The historical mysteries of Gerence

Itinerary

• From the bus stop, head west along Rózsa Street following the K sign.
• At Gáthegyalja field, follow the K+ sign northwards.
• Behind the Vörös János-séd rest area rain shelter, turn left and continue on the P sign.
• Take a detour on the P▲ sign to the Witt Lajos lookout point.
• Return to the Móricháza junction on the P sign.
• Turn right and continue on the P◼ sign.
• At a Y junction, take the left branch and continue on the Z+ sign.
• From Gáthegyalja field, return to the bus stop on the K sign.

About the route in detail

From Bakonybél to Gerencepuszta

From the bus stop, head west along Rózsa Street following the K sign, then leave the built-up area of Bakonybél at the end of Fürdő Street, crossing the Gerence stream via a bridge and the Törökgurító meadow. From here, we follow the K+ sign northwards along Gáthegyalja field, which continues straight on a soon right-turning road. After meadows equipped with benches, we bypass the former site of the Gerencemalom mill and the mill operator's residential house (an older building), then the protruding rock Huszár-kő. The valley narrows, and at the fence of Odvaskő Pension and Restaurant, a wooden stair starts on the slope side, allowing us to continue comfortably on a walking trail—however, those who like challenges should continue straight, where a short rope-secured section awaits the brave along the stream bank.

On the hotel grounds once stood some houses of Gerencepuszta, including a notorious inn, whose wall remains were still present in the 1950s. In the 19th century, famous outlaws like Sobri Jóska, Milfajt Ferkó, Doma Vendel, and Savanyó Jóska visited here frequently. In the early 20th century, mainly foresters and hunters inhabited the buildings, which were completely transformed by the 1980s with the construction of the pension.

A few hundred meters from here is the Vörös János-séd rest area, where we turn left behind the rain shelter on the gravel forestry road, continuing on the P sign. At the signpost of the strictly protected natural area grow two easily recognizable and interesting plants beside the path. One is the round-leaved toothwort, whose shiny, kidney-shaped leaves bear fragrant, burgundy-brown flowers pollinated by slugs, and its seeds are spread by ants due to the sticky, high oil and protein content of the outer seed coat (elaiosome). The plant contains low concentrations of carcinogenic essential oils. The other is an evergreen shrub, the protected bayberry lion living in our mountainous beech forests. This rare Atlantic-Mediterranean flora element was formerly collected for wreath-making.

Along the Vörös János-séd to Móricháza

To our right, the Vörös János-séd trickles, originating near Királykapu, a short tributary of the middle section of the Gerence, which collects, among others, the waters of the Suttonyi and Markovics wells touched on this route. It holds significant nature conservation value because rare species can be found in the stream and the lake created by damming it, such as the stone crayfish, which lives only here in the Bakony, and the strictly protected alpine newt.

Next comes a short wild but nettle and goldenrod section. From the first S-bend of the path following the creek bed, we can see several smaller bauxite exposures. As the creek bends, the valley widens, and we continue through hornbeam-mixed beech woods. Soon, we reach the dammed section of the stream densely overgrown with bulrush species and other aquatic plants. Nearby is the Suttonyi well’s seepage, whose ancient name means hiding place or refuge. At the end of the lake, turn left at the reed bed, then at the next junction, turn right following the P sign toward the Witt lookout point.

Near the Móricháza junction, by the stone road, the ruins of the former Móricháza hunting lodge sprawl under a huge spruce tree. The former manor standing on the small clearing was notorious for the festivities of Count Tamás Esterházy, the last owner of the large Pápai estate. The narrow-gauge railway operated scheduled passenger traffic to Móricháza from 1961 to the 1970s.

The Witt Lajos lookout point

Soon we reach Markovics well on the left side of the road, named after Adolf Markovics, prelate of Bakonybél's monastery in the 19th century. We follow the wide gravel road alongside the bend of the stream, along the route of the forest railway that once ran 36 km long between Városlőd and Franciavágás. At the next junction, we reach the still-standing pillars of the former railway bridge, from where we turn left and ascend on the P▲ sign in the Old Kecskeakol ditch. The road leads through a large hairpin bend to the wonderfully panoramic Witt Lajos lookout point, from where you can glimpse the Kőris mountain, Parajos hill range, Tönkölös mountain range, and the vast Bakony forest spread below. Locals also call this small plateau the Kádár lookout because Kádár János was served dinner here during a visit. Lajos Witt (1898–1994) primarily worked in forestry management, railway design, and forest supervision. He designed the 6.5 km long Huszárokelőpuszta–Móricháza forest railway section. Over nearly five decades, he led the Ugod Forest Management and the ERTI Experimental Station, and after emigrating in 1956, he became museum curator at the Zoological Institute of the University of British Columbia in Canada, enriching its collection with several thousand specimens, including two whale skeletons until his retirement in 1972. From 1998, his ashes rest in the Ugod forest according to his last will. At the corner of the small clearing stands a wooden cross inscribed “Praise be the Bakony,” made by Zoltán Fodor on behalf of Bakonyerdő Zrt.

Among burial mounds

We return to the Móricháza junction and continue on the P◼ sign. After about 50 m, turn right, cross a dirt road, and head uphill on a deeply eroded path through a fine-leaved beech grassland flourishing on loess, where the beech sedge is the dominant species on the herb level. After the eroded section, about fifty mounds appear at the forest bottom, likely created around the 15th century BC. Since the builders’ ethnic and language affiliation is unknown—possibly belonging to the Illyrian group—history names their burial customs the mound culture. Archaeologist Gábor Ilon found in a similar mound at the Ugod military-cut cemetery 10–30 cm thick charcoal remains of a pyre under which the soil was reddened by the fire that once consumed the corpse. Grave goods found at 100–110 cm depth include pottery shards above the bones and heavily deformed bronze bracelets, pins, rings, dagger, and spearhead fragments due to high heat.

Back to Bakonybél

After the burial ground, we cross a dirt road and go straight on the left arm of a Y junction now following the Z+ sign. In the narrow rocky valley descending steeply, we reach the asphalt road of Gáthegyalja field, where we turn northeast and follow the K sign which crosses the Gerence after 300 m. Passing meadows and the bridge, we arrive in Bakonybél, then turning left on the first cross street from Fürdő Street, we return to the bus stop.