Pilisi Hike - 6th section (Pilisszentlélek - Esztergom)

Pilisi Hike - 6th section (Pilisszentlélek - Esztergom)

The 6th and last section of the Pilisi Hike leads through the less visited and known areas of the Pilis, winding 25 kilometers between Pilisszentlélek and Esztergom, touching interesting sights in the mountains. The lesson of the hike: there is still something to discover in Pilis! 

We start the last 25 km section of the over 163 km long Pilisi Hike from the secluded Pilisszentlélek, situated between the 500-meter-high hills of Fekete-hegy and Szentléleki-tető. In this small settlement, people used to live off lime burning, which geographically indicates that we have left the volcanic range of the Visegrád Mountains and are again stepping on the sedimentary limestone of the Pilis. Perhaps the hiking trail wants to stay true to the name of the hiking series, which once wound through the connected Visegrád mountains for more than 50 km, then crossed an invisible border to lead back to Pilis. This small detour is understandable, as for hikers the two mountain ranges are one block, and it would be a sin to skip one or the other part, which each offer different natural beauties. Of course, it never hurts to know exactly where we are, as only in this way can we truly get to know the environment, which despite the physical exercise is the essence of hiking. 

On the border of Pilisszentlélek we find the Pauline monastery destroyed 500 years ago, of which only the foundations remain, similar to other monasteries in the area previously touched by our route. Opposite the monastery ruins of Pilisszenkereszt, here it is easier to imagine the former building, whose renovated foundation walls I have visited several times. This time, however, the goat herd grazing here kept me for at least twenty minutes with the playfulness of the kids and observing the shepherd's work. While I was photographing, I was thinking that these animals have no idea that between these walls where they are now grazing tasty tufts of grass, Charles Robert and King Louis the Great once visited. Yes. This is what time does to space: it keeps it constantly changing, and we can only observe and record it. Maybe that is how it should be, but when I think that west of us thousands of years old historical monuments have remained intact to this day, I sadly think of these ruins and the history of our country.

With my thoughts about history and existence, better evoked by solitary walking, I headed north towards Pilismarót. This time I also came across interesting geographical names on the map, such as Csehhalála and Német gyerek halála, whose origins I began to investigate, as is my habit. We do not need to look far back in history for the story of Cseh halála. It is likely named after the Czechoslovak plane that crashed on the eastern side of Felső-Ecset-hegy in the 1950s. Little is known about the incident because the plane supposedly was in Hungarian airspace without permission, and the authorities did not allow anyone to the crash site. Thus, instead of exact descriptions, we can only rely on rumors. The sad story of Német gyerek halála concerns a father and son who came to Pilismarót for guest hunting sometime in the early 20th century. During the deer hunt they left behind the gamekeeper, who only later, following the sounds of gunshots, found the heavily intoxicated father. The father reported that he shot the animal, but it escaped, and he could not find his son. The gamekeeper could not search for the boy in the dark and bad weather, also because he had to support the drunk father down the hill. The next day, the boy was found frozen in blood at the hunting site, presumably mistaken for game by his father during the evening hunt.

Following the red trail through the Felső- and Alsó-Ecset-hegy hills, we reach the Hirsch obelisk, erected in 1896 on the occasion of Hungary's thousand-year existence in honor of István Hirsch, royal chief forester, by the forestry personnel. An interesting feature of the column is that in addition to the listed names on its back, we find old professions such as road scraper or forest lad. From the rock behind the memorial column, there is a nice view of the area, though not panoramic, which I observed with a somewhat farewell mood, as this is one of the last sights at the end of a long hike. After taking a few photos of the landscape and the memorial, I continued on the red trail, descending steeply to the stream flowing from Somos-árkok. After leaving behind the flower meadows, we step over the gently flowing creek, whose deep bed suggests that it would not be so easy to cross during floods. We reach the paved road, which leads straight from here to the comfortable rest areas of Miklós-deák Valley lakes, then to our next checkpoint, Pilismarót.

