High altitude hiking trail Hochstraß Eichgraben

©Wienerwald

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 13,08 km
Ascent: 370 m elevation gain
Descent: 370 m elevation gain

This tour leads through a unique cultural landscape and combines an experience of nature with an informative walk through the town. A hike through Eichgraben and Hochstraß is pure Vienna Woods. You walk past old chapels and new churches, pass under railroads and aqueducts.

Starting point of the tour: Eichgraben, Eichgraben-Altlengbach station

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 13,08 km
Ascent: 370 m elevation gain
Descent: 370 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
3/6
Overall experience:
3/6
Scenery:
4/6

Lowest point285 m
Highest point571 m

Round tour
With refreshment stops

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Description

This tour leads through a unique cultural landscape and combines an experience of nature with an informative walk through the town. Although "Aichgrawen" was first mentioned in a document in 1345, it is a young village. Lumberjacks settled here in the 17th century. The community received a boost with the construction of the Western Railway in 1858. The first church was consecrated in 1896: the neo-Gothic Herz Jesu Chapel. This was followed in 1951 by the Wienerwalddom, a modern building. Eichgraben was declared a market town in 1973. Today, the community of 4000 souls is one of the most important tourist destinations in the Vienna Woods. The area is of great importance for the infrastructure of eastern Austria. The Steinhäusl highway junction, the Western Railway and the 2nd Vienna High Spring Water Pipeline, under whose aqueduct the path runs, are located here. This pipeline was built in 1910 and transports 200 million liters of water a day from Styria 225 km to Vienna. You then hike through fir and spruce forests. Here you can enjoy views of the typical Wiesenwienerwald forest and pick berries and flowers as you pass. On the way back, you pass the small Fallenzhofer Chapel - built, according to legend, after a farmer escaped from a giant - and the Gutscher woodturning workshop - a family business since 1863, producing piano legs for Bösendorfer, among other things.

Equipment Normal hiking equipment
Route description The route starts at the Eichgraben train station. Head south on Bahnstraße and immediately turn left onto Kirchenstraße. At the end of this street are the Wienerwalddom and the Herz Jesu Chapel. Here, turn right, then stroll along Hauptstraße and follow the green/yellow marker no. 8. Afterwards, pass under the railway viaduct where a historic steam locomotive can be seen, then pass the Knödler inn and the "Zum Bärenwirt" guesthouse. This is also where the red marker starts, which also leads to Hochstraß. Next, you reach the intersection with Herrenhofstraße, where you must turn left. After a few meters, turn left onto Schattaustraße. Pass under an aqueduct of the 2nd Viennese high spring water pipeline and cross a small forest. At the next intersection, go straight ahead, and after about 300m, turn right onto Hohlweg. Then the actual high-altitude hiking trail begins, turning right into the forest heading south. After a short walk, you pass another small settlement and then cross motorway A1. The ascent continues past the Steigerbauer farm at Gschaid. Then the red marker branches off to the right, while you follow the green/yellow marker to the left. A narrow path leads steeply uphill. You reach the main road near Schwabendörfl. Here, follow the green/yellow marker to the right towards Hochstraß. You walk straight through the peaceful village until you pass under the A21 motorway ramp. From here, follow a forest road downhill through the woods. At the next intersection, turn right and pass under the main carriageway of A21. Pass the Kaltenberg farm and then you are on a road again. After about 300m, turn left. Now you pass through the village of Lengbachl, home to the historic Gutscher woodturning shop, and then arrive at the district Steinhäusl. Here, leave the high-altitude hiking trail, turn right onto Bergstraße, and now follow the green/yellow marker no. 9. You now pass through densely built, uneven terrain. After passing under the A1 motorway, cross the Klarahöhe to Badner Straße, here turn right onto Herrenhofstraße, and then right again onto Wiesenerstraße. Keeping right, you return to Schattaustraße via Efeu- and Zyklamenstraße. From here, walk back to the starting point.
Parking Park & Ride facility at Eichgraben-Altlengbach station
Getting there Motorway A1, exit Pressbaum; B44 towards St. Pölten/Neulengbach, turn left at the roundabout at the town entrance onto “Hauptstraße”, then turn right onto “Bahnstraße” Or motorway A1, exit Altlengbach; B19 towards Hainfeld, turn towards Altlengbach (local road), through Altlengbach, through Steinhäusl, through Eichgraben, then turn left onto “Bahnstraße”