Written by Róbert Zelei, one of our faithful members and the organizer of this hike

TAKE FIVE summer sessions have a more casual, irregular air to them. For one, there are usually only two meet-ups during this season, and these are held outdoors instead of our normal locations. Previous summer sessions have been organized in places like Nehru part by the Danube, or among the greenery of Margaret Island. In 2023, the club took this one step further: for the first time in the history of TAKE FIVE, we decided that one of our summer events could be a hike in the vicinity of Budapest.

After a vote on our Facebook group page, our choice fell on the Spartacus Trail to the north of Budapest, a roughly 9 km long trip between Pilisszentlászló and Visegrád. The group gathered at Batthyány tér in the morning and after taking the HÉV train and then the bus, we arrived at the start of our hike. The Spartacus Trail itself is considered an easier hike, with no major climbing involved (but there are opportunities to do so), going through shady forest areas, which was a welcome feature in the summer sun. Originally established as a hunting path in the 1930s, the trail was finally opened to the public in 2015. There are lots of scenic spots along the trail, including a great view of the famous Danube Bend.

The group made its way along the narrow path, occasionally stopping for a brief rest of sandwiches or card games. By the end of the trail, we ventured up a hill that provided an excellent view of the Danube and the hills around Visegrád. Finally, we descended through the small streets to the main road of the town and returned to Budapest by bus.

All in all, it felt like the group enjoyed the hike and the novelty of our adventure
together, and it is very likely that there will be a follow-up in the future.