Traces of age on the top of the capital

Itinerary

• From Szépjuhászné we climb up to János-hegy following the P trail.
• From János-hegy the P trail leads down to the upper station of the Libegő.
• From the Libegő, we follow the Z▲ trail to the Tündér-szikla, then to the junction at its base.
• We turn right onto the Z trail, which leads toward the vicinity of Anna-rét.
• On the S+ trail (straight ahead) we take a detour to the Anna Chapel, then return to the junction.
• We continue on the Z trail on foot to Normafa.
• We walk back to the réteses, from where we enter the forest on the Z+ trail heading toward the parking lot.
• At a junction, we continue straight on the S+ trails to Csacsi-rét.
• At Csacsi-rét we turn right onto the S trail.
• In Virág-völgy we maintain a straight direction and switch to the S◼ trail, which guides us to the main street of Budakeszi.

Detailed tour description

Climbing up to János-hegy

Szépjuhászné, known as the largest intermediate station of the Children's Railway, is a busy saddle point between János-hegy and Hárs-hegy. Its name comes from an inn that attracted Buda citizens seeking relaxation from the late 18th century to the early 20th century, also tapping the busy road connecting the city to Budakeszi. Looking further back, legend says King Matthias repeatedly visited an attractive shepherd's wife here, and Queen Beatrix, learning of this, disguised herself to uncover and suppress the affair – hence the inn's name. Around the station, during the construction of the Pioneer Railway, a basin park was established, and now buffets offer opportunities for eating and drinking breaks, plus the ruins of a Pauline monastery can be visited. Since a fairly long path awaits us yet, it’s worth gathering strength at one of the eateries before the climb to János-hegy.

On the other side of the road, we already walk on the P trail, but the peaceful stroll soon turns into a sweat-inducing climb. Tackling the conquest of János-hegy, we initially cross the serpentines with a gentle ascent, occasionally catching views from the beech-mixed forest and even crossing the summit of Pozsonyi-hegy, little known in the shadow of the main peak. There is an interesting connection between the two: during the 1847 renaming of local places, today's János-hegy received its name because it was said that looking from it in the right direction – especially in very clear weather – the old coronation city could be seen gleaming. The name faded into oblivion, but to follow the inspiring view, we still need to overcome the increasingly steep terrain.

We reach the summit with a few bends, at 527 meters, the highest point in the capital. The sight of the building itself is captivating: a graceful yet robust “lighthouse tower” rises, and since 1910 it has been an identifiable icon from afar in the sea of Buda hills. While the origin of the hill’s name is unclear, the upper levels of the building named after Queen Elisabeth offer a worthy panorama. Not only Budapest but also the mountains of half the country rise in the view. On exceptionally clear days, the mountains from Bükk to Bakony and Balaton Uplands, as well as the peaks of Slovakia to the north, can be admired. The view is grand and overwhelming, with countless waves of hills surrounding the vast city, showing the capital in all its spectacular setting.

Descending from János-hegy

The P signs lead from the base of the tower across the summit, then down a steep section made accessible by stairs to the Libegő station, where buffets offer refreshment options. Our route turns left onto the Z▲ trail and within meters approaches a viewing terrace. Above the foliage, we glimpse Budapest and its hills, also tasting what it might have been like to admire the city from the panorama terrace of the former János-hegy inn pavilion while dining. The building was constructed at the end of the 19th century and quickly became popular: in the early 20th century it hosted the aristocracy and citizenry of the era; even the last Hungarian king, IV. Károly, stayed here, and many skiers and hikers also visited. However, the inn burned down during World War II, and now the upper station of the Libegő stands in its place.

On the steep side of János-hegy's dome, a transverse path leads downward, later widening into a promenade. We reach an asphalt road with a short detour to the left to the János-hegyi-átjáróbarlang, a short dolomite corridor formed naturally (hydrothermal origin is evidenced by spheres visible on the ceiling at the upper entrance) but probably widened by human hands. In previous centuries, it may have been explored for various ores, with even pick marks still visible in the middle section.

We cross the concrete and our pleasant path zigzags down a steep slope, then bends right. For a good distance, we follow the hillside at level, surrounded by a long-abandoned, naturally ragged, impenetrable forest that hides the view. The rumble of the city and the buzz of motorcycles constantly remind us of where we are, but the image of nature suggests something quite different. Further ahead, we emerge onto the asphalt street with the chairs of the Libegő silently gliding overhead. Shortly, we notice the courtyard of the Tündér-hegy quarry to the right, with a resting place available – the walls were demolished in the early 20th century to extract crumbly dolomite. The trail turns left at the curve and approaches on stairs the tour’s most impressive natural sight, the huge snow-white peak of Tündér-szikla. Our path bypasses the sheer rock face, but it’s worth taking a small detour on the stairs to admire the view up close.

Fairies' throne

Stepping onto the side terrace of Tündér-szikla, we are struck by a breathtaking panorama and immediately understand why the 19th-century renaming called it “Beautiful View” as well. The rock throne decorates a terrifying depth beneath us, opposite the forested side of Hunyad-orom inclining toward Zugliget, with the city’s houses visible further back. To the left, the group of Hárs-hegy and Hármashatár-hegy appears; in the opposite direction, the slope of Normafa is identifiable.

