The Vértes 60 Historical Memorial and Endurance Hike returns on Saturday, May 23, 2026, centered on Lake Majk (Majki-tó) in Oroszlány (2840). Now in its fourth edition, the event pays tribute to Hungarian soldiers who died in World War II by sending hikers across the forests and ridges of the Vértes, where history still stands in foxholes and fieldworks. Both routes get a full refresh this year: the 60 km and the 25 km courses are entirely new and both are loops, with start and finish at the same spot by Lake Majk (Majki-tó). Reenactors in period uniforms will stamp cards at checkpoints, anchoring the challenge in living history.
Distances, start times, and cutoffs
Two distances are on the menu: 60 km and 25 km. The 60 km starts at 07:00, the 25 km at 07:30. The finish closes at 24:00 sharp, so plan your pace, nutrition, and lights accordingly. There’s a 2,500-participant cap, and on-site registration is not available—registration closes April 30, 2026. The start (Rajt) parking is the large lot by Lake Majk (Majki-tó), and every finisher gets a commemorative certificate, T-shirt, and patch.
Registration fees and discounts
Entry for 25 km is 5,000 HUF (about 13.70 USD) per person; for 60 km it’s 6,000 HUF (about 16.40 USD). Soldiers and participants with disabilities pay 3,500 HUF (about 9.60 USD) for either distance.
What to expect on 60 km
This is not a gentle stroll. Expect stout climbs, uneven spacing between stamping points, and a few demanding stretches where the next refreshment point only appears after 10 or 11 km. Carry fluids and nutrition, and if you must withdraw, do it at a stamping point so organizers can account for you. The cutoff remains midnight—watch your timing.
What to expect on 25 km
Terrain is relatively easy, but don’t be lured into complacency. Stamping points are not evenly spaced here either. With fair weather forecast, it’s a perfect day out for newcomers and returning hikers alike.
Walk through nature, walk through history
The Vértes massif spreads across roughly 121 square miles of mostly forest, stitched with plains, pastures, and rolling crests around 984–1,312 feet. Its highest point, Nagy-Csákány, rises to 1,598 feet near Szárliget, with Körtvélyes close behind at 1,575 feet. Hidden among the trees and limestone are 104 documented caves. The landscape dazzles—yet this beauty is threaded with wartime scars. Graves of fallen hussars rest in village cemeteries and forest edges: Gánt, Kápolnapuszta, Kőhányás, Majk, Vérteskozma, Csákányos-puszta, Körtvélyes, Kapberek-puszta, and Csákvár. Across the range, you can still stumble upon intact bunkers, machine-gun nests, and trenches.
Winter of 1945, remembered
The soldiers who fought here endured a brutal winter. In early 1945, Hungary lay under a thick snowpack. The sky stayed leaden, clouds low, daylight weak; flights halted, even reconnaissance sputtered. That same weather cloaked both sides: it screened the Red Army’s preparations and the Germans’ heavy buildup in western Hungary. To civilians, the rumble of armor suggested the Wehrmacht’s strength was unbroken, with new panzer units seemingly rolling east toward the Bakony and Lake Balaton (Balaton) to assert power.
Join and pay tribute
Spend a day with us, soak in the scenery of the Vértes, and learn the stories of a dozen historic locations along the route. We’ll be there—reenactors and organizers alike—inviting you to relive, reflect, and honor courage through sport on May 23, 2026, in Oroszlány.
