Short rock route on the edge of Gerecse

Itinerary

• Throughout the route, we follow the K marking.
• Near Mogyorósbánya, reaching the Kőszikla (Kő-hegy), a clearing awaits in the forest: from here, the trail marked K▲ leads out to the rock summit.
• The Kéktúra approaches Hegyes-kő but does not ascend it. We can climb up the cliff on an easy-to-follow, short, well-trodden path.

Detailed description of the route

From Mogyorósbánya to Kőszikla

Mogyorósbánya is a small hamlet located among forested hills following the Danube, established in a well-defensible spot. Its history is similar to that of many nearby settlements: inhabited since the Bronze Age, it was depopulated during the Turkish rule and the Rákóczi War of Independence. Like many other forest villages, it was repopulated with Germans and Slovaks. From the beginning of the 19th century, coal mining shaped daily life here (it was earlier known as Mogyorósk). The mining at Szarkáspuszta operated until the end of the 20th century.

The hill rising on the eastern side of Mogyorósbánya, the Kő-hegy, which remains under 300 meters, is an interesting and rare geological phenomenon: unlike the limestone typical for Gerecse, here a large area of travertine forms the top layer. The National Blue Trail K marking initially climbs on a loess trail, cutting across fine-grained rock; soon we reach a harder sediment covering the hill. On a small clearing speckled with black pines, a memorial plaque is hidden in the undergrowth. Here we turn left onto the K▲ marking, which leads to the crest of Kőszikla.

The Kőszikla and its history

On the edge of the hill stand castle-like rock towers, 4-6 meters high, offering a magnificent view of the pleasant Gerecse landscape from their flat tops. In the distance can be seen the mouth of the Danube Bend, above which looms the forest massif of Börzsöny, with the rocky line of the Helembai Mountains directly on its shore providing a backdrop for the dome of the Esztergom Basilica. The Pilis and Buda Hills appear, and opposite, before the Nagy-Gete shrinks our next destination, Hegyes-kő. Below, the buildings of Tokod's wine cellars dot the sparsely built hillside, with the shining band of the Danube to the left.

The Kőszikla itself is an outcrop of travertine covering the hill, which in places on Kő-hegy is 10-15 meters thick. Water flowing over the limestone surface dissolves the rock by its carbonic acid content, then travels a longer or shorter path inside the hill. When the water surfaces as a spring, conditions suddenly change: carbon dioxide escapes and the dissolved lime begins to precipitate. This travertine (also called tufa or travertino) encases obstacles lying in the streambed (branches, trunks, stones, and plants). Algae and mosses accelerate the process by removing carbon dioxide from the water. Plant parts later decay, leaving holes in their place, so travertine often has a porous structure. This makes the slope of Kőszikla good for climbing; more detailed observation reveals some reed stem imprints on it. On today’s drier climate, no streams trickle here anymore, and the Danube now flows much further north, so the cross-adorned cliff remains a striking remnant of springs from earlier geological eras. Several rock summits can be reached; don’t miss any.

From the cellars to the grassy ridge

Turning back to the trail, we wander downhill through a dense tunnel of young forest, then on a long-abandoned pasture a (limited) panorama opens up again. Beyond a short strip of woodland, among the Tokod wine cellars, we spot the kilometers ahead. Several small valleys cut into the hillside, carved by streams flowing here during wetter times; on their slopes lie wine houses and cellars. The loess soil and the sunlit slope were already used by the Romans; nowadays it is especially worth visiting around Orbán's Day — on the feast day of the wine growers’ patron saint, we can more likely taste local drinks due to celebrations.

We cross the asphalt road in a narrow valley — the valley of the Unyi stream breaking through the northeastern ridges of Gerecse, an important transportation corridor that has lost significance today. Until the late 1970s, a railway branch also used this narrow gap toward Sárisáp, mainly serving the coal mines at Annabánya and Ebszőny. We follow the old rail track as we move northeast along the Tokod country road, then after a couple hundred meters turn right onto a trail. We start climbing among acacias toward Kis-kő, soon emerging from the trees into open grassy terrain. Reaching a small ridge section, we see in front the thick, tilted limestone benches of Hegyes-kő, decorated by dark, scattered black pine trees. Looking around, the breathtaking view is captivating — observant visitors can even spot the group visiting Kőszikla. The panorama will fully unfold at Hegyes-kő, but to get there we continue along small fields, then after a short, shrubby ascent can stand on the rock face. A non-native pine forest was planted on the rocky ridge, which tolerates the shallow soil well — its presence is uncommon around here.

At Hegyes-kő

An unmarked but clearly visible path leads up to the summit — the steep climb is rewarded by a memorable landscape. Looking around, a varied countryside unfolds: gentle forms are balanced by the exposure caused by the sudden drop of the cliff. We see again the Börzsöny and Pilis, the hills of the Buda Mountains to the south, and the higher parts of Gerecse to the west greet us. In the friendly atmosphere, the dense traces of industrialization along the Danube show as well: factory chimneys, building giants, and sometimes surprisingly large mining walls are reminders of partly ceased, partly remaining, or transformed industrial capacities.

Back on the trail, turning left and circling Hegyes-kő, we descend to Tokod. On the far side of a narrow, sparse forest patch, walking opposite the view, we arrive at the village’s edge street, which ends with a left turn leading to the main square. The village has a somewhat urban character, busier and more built-up than an average quiet small settlement, naturally due to the long decades of coal mining. Above the houses, the block of Nagy-Gete looms large, but conquering the gentle giant is no longer a challenge of this route.