Nagymaros - Hegyes Hill small loop

Itinerary

• We start from the railway station on the K trail heading south.
• At the Calvary, we turn right to the nature trail T marking, which leads us through Kövesmező to the Julianus lookout on Hegyes Hill, first joining the K+ and then the K trail.
• From the lookout, we follow the K signs southwards, which show the way back to the starting point of the tour.

Detailed description of the tour

We start from the Nagymaros-Visegrád train station, next to the medieval Holy Cross church in its tower. Following the National Blue Trail K marking, we cross Prince Saint Imre Square and head towards Calvary. Along the way, we can see the beautiful carved gate of house number 4, typical not only for Nagymaros but for the entire Danube Bend's Swabian houses. If someone arrives by ferry from Visegrád, they will encounter many such beautifully renovated gates along the way to the train station. A block away, at the bottom of the Calvary stairs, we meet the second information board of the Nagymaros Chestnut Nature Trail (the first is by the Danube shore). For about 1.5 kilometers, we follow the nature trail marking.

We walk along the Calvary staircase, where in the 1920s many donors' names were engraved on the steps. The view of the Visegrád castle from the Calvary chapel is not yet impressive, but it is worth taking a breath here. Moving forward, to the right of the chapel, we reach the grove of sweet chestnut trees that give the trail its name; unfortunately, 86% of these have died on Fehér Hill, so above eye level the once lush vegetation is now a forest of dead branches. In other parts of Nagymaros, the chestnut groves are not so damaged, but none are fully intact anymore. According to tradition, these trees were planted during the reign of Charles Robert (1301–42).

At the far end of the “grove,” after the 4th information board, we follow the path on the left. Don't be deterred by the genuine “jungle” with blackberries and nettles, because this is indeed the way forward! We reach the 5th board. If anyone feels uncertain about "which way next" here, do not blame yourself! Turn left to follow the paved road. By the 6th board, there is a medium view over Visegrád and the Danube, and from the 7th no more guessing is needed, as wooden direction signs shaped like chestnuts point the way down the steep slope. At the 8th board, which presents the local flora, the previously steep, sunlit path turns into a no less steep but at least shady slope.

Here you might grumble about why go down if you've just climbed up? Everyone should take this as they like – as consolation, on this section the most beautiful panorama of the tip of Szentendre Island unfolds among the tree crowns. Finally, we reach the K+ tourist mark at the end of Fehér Hill Street, at a rest stop offering a beautiful semicircular panorama from Lepence to Kismaros.

From here there are no more descents, no romantic strolls, but a steep ascent on sometimes sharp andesite rock all the way to Köves Meadow, still along the K+ marking and the nature trail. Oaks and ashes are interspersed with black pine patches, accompanying us to Köves Meadow.

Here, the K+ mark heading toward Zebegény intersects the National Blue Trail, which we follow left on the K sign – if using a compass, that’s south. There is a rest area, panorama, and concrete poles laid on the ground at Köves Meadow. The Blue Trail continues through an oak forest, initially among older trees and later younger trees with thinner trunks. Before the clearing called Világos tér, the hiking path marked S, which starts from Zebegény, joins in. This and the Blue Trail are well marked – the earlier K+ less so – so you can casually admire the sights unless a climb begins again where only stones and leaves are seen at your feet, hoping that Hegyes Hill (482 m) hasn’t grown due to tectonic movements in recent months.

We reach the Julianus friend tower, built in 1938–39. A beautiful panorama unfolds before our eyes from its top. Interestingly, the Danube Bend is not fully visible because the Szent Mihály Hill obscures the Dömösi gorge, but to the east, you can scan a gentler Danube arc with Visegrád, Szentendre Island, and excursion boats; to the west, Szob, Pilismarót, and tugboats.

After the lookout, we leave the Ürmös meadow decorated with a mobile phone repeater antenna and descend along a shady path to the Szent Mihály saddle. Here the S marking leaves us, and the KΩ trail branches off to the Remete cave. However, we continue along the National Blue Trail route among oaks and ashes, initially steeply, where someone screwed a “Balu trail” sign to a tree marked with K. It is neatly placed, but it is a mystery who Balu is (we know, Kipling…) and where it leads.

The steep slope gently softens into the Templom valley, although the path does not get easier because we are going along a deep furrow on the right side. Here, an interesting detail can be observed: among the oaks, ashes, and maples, beech trees appear at about 150–200 m above sea level, although they typically grow above 500 m. This is due to the peculiar microclimate of the Templom valley, which is open only to the north and supports the beech forest up to the edge of Nagymaros.

After passing the last beech, we enter the settlement, where the Templom valley is named Diófa street on the map. Along this street, starting from above, you can experience the history of Nagymaros: from the patchy, never finished houses started in the '70s and '80s, through the consolidated cube houses of the '60s, to the poor small buildings of the '20s, and the ornate gate Swabian farms typical around the Nagymaros-Visegrád railway station. The circle closes under the Calvary stairs, and we return to the starting point.