Hiking tour Starting from Pottenstein on the Triesting, Main Square
The village of Pottenstein is located in the Triestingtal valley to the west of the town of Berndorf in a valley widening, nestled in a gently rolling landscape. In addition to the main town, the villages of Fahrafeld and Grabenweg also belong to the municipality of Pottenstein. The hiking tours in the municipality lead either to the hills of the Vienna Woods to the north of the Triesting, where the 500-metre altitude mark is rarely reached, or to the mountains around the Waxeneck (796 m) to the south of the municipality, where the altitude can easily exceed 800 meters. Cozy huts and inns invite you to take a break. You often walk through sparse black pine forests, which give the area its Mediterranean character. Deciduous and mixed forests are more common on the wetter northern slopes and at higher altitudes. An exception to this is the "Culture and Nature Trail" in the Fahrafelder Becken basin, which runs along the edge of this basin or along the Triestingtal cycle path and is flat with hardly any elevation gain. In Pottenstein, there are several culturally interesting points to visit along the hiking tours: The Ferdinand Raimund monument directly on the main square and the Ferdinand Raimund death house on the main square, the pilgrimage church "Maria Trost im Elend" and the double charnel house from the 13th century, ( ossuary behind the church, permanent exhibition "Das kleine Andachtsbild "), the "Alte Herrenhaus" of the former cloth factory with exhibition room, the vacation cross from the 16th century on the main road, the Antoniusbründl with chapel drinking water spring. This makes for varied and interesting hikes in and around Pottenstein.
The village of Pottenstein is located in the Triestingtal valley to the west of the town of Berndorf in a valley widening, nestled in a gently rolling landscape. In addition to the main town, the villages of Fahrafeld and Grabenweg also belong to the municipality of Pottenstein. The hiking tours in the municipality lead either to the hills of the Vienna Woods to the north of the Triesting, where the 500-metre altitude mark is rarely reached, or to the mountains around the Waxeneck (796 m) to the south of the municipality, where the altitude can easily exceed 800 meters. Cozy huts and inns invite you to take a break. You often walk through sparse black pine forests, which give the area its Mediterranean character. Deciduous and mixed forests are more common on the wetter northern slopes and at higher altitudes. An exception to this is the "Culture and Nature Trail" in the Fahrafelder Becken basin, which runs along the edge of this basin or along the Triestingtal cycle path and is flat with hardly any elevation gain. In Pottenstein, there are several culturally interesting points to visit along the hiking tours: The Ferdinand Raimund monument directly on the main square and the Ferdinand Raimund death house on the main square, the pilgrimage church "Maria Trost im Elend" and the double charnel house from the 13th century, ( ossuary behind the church, permanent exhibition "Das kleine Andachtsbild "), the "Alte Herrenhaus" of the former cloth factory with exhibition room, the vacation cross from the 16th century on the main road, the Antoniusbründl with chapel drinking water spring. This makes for varied and interesting hikes in and around Pottenstein.
On this hike, you can visit the most important cultural sights of the municipality of Pottenstein on the one hand, and enjoy the nature of the typical Vienna Woods landscape on the other. A visit to a local pub rounds off the hike.
The starting point is the main square in Pottenstein with the Raimund monument. Immediately afterwards, you pass the "Maria Trost im Elend" church and should also visit the Doppelkarner (ossuary, permanent exhibition) behind the church. The trail continues through the village of Pottenstein, past the "Old Manor House" and finally through a new housing estate to the edge of the forest. From here, an asphalt road leads directly up to the Wolfsgeist meadows. Alternatively, you can also ascend to Wolfsgeist through the Einsiedlergraben. From the Wolfsgeist, you mostly walk through forests on well-maintained paths until you reach the Wolfsföhre and the Herrgottskreuz. Now descending again through sparse pine forests towards Pottenstein, you pass the "Kahlkopf" just before the village. You should not avoid the few meters of altitude on this small ridge, as this hill offers a very beautiful view of the villages of Berndorf and Pottenstein as well as Guglzipf, Größenberg, Hohe Wand and Mandling. Back in the village, you can also visit the "Urlauberkreuz" (vacation cross) on the main road.
