Popis
This hike up the 347m high Kronberg brings not only nature enthusiasts closer to a unique natural area but also offers deep insights into the land around Böheimkirchen. At several points, different panoramas open up. At times, the view sweeps over the hills of the Vienna Woods to the Ötscher, at others over the expanses of the Tullnerfeld to the Waldviertel. The churches of Herzogenburg and Heiligenkreuz, as well as Neulengbach Castle, are clearly visible. Between them lies the town of Böheimkirchen, with its impressive church to observe. The highlight of the path is the romantic Haspelwald, a small forest on a unique mountain ridge, formed from remnants of the Bohemian massif. In the middle of the forest lies the Grotto Maria in the Forest, inviting you to rest and linger. Decades ago, a statue of Mary was placed inside a hollowed-out rootstock here. In cooperation with the municipality and landowners, a person recovering from a long illness erected a new image in 2010, after returning from the Camino de Santiago, in thanks. After walking through spruce forests, you reach the Königsbühel, above the Schreckhäusel farm. The name is said to recall the presence of Salian kings in the 11th century. This era also saw the founding of the parish of Böheimkirchen by the Diocese of Passau. The end of the hike leads over farmland along the Perschling river back to the town center.
Výchozí bod trasy
Böheimkirchen, Untere Hauptstraße directly in front of the park entrance
Popis trasy Grottenweg Böheimkirchen
The Grottenweg begins in the center of Böheimkirchen. There is a café and several restaurants to have a snack before the hike. It starts heading west across the Michelbach bridge. After a few meters, turn left to reach the village of Hinterberg. At the end of the settlement, there is an unmarked intersection where you must turn right. Then follow a field path uphill to the Kronberg (347m). At the next field path intersection, keep left. Then walk along the ridge of the Kronberg at the forest edge. After a small seating area, the path turns into the forest. After the forest, you come to an intersection with the WIR circular trail at the border to the Kirchstetten municipality. Here turn left and follow this path north. After crossing a road, you come again to an unmarked intersection at the forest edge. Here turn right into the forest. You are now in the wild and romantic Haspelwald and can follow the green-red “MW” markers. Finally, you reach the highlight of the route: the grotto “Maria im Walde”. The 2009-built place of worship in a clearing invites you to linger. From the grotto, head west, i.e. left. In this direction, there are 3 paths; choose the third from the left. On narrow but level forest paths, keep left, after about one kilometer you reach a clearing with a view over the Tullnerfeld. From here, the path follows the forest edge downhill. Upon reaching a gravel road after a few meters, turn left. After about 200 meters, the path enters the forest again. Here keep right until you reach another clearing with a view of the village of Lanzendorf. The forest then ends after about 300 meters at a water reservoir. From here, follow an asphalted farm road downhill, enjoying the view of Böheimkirchen and the Ötscher. At the foot of the mountain, the path winds around the Schreckhäusl farm. You reach the main road and turn left onto it. You then continue straight on a gravel path before the bridge over the Weisching towards Kronbergmühle. At this point, cross a small bridge to the right and then immediately left over a meadow towards the town center. You cross two more bridges until you reach the built-up area near the start point again.
Příjezd
Motorway A1, exit Böheimkirchen, then direction Böheimkirchen
Parkování
Free short-term parking zone (Mon-Fri, Saturday morning), alternatively: parking lot of the Böheimkirchen school center