Pilisi hike - Stage 4 (Pomáz - Pilisszentlászló)

Pilisi hike - Stage 4 

The next stage of the Pilisi hike continues with refreshed weather and new landscapes, where we no longer truly hike in the Pilis, but along ridge and gorge trails in the adjoining Visegrád Mountains. 

The air was refreshed with wind and rain the night before my fourth hiking day, which was much needed after the sweaty heat. The storm blew away the humid and sticky climate from the mountains, and the forest seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. By morning, the storm had calmed with blue skies, weak sunlight, and fresh wind giving new strength to my walking enthusiasm, which was a bit tired from the heat. This change could not have come at a better time, as I faced the longest stage of my hike, covering nearly 38 kilometers to Pilisszentlászló. Although I had considered shortening this stage the previous day, thanks to the weather I did not have to change my original plan.

I had already walked through Pomáz upon my arrival the previous day, and although not the whole town, I got to know new parts of it. Previously, I mostly traveled here by bus or suburban train, so I had no opportunity to explore the area more closely. During the hike, I discovered the baroque-style Teleki–Wattay Castle, built in 1773 by Pál Wattay, a descendant of the Bornemissza family. Later, it became the property of the Teleki family and was nationalized. Nowadays, the castle park is open to visitors, and there is also a restaurant in the impressive building. Not only the castle garden but also the surrounding streets, houses, and gardens provide an atmospheric setting for the hike as I leave the town heading north on the green trail.

I had never walked this hiking trail before, which connects Pomáz and the northern part of Szentendre. Perhaps because I considered civilization too close to nature, I usually headed deeper into the mountains on my hikes. Now that my path leads here, I am making new discoveries simply by looking at the previously overlooked parts of the map. Zengő Valley, János Spring, and Petőfi Rest Stop: all of these awaited discovery for me, despite being well frequented by hikers. The scenic trail climbs from a wild valley on a narrow path to a viewpoint, from where we can look out from one of the last southern bastions of the Pilis Mountains, over the previously traversed rolling ridge of Kevély and the Buda Hills. Looking down from the viewing terrace, just a few meters from us, is the mushroom-shaped rock known as Napoleon’s Hat, which Sándor Petőfi himself admired here in 1845. The event is commemorated by a monument, and the location is known among tourists as Petőfi Rest Stop.

Although I consider myself an avid hiker, this is my first visit to the tourist house on Kő Hill, which made me feel like a novice hiker. I had heard about this place before but did not expect to find such a classic tourist house so close to the cities. In Hungary, there are few tourist shelters that provide accommodation all year round and also offer a kitchen for nature lovers. The Kő Hill tourist house is such a place, highly valued in Hungarian terms, especially considering the beauty of the landscape and the house’s surroundings. I am a bit annoyed that I did not notice this place earlier because I would surely have planned to finish the previous day's hike here. Instead, I just stopped for a refreshment, but even in the short time, I liked what I found inside. The kindness of the hosts and the tourist-themed decoration and furnishings of the dining room immediately captivated me. There are few such classic tourist oases where oddballs like me – who collect postcards and tourist stamps from tourist houses – can indulge their collecting passion with the house’s own postcards and unique stamp impressions.

The short stage of the hike from Pomáz to Kő Hill was a pleasant surprise for me, as I did not expect so many positive experiences. After the discovery and short rest, I headed towards Szentendre on the yellow and then yellow cross trails. Before reaching the northern edge of the city, I walked in unusual comfort under a blue sky. This time, I did not sweat streams in the open terrain, and the sun's rays did not chase me into the shade. I watched the landscape with pleasant sway at my steps and enjoyed the cool breeze I had long awaited. Filled with this freshness, I reached the Szentendre Open-Air Museum (Skanzen), which has undergone many innovations since I last visited. Despite the nice weather and freshness, I do not have time to see the park now, as I still have many kilometers ahead of me today. I regret this because I became curious about how much has changed since my childhood at this ethnographical exhibition site, which we can now also explore by train.

I continued to follow the yellow signs on atmospheric paths, where sometimes waist-high grass and weeds leaned so much that a new path had to be cut. Normally, at this time of year, the vegetation does not grow so rampant. Thanks to the rainy summer, the forest is greener and denser than in previous years. Of course, the night storm also messed up the narrow paths crossing open areas, which I do not mind, even if it means a bit of jungle fighting with nature. There are no horseflies, mosquitoes, or other annoying insects that sucked my blood and nerves during the past days. It seems the strong wind, along with the heat, blew them away, which anyone walking in the forest can only appreciate. The weather now favors mushrooms, which feel so good that they even emerged from the compacted hiking trails. Anyone who likes mushroom picking can now fill their basket with hundreds of varieties without much searching.

We climb comfortably all the way up to the 521-meter-high Vörös-kő (Red Rock). It is a popular destination for hikers in the Pilis, as it offers a splendid view of the half-eroded Naszály Mountain, the Szentendre Island, the Danube, and the peaks of Börzsöny. The "liberation monument" standing there was built by the comrades during communist times, and the solemn moment was captured in the 1946 newsreel. Today, the monument, scrawled with graffiti, mars the landscape, and even the recently added cross did not improve its appearance. Hopefully, some landscaping will be done soon here, which would also benefit the benches and tables of the resting place. The characteristically shaped rain shelter at Vörös-kő is still in relatively good condition, although I have always questioned its function. Why is it shaped like this? Why is it so big? Why doesn’t it protect against the wind, and why do the stiffening beams occupy most of the interior space? If a new rest area is ever built here, I think this building should also be reconsidered.

