Hieronymusweg

From Schönbach, head east out of town until you reach the intersection at the Bauer department store; here, turn left onto the sunken path toward Fichtenhof (just before the forest: a photo spot overlooking the pilgrimage church and former monastery). At the end of the sunken path, turn right toward Fichtenhof (cider was produced here during the monks’ time). Shortly afterward, turn right again until you reach “Höllgeansn”; here, cross the stream and walk through dense forest along the Rehbach until you reach a clearing, then turn left toward the Reitzenorth farmstead. You’ll pass the farmstead on your right and arrive at a rest area and the Zollnhof farmstead. Here, turn left and follow the farm road to the intersection, then turn right to the Waid farmstead (according to legend, the famous minstrel Walther von der Vogelweide is said to have stayed here—see the commemorative stone). Continuing through open countryside, you’ll cross a bridge toward Blättergraben (where bread was baked in days gone by). Follow the farm road into the village of Lichtenau, where you’ll turn left at the intersection. Following this path, you’ll come to a bridge where the Lichtenau Mill once stood; the remains of its walls are still visible (50 meters downstream is one of the Waldviertel’s first private small-scale hydroelectric power plants). After a short climb along the edge of the forest, you’ll cross the Edelbach, continue on past the Edelhof, and reach the Pernthon farm road, where you’ll turn left toward Schönbach. At the Hühnerbichlhof farm road, keep left, pass the wastewater treatment plant, and hike through the forest back to the starting point. Be sure to visit the Maria Rast pilgrimage church here, which was once part of the Hieronymus Monastery; across from it is the former monastery garden with a children’s playground.

Take the A22 and S5 or S33 to Krems; continue on the B3; in Weißenkirchen in der Wachau, turn right toward Ottenschlag; in Ottenschlag, follow signs for Bad Traunstein; in Bad Traunstein, continue straight toward Schönbach