Panorama hunting in the Danube Bend

Itinerary  

• From the Danube riverside, we follow the K and S signs to reach the railway station. 
• Crossing to the other side of the tracks, we leave Nagymaros on the S◼ sign.
• At the fork, follow the right-turning S and S+ signs, which lead uphill. A sign shows the detour to the Gánt viewing point. 
• At the Y-junction, turn left onto the SΩ sign towards the Hermit Cave. The lookout points always branch off to the left from the path. 
• From the cave, we climb up on the KΩ signs to the Szent Mihály Hill saddle. 
• From the saddle, head north following the K and S signs, which, passing by the research shafts, lead us to the Julianus lookout. 
• From the lookout, follow the S signs downhill to Zebegény. 
• The Kós Károly lookout can be reached either by climbing along the calvaries or by a short detour on the S▲ sign. 
• The S signs accompany us all the way to the Zebegény railway station. 

Detailed description of the route

From the Danube riverside, we walk 300 meters along Magyar Street to reach Nagymaros railway station following the P and the National Blue Trail K signs. Crawling under the railway overpass, we switch to the S◼ signs, which lead us out of the village. After the intersection of Dózsa György Street and Német Street, it is worth checking out a local initiative, the phone booth library, from which anyone can borrow reading material on an honor system. Opposite it, we can get the extra calories needed for the difficult terrain ahead from the area's best confectionery. At the fork of Szív Street, it is worth stopping by the statue of Saint Elizabeth of Árpád House. Turning onto Szamaras Street, our path passes among old cellars and weekend houses. As the asphalt fades under our feet, the incline softens and we enter a youthful forest. On the right branch of the intersecting S and S+ signs ahead, a pleasant walk awaits us in the shade of the leaves.

In a right turn, the inscription of the Gánt memorial plaque indicates the direction to the detour to our first panorama point. For an extra 200 meters walk, we can enjoy the panoramic view of the Danube Bend from the side of Rigó Hill, a favorite resting place of Dr. Tibor Gánti, a chemical engineer. On the right, from the rocky, thorny hillside, the roofs of Dömös dot the skirt of the Visegrád Mountains. Gánti, who often rested here and appreciated nature, was an outstanding scientist who dealt with the separation of living and non-living and the origin of life. His work laid the theoretical foundations of artificial life production. He was awarded the Herman Otto prize in 1982, MTESZ prize in 1986, Pro Natura in 1989, and the Pest County scientific prize in 2006.

The terrain changes when we turn left onto the SΩ sign. We climb up the steep, crumbly, difficult-to-walk path on the side of Ördög Hill, then reach the Ördög ridge, where we can peek out among the trees in three places. The paths turning left are easy to notice, but we can also orient ourselves based on the track. It is worth noting that although the viewing points are close to each other, the landscape unfolding before our eyes shows different pictures. From the Kuntner Gábor resting place on the Ördög ridge, we can see the parts of the Visegrád Mountains wave behind Dömös, deeply indented by the Rám Gorge ravine cut by Malom Creek. To the right of the winding Danube line, on the far side of the depression below us, we can discover the path leading to the cave on the side of Remete Hill.

Descending to the quarry, it seems as if a large piece has been bitten out of the mountain towering above our heads. The dark gray andesite blocks along the road serve as evidence of the volcanic origin of the mountain range. Balancing on the crumbled rock pieces, we tackle the tough climb leading to the Hermit Cave. The monks carved the caves into the rock in the 11th century and lived here until the Turkish era, according to researchers. The cave provides protection against wind and rain and is even suitable for bivouacking. The panorama viewed from inside is also remarkable, but it is worth walking all the way to the right edge of the perforated rock block for an even more magnificent view. 

From here, we head back on the shared section of the SΩ and KΩ signs, then on the sharply and steeply left-turning KΩ sign, we tackle the route's most technical ascent. When we encounter the left-branching S+ sign, the slope of Dobozi-orom, reachable by a 100-meter detour, feels almost refreshing. Under the shaded tree of the lookout, we can enjoy another panorama detail, where for the first time, Pilismarót appears farther inland from the Danube line.

Returning to the KΩ sign, for a while the S+ sign also travels with us. At their fork, we continue on the KΩ sign, which skirts the peak of Szent Mihály Hill and proceeds flat to the Szent Mihály Hill saddle. Here, we turn left onto the S sign, which will lead us until the end of the route. As we set out for Hegyes-tető, we pass by several fenced, giant well-like explorer shafts. In the Middle Ages, these cavities were dug deeper with pickaxes searching for precious metals (silver, gold), lead, and tellurium. Miners climbed down wooden ladders, and the extracted raw material was pulled up in leather bags by ropes with the help of a pulley. 

At the 482 m high peak of Hegyes-tető, we get the "grand prize" of the route when we climb up to the Julianus lookout, built in 1939. From here, we get a breathtaking panorama of the Danube Bend, where the cone of Szent Mihály Hill "hangs" into part of the view. Leaning slightly beyond the railing, we can also spot the Zebegény island along the river line. A few meters from the lookout entrance, we can read about the formation of the mountain range, while on the other side, a fire pit, table, and benches await those who want to picnic. 

Continuing from the mountain peak, a relaxing descent awaits us on the S sign to Zebegény. Although the rooftops appear through the tree-covered hillside at the level of the settlement, if we make a short detour on the S▲ sign or climb up along the calvary stations opposite the cemetery, we reach the 2015-opened Kós Károly lookout, a wooden building resembling a Roman watchtower in form. From here, we can view Zebegény lying at our feet with the Dőry Castle. At the top of Calvary Hill, a short walk leads to the National Flag, the Heroes' Memorial, the Calvary Chapel, and the Trianon Memorial. 

Returning to the S sign, at the cemetery entrance we find a pressure fountain, which is perfect for quenching thirst if our water supply runs out. From here, we descend into the inhabited area among picturesque, charming houses of the village. Among Zebegény's numerous sights, our route passes the Shipping History Museum, the Iron Museum, the Nepomuk Saint John Chapel, and the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows; finally leading to the railway station.