Balboa variation

Itinerary

• From Fenyőgyöngye, we ascend on an unmarked path to the K trail, which we follow to Határ Saddle.
• At Határ Saddle, we switch to S trail and run on it through Hűvösvölgy, Nagy-Hárs Hill, and Szépjuhászné for 6 km.
• After Szépjuhászné, at the base of János Hill, we turn onto P trail and run up to the lookout, then descend to the upper station of the chairlift.
• From the chairlift, we continue on Z▲ trail, switch to Z↺ trail to descend further, and finally take Z+ back to Szépjuhászné.
• From Szépjuhászné, we continue on Z↺ trail but after the Children's Railway station, turn onto P♥ trail and run down to Széher Road.
• From Széher Road, we turn onto Z trail running along Szerb Antal Street, and return to Fenyőgyöngye via Apáthy Rock and Látó Hill on this trail.

Detailed route description

Outward to Balboa

From Fenyőgyöngye, we start on a dirt road parallel with Szépvölgyi Road. After 500 m, where a small Tiszafa Street goes uphill to the right and there is a red mailbox, we turn left and run uphill on a forest path. We proceed straight between a pine forest on the left and an oak forest on the right; at the third intersection where the road starts descending, we turn right onto the K trail, the Glück Frigyes promenade. Downhill before and after the wooden bridge, the ground is very rocky, so run more cautiously. To the left, at places like the Lion Rock, there are nice views of our route’s two upcoming hilltops: Nagy-Hárs Hill and János Hill. We arrive at the complex intersection of Határ Saddle, where we keep left and take the S trail – and for a good while, navigation can be forgotten as we run 6 km straight to the base of János Hill on this trail.

Shortly, we reach a military grave, turn left, and start a continuous ascent. At the top, we cross to the far side of the hill where the highest section under the Vadaskerti Hill peak is particularly rocky, and the long descent remains rocky almost to Hűvösvölgy. Passing the former Balázs restaurant ruins, we exit the forest via a small stone bridge, crossing at the crossing guard and the lángos stand (where there is also a blue push fountain), cross the zebra crossing, pass under tram tracks, then ascend stairs and turn left running further on the S trail. (If needed, there is also a water fountain slightly uphill at the Children's Railway station.) Soon, we reach Nagykovácsi Road, which we cross to continue uphill.

Running parallel with the Children’s Railway on a level section, then crossing the tracks, the path ascends gently and becomes rockier. Higher up there are several intersections; we turn right at the third and tackle the ascent to Nagy-Hárs Hill summit. Here awaits a roughly 500 m strenuous rocky section, so proceed carefully. Upon arriving at a wide gravel clearing, the rocky section thankfully ends. Turning right from here, the footing is more comfortable. Passing by Bátori Cave and a resting place, some steps, and a wooden bridge, followed by a short but steep rocky climb, we reach the Kaán Károly Lookout. The panorama includes János Hill, Budakeszi, Nagy-Kopasz, Hidegkút, Hűvösvölgy, the Kálvária Hill range above the glider airfield, and farther away the Kevélyek and Pilis range, with the Hármashatár Hill, Buda, and Pest seen along the Danube below Gellért Hill.

From the lookout, we descend continuing on the S trail. Passing the Csanádi resting place, which offers a great panorama, we continue downhill on a comfortable path broken by a rocky section lower down. We soon arrive at Szépjuhászné; after the nursery, we cross the Children’s Railway tracks and the pedestrian crossing on Budakeszi Road, then enter the forest opposite. Immediately reaching a fork, we keep left on the S trail, starting a particularly rocky section. At the next fork, we say goodbye to S trail and turn left onto P trail tackling the ascent to János Hill summit.

The rocky path continuously climbs, with nice views of Hárs Hill opening up to the left. We cross János Hill’s winding asphalt road three times; after the last, on a very steep and rocky section, we reach the Erzsébet Lookout. Here, after the steps leading up to the platform, in line with Balboa traditions – like Rocky in the movie – we proudly raise our hands high!

Return route “right ankle”

After circling the lookout and staying on P trail, we run down a small ridge, partly on stairs, to the upper station of the chairlift, where if needed, we can drink from the push fountain water at the playground (there is also a free restroom here). We descend starting on the Z▲ trail through the viewing terrace behind the buffet. Initially, we run comfortably on a gravel surface, then reach an asphalt road where the gap in the tape railing is not straight ahead but about 30 m to the left. From here, a rocky single-track section follows, so run more cautiously. Another similar asphalt crossing with a difficult descent follows but then fewer stones are present. On this winding single-track trail with many hairpin bends, be especially careful on weekends as popular downhill mountain bike trails cross the hiking path perpendicularly – so do not run with headphones on to hear them in time. At a lower fork, Z▲ trail turns right, while we take the left Z↺ trail going down. Our third asphalt crossing also comes up, after which Z↺ trail turns right, and we return to Szépjuhászné along the Z+ trail.

Crossing Budakeszi Road again, we start on the Z↺ trail, but after the Children’s Railway station fork, we turn right leaving it, continuing on the P♥ trail for “Hárs Hill Nature Trail for a healthy heart and vascular system.” It’s a barrier-free, comfortable footing, wide forest road where we can run untroubled and smoothly, gradually descending all the way to Széher Road’s asphalt. From here at the first left fork, we turn onto Szerb Antal Street and with it onto Z trail, where instead of a sidewalk on the left, we can run for a good stretch on grass. We cross Hűvösvölgyi Road and then turn right onto Alsóvölgy Street, arriving at a small underpass under the tram stop. After crossing this, we take a right then left turn and arrive at the bridge over Ördög-ditch. Opposite, we head up the Battai stairs next to Szabó Lőrinc Gymnasium, then from the right turn at the top we take Battai Road. We climb steeply to Csalán Street, turn left, then at the next opportunity turn right and go up the Nagybányai stairs to the path leading towards Apáthy Rock.

Here, a small lookout encircled by a low stone wall welcomes us, with a view of János Hill opposite. We reach the dolomite blocks of Apáthy Rock on a single-track rim path, from which there is a wide view towards both János and Hárs Hills. From here, we pass through a section secured with white metal railings to enter the forest, where we run on the high side of the valley beside rocks. After a horizontal section, we start a steeper ascent to reach Görgényi Street. Crossing it, we continue ascending on the Z trail alongside houses’ fences on a rocky, rooty, and stepped path. Keep going, the goal is exactly 2 km from here. Higher up, the slope eases and we get multiple nice views to the right, arriving at the Árpád Lookout, with a nice panorama of the inner city section of the Danube and its two banks. From the lookout, we descend all the way on the K trail along a runnable forest road back to Fenyőgyöngye.