Wacholderweg

Route characteristics: 70% asphalt, 20% gravel road, 10% forest and meadow path

From the bus station opposite the impressive Wasserburg, the route leads into Schremser Straße. After the castle pond, continue to the right towards Kleinpertholz. On the left side, you can see the clay ponds for breeding Waldviertel carp and the Romaubach. Through Kleinpertholz, passing the Handl furniture store and the Inghofer riding stable, on the left you see the “main square” designed by Kleinpertholz artist Mannhard Zeh. This is a small, interesting park where “main” sculptures with “main” concepts stand. Diagonally opposite is the Franz Zeh Museum, the Zeh Gallery, and the sculpture park, which can be visited by arrangement. A bit further on, you come to the peat house and the local museum with the mineral room; visits for groups can be booked in advance for a guided tour.

At the intersection with the “Altmanns” goods road, follow the goods road across the narrow-gauge railway track, past the Edelweiherteich, uphill towards Altmanns.

In Altmanns, go left along the road downhill. On the right side is the parish cross. Continuing through the town, the marking leads left onto a field path. You follow the marking left onto a field path until the forest road in the woods. The landscape here offers small groups of stones with trees and numerous juniper bushes. Then a forest path leads left to the Hirschauteich. Continue left, past a beautiful rock formation to the “Black Teichtl.” On the right, the forest road continues over the narrow-gauge railway track and over the Romaubach to the federal road. Diagonally opposite, the path leads into Oberaalfanger Straße. Following the marking left, you pass the Kaltenbachteich directly back to Heidenreichstein. In Industriestraße, there is the opportunity to make a short stop for refreshment at the Towerstüberl. Over the B30, continue to Kleinpertholz to the Marterl and the castle pond and back to the starting point.

As a souvenir of your hike on the Wacholderweg in Waldviertel, you can get a hiking badge from Burg Heidenreichstein at the ticket office in Wasserburg Heidenreichstein.

Hiking badges are round plaques designed and labeled by wood burning, which serve as souvenirs and at the same time as a recognition for outstanding achievements. Diligent collectors of hiking badges are rewarded with a free premium hiking badge. More information can be found at www.wandermarken.at.