Thaya Spring Nature Trail
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Hiking tour Starting from Schweiggers (666 m), Wasserscheide Parking Lot
Hike to the source of the "German Thaya"! Alongside the Kamp, this is the second main river in the Waldviertel. It is not only interesting for children to see how the life of a small river begins. No spectacular waterfall from a mighty rock is to be expected. Instead, a small pool of water collects in a carved-out hollow. The "forgotten" poet Robert Hamerling once wrote: "Lonely, where showers blow and shadows gloom/ By pines that girdle the mossy rock/ Where woodpeckers knock, ravens flutter secretly/ Because I, after forest solitude, only lust."
Hike to the source of the "German Thaya"! Alongside the Kamp, this is the second main river in the Waldviertel. It is not only interesting for children to see how the life of a small river begins. No spectacular waterfall from a mighty rock is to be expected. Instead, a small pool of water collects in a carved-out hollow. The "forgotten" poet Robert Hamerling once wrote: "Lonely, where showers blow and shadows gloom/ By pines that girdle the mossy rock/ Where woodpeckers knock, ravens flutter secretly/ Because I, after forest solitude, only lust."
The Illyrians called the Thaya "Dujas", which meant "rushing river". Today, many mills, sawmills and power stations have taken away the Thaya's rushing waters. Nevertheless, it has remained a romantic and largely unspoiled river in the Waldviertel. On its 235-kilometre journey to the March, it takes in 573 headwater streams and drains 772 square kilometers of Waldviertel and Moravian land. Its life begins under a birch tree near Schweiggers. A family-friendly adventure trail leads there with a barbecue area, grass labyrinth, humming stone, viewing platform, four climbing trees, a hollow walk-in lime tree and one of the oldest beech trees in the Waldviertel, which is over 150 years old.
When choosing your route, make sure it’s appropriate for your fitness level. Check to see if the restaurants and cafes you plan to visit along the way are open. Pack your fully charged cell phone and maps in your backpack. For cross-border trips, please always carry a passport or ID card with you.
Sturdy footwear, functional clothing, sun and rain protection, maps, trekking poles if needed, first-aid kit (blister bandages), and plenty of food and drinks (snacks, granola bars, fruit, water).For winter hikes, we recommend a thermos with hot drinks, warm, functional clothing, a hat, gloves, and a flashlight or headlamp.
The short, family-friendly “Thaya Source Adventure Trail 42” walk leads from the Wasserscheide parking lot to the source of the Thaya River. Following the river’s source, you’ll hike to the picnic area at the edge of the forest and soon reach the grass maze, which is unique to the Waldviertel region. Take the Grasungweg trail back to the parking lot. You can extend the hike all the way to Schweiggers along the “Orte der Kraft” Trail No. 42.
A1 – Linz – Weitra – Schweiggers. Or take the A 22 and S5 or S33 to Krems – then take the B37 toward Zwettl – head toward Weitra – turn off toward Schweiggers
Schweiggers Market Town
3931 Schweiggers, Hauptplatz 25
(T) +43 2829 8234
(F) +43 2829 8234-22
(E) gemeinde@schweiggers.gv.at
WALDVIERTEL Tourism
3910 Zwettl, Sparkassenplatz 1/2/2
(T) +43 2822 54109
(E) info@waldviertel.at
(I) www.waldviertel.at
Letzte Änderung: 3 Aug 2026