Budapest opens a forest running trail by the Children's Railway

Bucolic autumn scenes envelop a Budapest forest path, now transformed into a running track at Hárs Hill. Ideal for cross-country running, this three-kilometre-long trail is marked every 500 metres with a red sign painted over tree trunks displaying a runner. Formerly used for cross-country skiing, this single-track course features rough terrain for more challenging exercise.

Beginning at the Szépjuhászné stop of the Children’s Railway, where the red and yellow hiking trails meet, a slightly elevated running track calls for a calf-crunching workout. Those who come here for a jog will be rewarded with fresh air and the languid landscape that surrounds the trail.

Nearby attractions include a pair of wooden lookout towers, one designed by the late Imre Makovecz, an internationally acclaimed master of organic architecture. Ruins of a 13th-century Pauline cloister also dot this natural domain.

The running track is accessible by bus 22 from Széll Kálmán tér, alighting at the Szépjuhászné, Gyermekvasút stop. There are also parking places for cars.