After stamping, we walk through the tidy and quiet streets of Pilismarót towards the village center, then reach the asphalt strip of the main road 11, whose traffic we must walk along for at least one kilometer before we can return to the forest. Before continuing the route, I looked around a bit because my map also showed a castle and a significant calvary hill in the middle of the settlement. Unfortunately, the catharsis was missing, as hardly anything can be seen of the Heckenast Castle from the street, and there is no nice view from the calvary hill either. Still, I did not regret the detour: at least now I know what I would have missed if I hadn't visited these places. Having satisfied my curiosity, I walked on the asphalt of road 11 until I could finally turn off the busy road at the Bitóc stream. From here, we initially walk between gardens on a gravel road, then take a forest path climbing up the 300-meter hills of Kopaszok. On a comfortable path, at a bend, we find the May Day spring, and after a small descent, we reach the Valley of Búbánat. I won't make a detour to the lakes found here now, as I have already seen them before, but anyone should visit them at least once.

Again on a gravel road winding between gardens, but this time we need to pay more attention to the tourist signs if we don't want annoying detours. Unfortunately, the markings are rare and worn on this section, and this condition continues until Esztergom. I also managed to miss a turn and thus reached Fári-kút with a slight detour, where I refreshed myself. During the break, I came across the legend of the spring online, saying that the daughter of the lord of Vaskapu Castle was called Fári, who fell in love with a shepherd boy, and the angry father caught the lovers at this well. The wrath-blinded father killed his daughter and after burying her, a spring arose from the grave. This became the Fári well, from which according to legend on the day of Fári’s death, bloody foam flows every year. I have never seen this occasional phenomenon, but presumably the reddish color is caused by the iron content of the water.

We still follow the red markings, which sometimes appear and sometimes leave us alone. If someone is good at orientation, they will not get lost, but it is advisable to keep the map in hand on this section. The condition indicates that the winding hiking trail is in need of renovation as it is densely overgrown in places and many fallen branches block the way. On such paths, we reach the Brilli Gyula shelter towering above Esztergom, also better known as the Vaskapu tourist house, which has served nature walkers since 1914. Indeed, not without interruptions, as at one time it operated as a nightclub, closing after a stabbing. Afterward, the building stood abandoned for many years until it was renovated in 2012 and reopened for its original function. The place is popular with hikers but also among those arriving by car or motorcycle from the city, as it is quickly accessible by paved road. The tourist house owes much of its traffic to the magnificent view from its terrace overlooking the whole area. We can see Esztergom, Párkány, the winding Danube, and the Gerecse range. I could watch the landscape for hours, but there are still three kilometers and the last stamp waiting for me.

I headed towards Esztergom railway station to finish the more than 160 km hike, which I extended by a few kilometers to satisfy my curiosity. Now I am beginning to really understand that I have reached the end of a path that gave much more than I expected. I previously thought I knew everything in Pilis and the Visegrád Mountains, so I wouldn't find much new. I was wrong. Moreover, the recent map research raised even more places to discover. This is often the case with hikers: they are already planning the next route before they have even arrived because the more kilometers behind them, the more landscapes and places they want to know and explore. So this is how I feel now too, walking the last meters of the path with tired feet but new plans in my head. In the morning, I still thought I would look around a bit in Esztergom before going home by train. But now that I am here, I feel that the hustle and noise of the city try to pull my wandering thoughts back to everyday life. I decided that the city is not for me now. Instead, I try to take home with me the nature, the silence of the forest, the peace of the landscape, the scent of fresh air, so that as much of it as possible remains with me for as long as possible. Maybe this is why even in the city I only look down at my feet, excluding the bustle and disturbing sounds, as if I were not here at all.

At Esztergom railway station, the last stamp was placed in the booklet, then a few minutes later I sped towards Pest by train. I traveled home tired and dirty, while the landscape I had walked through in the past days passed by the window. Looking at the mountains, I thought the essence of every journey is departure and arrival, without which the intermediate experience would be meaningless. We need a home where we can rest, from which we can start again, and which we can view as a sure point. With these thoughts, I end the hike and encourage everyone to set out, discover new places, gain experience, and acquire new memories. Because hiking is not only sport but also a mindset-shaping leisure activity that can only benefit us.

Have a good journey!