On the second Sunday of November, the two tour guides from qLit, Katt and Ági, presented a beautiful yet challenging hiking trail for the sportier ladies. We met at Nyugati train station, and the small group of 15 people boarded the train together. In Zebegény, we were joined by 3 more people and a puppy.
Before setting off, the guides welcomed the participants and gave a quick briefing about the expected stops and rest breaks. They also pointed out that, it’s best to stick together as a group, and it might be a good idea to take care of our physiological needs at the same time if we want to avoid total chaos. They “reassured” us that they had a list of the registered participants, but it might not necessarily match the people actually present.
The first climb took us to the Trianon Memorial, where luckily, we didn’t get lost in historical musings. Instead, we had a quick introduction round. This was a smart move from the organizers, not just because we could stop calling each other “hey, you,” but also because for many, this was their first qLit hike. We spread the joke that there would be an initiation ceremony waiting for them (there wasn’t), so only completing the hike without breaking anything wouldn’t be enough.
The hike was advertised to be 17 km, but by the end, some ended up measuring almost 20 km with their smart devices. We weren’t suffering from climb shortage, as we hiked up from Zebegény to the Julianus Brother Lookout, 482 meters high. From there, our path led us to Törökmező, where at the guesthouse, partly or completely squished sandwiches, energy bars, gummy bears made their appearance, and someone was even prepared with peanut-stuffed crackers. At the TörökmeZoo, the meerkats, unfortunately, weren’t home. However, we were still entertained by the big mara, capybara, and Bennett’s wallaby, just to name a few of the more exotic residents.
One lucky hiker found money along the way—like they say, money really does grow on trees! Unfortunately, others were less favored. Some ended up bathing their shoes and boots in streams, and one poor foot even paid the price for unsuitable footwear, struggling through the slopes.
By the time it got dark, we got back to the starting point, where there was still enough time to grab a beer or some mulled wine at the famous, cozy Mókus pub before the train departure.
I think the real beauty of these hikes, beyond the exercise and the natural sights, lies in the sense of community. One participant shared that, although she typically hikes alone and enjoys the solitude, every now and then she does miss being in great company—and that’s why she’s there.
Thank you for yet another fantastic hike, and I’m really hoping we’ll meet again in January!
If you would like to join the qLit hikes, follow qLit’s website and Facebook page.
See you next year!
Translated by Melinda Horváth
