is not without danger and is recommended only to those confident in exposed terrain. The rock’s name is hard to explain and is also known in Slovak (since many Slovaks have lived and still live in the nearby villages): Hrebeň, meaning ridge. This is the wildest peak of the Pilis, made up of numerous towers and edges, with a terrifying depth beneath. Its wild atmosphere is only softened by the never-ending noise of the winding road below.

We return behind the ridge, this time turning onto the right branch of the Z▲ trail. Our path winds downward through a natural, seemingly undisturbed beech forest, following a narrow path along a shallow ditch. The unusually lush forest scene does not soften when we reach Pilis-nyereg: on the flattening terrain, there is a rain shelter, fireplace, benches, and tables offering a chance to refresh. A memorial column draws attention to the bloody battles that took place here during the last days of World War II.

We continue left on the S trail. The trail leads along continuously beautiful but less steep terrain and follows an erosion gully. We also pass the Pilis-nyergi sinkhole – a cold, airy cave opening in the limestone rocks, providing access to the cave system passing through the central part of the mountain range. It gathers precipitation running off the thinly covered limestone surface from Kétbükkfa-nyereg and sends it down; they explored it to a depth of 40 m. The path continues winding on soil covered with many decayed logs, and if one is not content with the splendid forest views, they need not be bored: to our right a small log hut appears—the Kapisztrán hut. The former lumberjack shelter has protected many from summer showers, but also accepts more adventurous guests for a full night. A few meters ahead, a dozer road sharply bends left and upward: here we take a detour following the Z+ signs. We inch forward over a gently undulating surface, still in forest dominated by beeches.

The Chimney of Pilis

Suddenly the vegetation opens slightly to our right, and the Z▲ trail finds a path among slender tree trunks to the Chimney Rock ridge. We practically storm the "limestone castle" as if climbing stairs, revealing a stunning view: beyond it, the rock seems to disappear, towering like a vertical chimney above the streets of Klastrompuszta (hence the name). An astonishing straight break marks the Pilis peak and northwards the side of Kétágú Hill – nearly without transition, the mountains of Pilis give way to the Dorog Basin. The Gerecse region is clearly visible, and so are the ridges of the Buda Hills.

After the viewing, we return to the S trail and continue left. Our next destination is Klastrompuszta, which requires descending. We descend through a narrow valley head peppered with ravine elements, the loess spread on the path indicates that during heavy rains water finds its way here alongside hikers towards the base of the mountains. We enter the village below the cliffs – behind the main street, rocks breaking through the canopy appear as a romantic sight, including the block of our previous lookout point. Klastrompuszta once had a hostel for tourists, which is no longer operational.

Higher powers and inner forces

Klastrompuszta’s most important point is the ruins of the former Pauline monastery complex, where nature and human history meet in its stones. In the 13th century, Özséb, a canon from Esztergom, renounced his rank and wealth and retreated into hermitage. While sitting in a Pilis cave, he had visions that inspired him to gather monks enjoying the protected peace of nearby caves, and the community descended the mountain to a spring to build a church. Later a monastery was established (hence the name: Klastrompuszta), which after papal recognition became the center of the Pauline order led by Özséb. It remained so until the early 14th century (then the center moved to Buda), finally being ravaged by the Turks in 1526. Afterwards, vegetation and the expanding population literally erased the ruins, and excavations only began in the 1960s.

We bid farewell to Klastrompuszta on the KΩ trail, where at the edge stands a Pauline cross dedicated to Blessed Özséb (near a spring house). The path turns left and gently ascends until reaching the P trail intersection. We cross it, and soon the landscape changes: the path shadows narrow, dark beech woods, with stone debris mixed into the leaf litter suggesting that higher up the forest hides cliff faces. Dead trees and limestone bark savage the steep path, and finally the massive chamber of Legény Cave blocks our way. Above the trees, there is a view towards Gerecse, and also for the casual hiker, the large, yet gracefully arching limestone dome offers an experience. However, for archaeologists and speleologists, the site holds much greater importance.

Since the cave system lies on the edge of the Pilis peak massif where rock blocks shifted, it rests in a zone exposed to many tectonic effects – its surprisingly high location of exits is also a result of vertical displacements. Similar to the previously visited Csévi Cave, thermal water flowing upwards initially formed the cavity system here, later also connecting with precipitation infiltrating from above. Developed along fractures, the passages are exceedingly intricate and frequently branching, partly opened and widened by karst water from then on. The complex Ariadne cave system is the third longest in our country, with a total passage length exceeding 15 kilometers. This number may increase as research continues today. Archaeologically, at the beginning of the 20th century, Lajos Bella and Ottokár Kadic started excavating the surface cavities, revealing among many things the presence of prehistoric man. The caves raised by inner forces also protected the higher powers and hermits seeking peace in this region.

Descending to the path, the right branch of the P⩍ trail leads to the Leány Cave. The path avoiding wild rocks and root tangles ends in a stairway and in a smaller cave opening at first glance than the previous one. At its entrance, the tilted angle of the displaced limestone layers is nicely outlined, which results in an impressive effect inside: thanks to an opening to the surface, the roles of structural fractures in passage formation become evident. Water penetrates these cracks, slowly widening its cavities – the result is the development of passages following the directions of fractures. The cave explorers built a nearly paved floor in front of the chamber, yet more interesting is the rich pattern drawn on the opposite vertical wall by thermal waters (sometimes horseshoe-shaped, sometimes globe-like) dissolution forms. The Leány Cave forms a connected system with the Legény Cave – the connection was discovered in 1997. Their exits were mapped on the nearby, hard-to-access slopes: among them, some were revealed by warm air flowing up from below, and the Vacska Cave was discovered by researchers following a wildcat.

The ridges of the mountain range also appear well on maps, rising along almost straight fault lines, and seem to have surged above their surroundings like Lego bricks, bordered by extremely steep cliffs separating them from their environment. The exposed, uncovered limestone ridges sometimes lost support, broke apart, leaving raw cliff faces behind. This is the kind of area we ventured into when visiting the Csévi Cliffs in the “backyard” of Pilis peak.

Back behind the ridge of Pilis

On the path, we return to the P trail and head right up the steep slope – not only the trail but also the road is called Vörös (Red). Although bloody battles took place here towards the end of World War II, the name originates from red clay. The beautiful mixed beech forest’s winding roots break through the ground as our deep trail cuts through several meters thick loess deposited in the shelter. Shortly the slope eases, and the trail to the Chimney Rock branches off. We continue straight on the hike but not for long: on the right detour, the P+ trail plunges steeply through a mournful-sacred atmosphere ditch on the side of Nagy-Bodzás Hill. The harsh slope conditions do not last long, as we reach the plateau of Pilis peak where we turn left onto the Z trail. We pass through a place with a long-standing name in the mountain range: Simon’s Death. Several stories try to explain this enigmatic name. Two relate it to the death of a hermit named Simon connected to the forest – one says the Turks killed a fleeing monk from the demolished monastery, the other recalls a friar who helped locals and was later buried here out of gratitude. The site has inspired rich historical tales, speaking about the execution of Queen Gertrude’s murderer and also about the deaths of tourists, hunters, or foresters.

Not much is left now: an easy walk begins as we step along the ridge in the beech kingdom on the Z trail. At the next junction, we keep straight following the Z+ marks, which follow the asphalt road on Pilis peak from below guiding us back to Kétbükkfa-nyereg.