After the rest at Vörös-kő, I proceed on a short ridge hike section towards the pap-rét forest house. Beneath my feet, I am no longer stepping on white limestone but on gray andesite rocks. This indicates I have left the Pilis and am now in the Visegrád Mountains. The sun is rising, but the weather remains splendid, and the heatwave is over. Colorful butterflies accompany me on the paths, some even land on me. Maybe we are going the same way, and they just want to hitch a ride? Or does the sweat-smelling strap of my backpack attract them? I don't mind, either way, I’ll give the passenger a free ride if they want. But not only butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders also show up more today than before. Perhaps surviving the night storm prompts them to be more active than usual. Because of this bustle, I paid even more attention to my feet, not to be the fate of some unsuspecting bug. I exchange the narrow footpath for a wide dirt road but still follow the red trail, passing excellent resting places inviting passersby for grilling or picnicking. The vast meadows invite tent campers for a nighttime shooting star hunt.

From the pap-rét forest house, I follow the red and blue stripes downhill to Pilisszentlászló, where I do not finish today's mileage, even though today's stage ends here. Before that, I make a 15-kilometer circle through the Spartacus trail and the Apát-kút valley, then back to Pilisszentlászló. The hiking booklet mentions two Blue Trail stamp places here, but in reality, there are three stamps in the village. One each in the village pubs, and one permanently available on the gate of the famous Kis Rigó Restaurant. After stamping and having a refreshment, I trotted on the green trail across the village fields, where cows greeted me with mooing and horses with neighing.

The Spartacus trail is not far from here anymore, one of the most beautiful hiking trails of the Visegrád Mountains. Created in the 1930s mainly for hunting purposes, it was inaccessible for a long time and later closed – citing nature conservation – to tourists. Although the trail and the surroundings remain highly protected, for almost a year now, the Pilisi Parkerdő has offered it as a marked hiking trail for nature lovers. The Spartacus name likely stuck to the trail in the 1960s when the Spartacus Hiking Association wanted to turn the hunting trail into a marked hiking route accessible to everyone. It took more than fifty years, but now anyone can enjoy the approximately four-kilometer-long, scenic, exciting hiking trail winding steeply along the Pap Hill.

I had heard a lot about this unique trail in Hungary before, but only now did I walk the truly spectacular and easily walkable path. If approaching the trail from Pilisszentlászló, do not be discouraged by the warning on the sign indicating difficult sections requiring proper equipment. Provided the trail is not icy or slippery, no difficulty or danger awaits. The terrain here is meant to be enjoyed, not conquered! The steeply winding trail finally widens in the forest and reaches the Jenő hut on the mountain saddle.

The wooden Jenő hut was built by Miklós Horthy as a hunting refuge. The cabin, still in good condition, is probably named after the former governor's brother Jenő. Although it has a stove and some equipment, the building without water and electricity cannot be called a modern nature walker’s shelter anymore. Due to repeated break-ins, the hut is often left unlocked; I found it relatively orderly and clean this time. It only serves as accommodation for those not deterred by nomadic conditions or cold walls. Who knows? Perhaps one day the forestry service will renovate this lonely cabin and turn it into a more comfortable mountain lodge for nature walkers. But as long as some people vandalize it for fun, this is unlikely.

We reach the Apát-kút valley at the Miklós Bertényi Botanical Garden. Here, we also have to stamp our booklet, then head back toward Pilisszentlászló. The valley is a popular excursion site even for families with small children, so if you want to avoid crowds, do not visit this otherwise beautiful and wild section on weekends. In our hiking booklet, stage 4 ends at the Miklós Bertényi Botanical Garden. However, I still have to walk further if I want to rest. Therefore, I decided to stay on the hiking route and not go down the two kilometers to visited Visegrád, instead choosing Pilisszentlászló as my destination. This means about six extra kilometers, but I can return comfortably and via a not too steep path to the village I already visited earlier. I refresh at the Kaán Károly Spring, then from about here leave the busy asphalt road of the valley and return to the forest path. Before departure, I looked up that Károly Kaán was a pioneering forestry engineer in Hungarian nature conservation. Hungary’s first nature protection law is also attributed to him, which led to the establishment of the first Hungarian protected landscape areas and nature reserves.

The Apát-kút valley is no coincidence one of the country’s most popular hiking spots. The easy and not too long hiking trail offers both sights and adventure with canyon-like gorges and stream crossings, especially exciting during spring thaw. As a child, my parents often brought me here and allowed me to "commando" in the stream covered in mud. It's nice to see that even today, some parents allow their children to play in nature and that excessive protection and fear typical of today’s world have not taken over. With these thoughts and childhood memories, I left the valley and arrived at Pilisszentlászló, the end of my hike today. Wonderful weather, beautiful scenery, and a cold beer at the end of the day. A hiker needs nothing more, especially if the next day promises similar experiences. Come with me next time too!