Granittrail 1st stage: Gmünd - Langschlag

Leírás

As part of the Lower Austria Alpine Tour, the Granittrail runs for 157 kilometers and about 3,020 meters of elevation in 3 stages from the Waldviertel to the Danube, namely from the Czech border at Gmünd via Groß Gerungs, Bärnkopf, Gutenbrunn, and Altenmarkt to Persenbeug and Ybbs/Danube.

Some complete the entire route in ONE day – for training for a bike marathon, for example. For regular cyclists, the Granittrail is not manageable in one go, at best in two parts, but ideally comfortably in three stages with overnight stays in recommended accommodations.

A túra kiinduló pontja

Gmünd station

A túra végállomása

Langschlag

Utak leírása Granittrail 1st stage: Gmünd - Langschlag

Starting from Gmünd, you ride along the mountain bike ridge for about 48 km and approximately 1,200 meters of elevation towards Langschlag. This is the first stage of the Granittrail, which offers something for everyone.

From Gmünd station, first through the border town, then after a shopping center turn left over the tracks to Ehrendorf on quiet streets. First short but barely sweaty climbs just before Unserfrau, past a large pilgrimage church to a stately building on the shore of the idyllic Schlösslteich pond, which houses the Old Textile Factory Museum. After about an hour, we reach the oldest beer town in Austria, the former Kuenring settlement Weitra. Brake! Culture!

Very leisurely and enjoyably continue strolling and winding through blooming fields on paved panoramic paths, with views sometimes opening over the spreading Waldviertel valleys, then narrowing again to a small wayside shrine. The hills roll up to the horizon, a hawk circles above us, and solitary trees stand like lighthouses in the sprawling landscape. We sway, no: surf lightly, covering the first 20 kilometers almost imperceptibly. Delightful wave riding par excellence!

Shortly after Spital, we pass through moss-covered, lush forest that smells of moist earth. A brake-squeaking small downhill leads us to Oberwindhag at the foot of the "Stone Room". From the main road, we turn back into lonely fields.

Through St. Martin, the scent of freshly cut wood from a carpentry shop spreads. We follow it to a mushroom carving shop in Steinbach. We follow the "Rail Experience Path" into a forest and to the longest uphill section, where we probably sweat most of the 850 meters of elevation gain. In wet and deep ground conditions, sometimes there's no choice but to switch to walking. Along the forest edge are repeatedly large, round granite stones that gave the trail its name. Exhausted, we reach Bruderndorf and cross the Frauenwieser pond to Langschlag, where we successfully finish the first stage of the Granittrail.