Tündér-szikla is a huge, hard dolomite block, cracked during structural movements and rising from the eroded environment pulverized by thermal waters, resisting erosion better. At its base is a quarry offering insights into the mountain range's geological past, as gravelly dolomite was mined extensively. It is also observable that lime precipitated from ascending karst water cemented the crumbly rock. Climbing the rock chimney is dangerous and forbidden, but fortunately, the view can be enjoyed from the terrace below it.

The path is bordered by scraggly trees and bushes on a soil thinned by the exposed slope and winds gently downward. At the end of a steeper descent, it connects with the Z trail that, by following it to the right, leads again uphill. Soon we tread the concrete of a road again; to the right appears the elongated clearing of Tücsök-rét. The hiking trail first follows along a fence, then leaves a World War shelter and returns into the forest.

Climbing to Normafa

To the left, the storm-battered well house of Disznófő-forrás is seen only from a distance behind a fence. Its name preserved a memory of an old hunting ground, but also indicates a mistranslation. The earlier German name Saukopf meant not pig's head but the “head” or source of the water; however, instead of Disznó-forrás, it was Hungarianized as Disznófő. Hence in the building, water flows from a boar's head-shaped spout dating back to the early 19th century. (The head was originally stone, later made of iron.) Along the popular mountain path, numerous farms once stood – one, the Disznófő inn, existed from 1840 on a neighboring plot. This changing yet popular place was sized by the 1860s to accommodate 600 people. After nationalization following World War II, it slowly deteriorated, closed in the early 1990s, and has since remained empty and crumbling.

We ascend along a promenade, and the trail remains under a beautiful chestnut tree row on the path, but it’s worth casting a glance at a nearby statue requiring a short detour on the left. Kossuth Lajos rested at the now defunct nearby Istenszeme inn (and rented its garden apartment) in May 1837 when he was arrested and taken to prison. A relief on the statue's base depicts this event.

The trail continues with small bends, increasingly under beeches, ascending the hillside whose top reveals a large lime tree cluster. Opposite, among huge-trunked trees stands a small, white-walled building: the original St. Anna Chapel was built in the 1820s and regularly was a pilgrimage destination. It was demolished after World War II and rebuilt in the early 1990s by the congregation's cooperation. From here, the Z trail turns left and continues under beeches along the great lawn of Anna-rét. From the overgrown pasture of one of the former ski slopes, we can catch a glimpse of the capital, with some rusty equipment still recalling the old ski life.

Finally, the promenade reaches Normafa, Budapest's most famous excursion site. From the grassy slope’s top opens a view of the capital and the country: opposite, the wooded sides of the Buda Hills undulate, next to the huge block of Pilis-tető, and even the highest peaks of Börzsöny peek out. Behind Hármashatár-hegy appears the double peak of Szanda in the Cserhát Mountains, and to the northeast the ridges of Mátra emerge. A compelling element of the panorama is the city viewed from above, whose rooftops gradually merge with the greenery covering the hills. The panorama gains a unique atmosphere as the continuous hustle and bustle of the capital meet the motionless calm of the forested hilly terrain. A metal relief map helps identify the main spots. The name of the place comes from the centuries-old storm-beaten tree called “Viharbükk,” which reminded actress Róza Schodelné Klein of the set of Bellini's opera Norma. Hence, a member of the National Theatre troupe sang the Norma aria beneath it, initiating the new name, which soon spread to the surrounding meadows.

Descending from Normafa

Normafa once hosted a vibrant winter sports life; from the 1920s, ski jumps, ski slopes, and sledding hills used the ideal terrain. Although sledders are still often seen here and skiers appear after heavy snow, most slopes (and jumps) have long ceased to exist. Our route now tempts us to the far side of the mountain block: the Z+ trail cuts by the parking lot and calls under the trees. A network of wide forest promenades crisscrosses the woods, but the trail is clear. We descend purposefully toward Budakeszi, crossing the tracks of the Children's Railway. Around us lies dense, varied forest significantly more secluded than at the Normafa slope. From a junction on, following the S+ trail, we keep a straight course and pass the grave of Three Soldiers, resting place of soldiers who died in a breakout attempt with huge losses at the end of World War II. Further down we find a pleasant clearing at Csacsi-rét, equipped with a rain shelter, an idyllic resting place with utmost tranquility.

Here we must turn right onto the S trail, which at first goes through young growth, then plunges down through dense mixed forest. A deep dike runs alongside, and the trail snakes around rotten trunks increasingly downward. We are in Virág-völgy, which, with its shady, deeply carved shape, stands out completely from the landscape of the Buda Mountains and, despite its low elevation, evokes the world of higher mountain ranges. It has a varied forest scene and cool climate, a secluded hollow carved by a once active karst spring stream into the otherwise uniformly sloping hillside. Its name suggests it was formerly one of the wildflower meadows on the outskirts of Budakeszi before the disappearance of livestock allowed the forest to reclaim it. Water is no longer typically seen running in its ditch, but it is still an idyllic walking path and a worthy conclusion for our tour – at the end, the houses of Budakeszi line up, among which the trail leads straight to the main street and the bus stop located on its right.