Standard Hiking Gear
At the main square, turn west and, after a few meters, turn onto Hainfelderstraße (marked in red). Immediately afterward, you’ll come to the church “Maria Trost im Elend,” and you should also visit the double ossuary (permanent exhibition) located behind the church. The trail continues along Hainfelderstraße, past the courthouse and the “Altes Herrenhaus” (Old Manor House) across the street, until it reaches Wolfsgeiststraße. (Here, you could also continue walking a short distance along Hainfelderstraße to the B 18 and then climb up to the right through the Einsiedlergraben (marked and signposted in blue).)
Turn right onto Wolfsgeiststraße (yellow) and follow it straight ahead to the edge of the forest. Here, follow the paved road leading uphill into the forest (sign: “Zur Wolfsgeist,” yellow) through a steep pine forest. On the left in the meadows, you can take a short detour to visit the “Josefsbrunnen.” Continue along the paved road through a long right-hand curve (here, the trail from the Einsiedlergraben joins from the left, blue) and then continue uphill through a beech forest (yellow) until you reach the edge of the forest shortly after a left-hand curve.
You are now in the meadows of the Wolfsgeist. Continue uphill on a vehicle road until you reach the edge of the forest. Here, cross the gravel path and head directly onto a forest trail (“Loipe”), which leads flat into the forest. Soon you’ll come to a wide forest road, marked in blue (and “Loipe”), which leads through the forest along the slope of the “Hausberg” toward Wolfsföhre. Some sections of the trail here are always damp. Head downhill through the forest—the path eventually flattens out—until you reach the “Wolfsföhre” saddle at an elevation of 435 m, where several trails intersect. Here you’ll also find the “Herrgottskreuz” and a rest area. From here, keep to the right and follow the sign for “Pottenstein and Berndorf” and the red markings. On a wide, often wet forest path, you’ll walk gently downhill for 500 m until you reach a forest road (signpost for Pottenstein), which you follow to the left for just 10 m before immediately turning right onto a path (red) that runs parallel to the forest road for a short distance. After crossing a small hilltop with a rest area and then descending along a clearing, you’ll reach a fork in the trail. To the left, a trail (red) leads to Berndorf; take the forest road leading downhill to the right (sign for “Pottenstein,” red). You now hike through the sparse pine forests until a small hill becomes visible on the left (“Kahlkopf”). Follow the trails up this hill to enjoy the beautiful view from the top (rest area). Back on the trail, follow the forest road (red) through a small valley, continuing downhill until you soon reach an asphalt road. Passing a quarry and rocky slopes, you’ll reach Blumentalgasse (red), which leads to the main street
. The route continues to the right toward the main square, but you should first take a short detour (20 m) to the left to see the “Urlauberkreuz.” Heading west on the main road, you’ll soon reach the starting point at the main square.
Parking at the Main Square in Pottenstein
Parking Note: Please follow local parking regulations and check for any parking fees or time restrictions. We recommend checking the parking situation in advance to ensure a stress-free arrival.
Take the Leobersdorf exit on the A2 Südautobahn, then follow the Hainfelder Bundesstraße B 18 to Pottenstein; at the traffic light, turn right toward the town center.
If traveling by public transportation from the Pottenstein train station, cross the Triesting River via a footbridge from Bahngasse, then cross the B 18 and follow the sidewalk to Hainfelderstraße in Pottenstein.
Travel Advice: Please check the route to the meeting point in advance and allow plenty of time. Be aware of possible traffic delays, road construction, or public transportation disruptions.
Vienna Woods Tourism
3002 Purkersdorf, Hauptplatz 11
Tel. 02231/621 76
Fax 02231/655 10
Leader Region Triestingtal
2560 Berndorf, Leobersdorfer Straße 42
Phone/Fax 02672-87001
office@triestingtal.at
Market Town of Pottenstein on the Triesting
2563 Pottenstein, Hauptplatz 13
Phone: 02672-82424
Fax: 02672-82424-31
www.pottenstein.at
Letzte Änderung: 6 Aug 2026
