Description
This route is all about the Hohe Wand! Atmospheric forests – from pine forests to Biedermeier mixed deciduous forests, historic villages, and the Hohe Wand nature park with numerous attractions characterize this varied mammoth route, which is best split into two daily stages. On this route, one highlight view follows another. Probably the most impressive is the Skywalk on the Hohe Wand. The view into the New World, the paragliders above, and the climbers below give a truly uplifting feeling.
Starting point of the tour
Parking lot in the center of Markt Piesting at the info pavilion
Destination point of the tour
Puchberg/Schneeberg station
Route description WAB - Regional Route R: Markt Piesting - Puchberg/Schneeberg
We start with the Regional Route R at the municipal office Markt Piesting in the Biedermeier Valley. The info pavilion is located right next to it, and just around the corner is Badgasse, which we hike uphill (marked in red). We pass under the federal highway and climb up to the fire station. To the right of the Schmankerl inn, we leave the solid ground and follow the marked hiking trail into the forest. Afterwards, we continue hiking through the pine forest along the red and green marked hiking trail (trail no. 231 and tut-gut-route 2). Trail 231 now leads us directly to a main road, which we briefly walk along on the left, then immediately change back to a hiking trail and reach the Zitherwirt after a few meters. We cross the main road and follow the forest road towards Hohe Wand. After a few minutes, the trail leads us out of the forest, and we walk along the forest and meadow edge with a view of Dreistetten. At the upcoming junction, a short left and then immediately right uphill to the Unicorn Cave (marked in blue).
We follow the hiking trail and come to several crossroads. The Regional Route continues following trail no. 231, later no. 01 and marked in red, uphill. Parallel to this trail, it is possible to take the blue marked Drobilsteig (ladders and secured spots). The trails meet a bit higher up and together we now proceed on easy paths to the Herrgottschnitzerhaus and to a magnificent view over the New World. Past the house, we walk briefly along the street, but after a few meters turn left again onto a footpath, which we follow as a forest educational trail up to the former Hanselsteig house. We walk along the street past the Kohlröserl house and to the intersection with the Hohe Wand street. Here, turn right onto the street and after a few meters, after the small chapel, turn left onto the marked forest trail. The trail leads us back to a street, which leads to a parking lot and the Almfrieden meadow. We follow the hiking trail towards Gasthof Postl and enjoy occasional views into the New World. Shortly before Gasthof Postl, the Skywalk is reached to the left after a few meters. Only flying is nicer. And flying is also done here thanks to the flying school at Gasthof Postl.
Before the parking lot at the inn, we turn left and follow the gravel road on trail no. 231 to the deer enclosure, which we circle counterclockwise and after a few minutes arrive at the parking lot next to the petting zoo. The nature park tavern, as a place to rest and a museum, is located on the other side of the parking lot. We follow the hiking trail to another enclosure, turn right before it, climb up to the street, and continue hiking to Gasthof Kleine Kanzel. For visitors' cars, this is the final destination; however, we continue walking along the gravel road to Wanddörfl. It goes on to Plackles; the gravel road now accompanies us, along with a bird educational trail, to the base station of the mountain and nature watch. Here, we turn right and reach after a few minutes the highest but inconspicuous point of Hohe Wand. We pass the former mountain house Plackles and now descend along hiking and forest trails towards Rastkreuz and Gelande. At the same time, we can learn what the Big Bang has to do with Grünbach. We continue on the hiking trail towards Gelande hut, at first still relatively easy and scenic paths, then rocky and steeper sections. The closer we get to the Gelande hut, the more panoramas unfold in our field of vision. While a bear fights with a Stone Age human a bit below the Gelande hut, we walk right past the hut and continue hiking towards Grünbacher saddle. We ignore the first trail junction to Grünbach (marked in blue), and a few meters later turn left onto the red marked Krumböcksteig. We hike downhill on steep paths and reach the Grünbacher saddle after half an hour. At the Grünbacher saddle, the Regional Route S starts over Gutenmann to Würflach.
At the federal highway at the saddle, we turn right and after about 100 meters turn left onto a farm road and cross the railway tracks. We gently climb uphill on farm and forest roads before descending on cart roads to Pfennigbach and turning left onto the further hiking trail in the small village. After 20 minutes, we are back in civilization in the form of the Leopold Auer trail; we follow it along the Sierningbach and turn right after a few minutes into Ehrbarweg. To the left is the Hotel Schneeberghof, and the Puchberg train station is also already visible. We cross the federal highway and reach the end of the Regional Route R at the station.
In Puchberg, there are some accommodation options, e.g., the Hotel Schneeberghof or Pension Bruckerhof. From the Puchberg/Schneeberg station, you can depart by train to Wiener Neustadt or continue hiking on other routes. The Regional Route P leads over Losenheim to the Edelweiß hut at the foot of Schneeberg, and Route Q over Mariahilfberg and Gutenstein to Muggendorf.
