Gerecse tasting

Itinerary

• We start from the parking lot on the P trail, then after 1 km we turn right onto the P+ trail and run on it to the end, where we turn right onto the S trail.

• We follow the S trail until we reach the left-turning S● trail, and continue on it from there.

• We cut off the right detour of the S● trail by turning left on an unmarked road, then rejoin the S● trail reaching the Bundschu spring road.

• At the spring, after crossing the stream, we run on an unmarked path to the 4 Tonó lookout, then on to Vértessolnok.
• Upon entering the settlement, we turn left onto Kert Street, run on the P+ trail to the P trail, where we turn left and follow it for 5 km.
• From the P trail, we switch again to the P+ trail, then transfer to the P▲ trail to ascend Csúcsos Hill and the Ranzinger lookout.
• From the lookout, we continue on an unmarked path, at the end of which we join the common P and P▲ trails and return to the parking lot.

Detailed description of the route

We start from the parking lot on the P trail, a comfortable gravel walking path that then changes to a similarly easy forest path. We run 1 km through the forest to Nagy-rét on the left, where we turn right onto the P+ trail. Then the path narrows, becomes very technical, and begins to climb steeply. This lasts for about 350 m, then after an equally long flat section, it begins to descend. When the P+ trail ends, we turn right onto the S trail, passing the centuries-old oak tree and the carved bench beneath it, then immediately after by the ruins of the Kisréti hunting lodge – the path still descends. At a right turn, we reach a forestry road, where we turn left onto the S● trail – as the sign shows, towards the Malom stream and Bundschu spring. Then pay attention to the signs and navigation: the S● trail makes a right detour, but we cut this off to the left, like the left side of a triangle, then after 500 m we rejoin the same trail. We reach the edge of a huge meadow, where our path runs on the left, inside the fence that borders its right side, soon reaching the Bundschu spring road and the resting area built there.

We can refresh at the spring, then, after crossing the stream and climbing over the game fence, we continue left, parallel to the stream, now on an unmarked road. Where the stream leaves the forest, we turn right following the forest edge, running to the 4 Tonó lookout in Vértessolnok, with a beautiful view of the valley, Vértessolnok itself, and opposite the hill that we will soon conquer. From the lookout, we continue on an unmarked path towards the village, turn right at the farm, arrive at the village, then immediately turn left onto Kert Street, joining the P+ trail. We run its entire length, then at the upper end, near the sports field and press houses, we turn left onto the P trail, on which we run for 5 km.

The path gradually climbs but is on comfortable ground, a double-track forest road. The climb starts steeper, then gentler, then steeper again, eventually reaching a flat section where the P trail diverges right from the forestry road. We cross the forest on a downhill, comfortable forest road and reach the atmospheric Halyagos meadow, running across its left edge. After the meadow, the path begins to descend and narrows to a single track. We pass several entrances to sinkhole caves characteristic of the area, then reach a crossroads where we switch to the P+ trail, continuing downhill in the same water erosion valley on an even more scenic section.

The path narrows to a single track and becomes technical; run carefully. At the valley bottom, we reach a junction where we choose left onto the P▲ trail and start climbing. A sign shows that the Ranzinger lookout is still 700 meters away—but what a 700 meters! Pay attention, because after 200 m the P▲ trail turns sharply right off the path, but this is not clear due to an old fallen tree partly blocking the way, and you can easily run straight. The path becomes increasingly steep with stones and roots appearing; after a left turn, it becomes too steep to run, and the ground is crumbly, so it is sufficient to step carefully. At the top, the steepness eases, and we reach Csúcsos Hill in an oak forest with somes and lindens. We soon spot the Ranzinger Vince lookout, converted from a former mining shaft tower. On weekends, expect to wait to ascend—if after the strenuous climb you still have the strength and mood for it.

After the lookout, instead of following the left P▲ trail, we continue straight on an unmarked path, then at a junction where it is possible to descend to the caves on the right, we stay left, remaining on this path until at the end we rejoin the joint P and P▲ trails and return to the parking lot.