Large Guglzipf round

©Wienerwald

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 14,52 km
Duration: 4:15 h
Ascent: 437 m elevation gain
Descent: 437 m elevation gain

The market town of Hirtenberg is located at the exit of the Triesting Valley, where the Lower Austrian foothills border the Vienna Basin for the first time. While the town area itself still lies on the plain at an elevation of 280 m above sea level, gentle hills rise to the north and south of the community with heights up to 470 m. The community itself is strongly shaped by industry (including the Hirtenberg cartridge factory), but has the advantage that the natural area begins directly at the edge of the settlement. Here the Pannonian climatic influence is strongly noticeable, as dry black pine and oak forests predominate, and beech forests are usually found only on wetter northern slopes. Hikes from Hirtenberg lead to the surrounding hills such as Lindenberg, Pfarrkogel, and Guglzipf (observation tower) and surprise with beautiful views and impressions of nature despite the low elevation. The hiking options are rounded off by a beautiful forest educational trail at Steinkamperl.

Starting point of the tour: Hirtenberg, train station

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 14,52 km
Duration: 4:15 h
Ascent: 437 m elevation gain
Descent: 437 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
4/6
Overall experience:
5/6
Scenery:
4/6

Lowest point285 m
Highest point476 m

Nice views
With refreshment stops

Downloads

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Description

The hike to the Guglzipf with shelter and observation tower is one of the longest circular hikes you can take from Hirtenberg. Initially, you climb uphill behind the train station through mixed forests to Golfstraße, circle the Pfarrkogel to the south through pine forests on this road, and before reaching the golf courses turn onto a forest road that leads along the eastern slope of Größenberg through beech forests towards Saurerkreuz. The last section to the cross is done on a hiking trail. Opposite, you now descend through pine forests on a forest road towards Kleinfeld, but before that turn towards Guglzipf, which you reach via the access road. Here you should definitely climb the 34 m high “Franz Bichler Observation Tower,” as from the top there is a 360° panorama encompassing the entire eastern foothills and the Vienna Basin. On clear days you can even see the Little Carpathians. You can relax comfortably in the forest shelter, which has a terrace with a nice view of Berndorf. Children can enjoy themselves at the playground in the forest; there is also a rustic forest bowling alley and a large play meadow.

The route finding for the return is somewhat difficult; it is best to initially follow the green marking, leave it shortly before the Aichkreuz for the red marking and follow this down to the rocky Eichgraben. From here, take the green marking back to Hirtenberg.

Overall, this creates an extensive hiking round through various types of forest, crowned by visiting the observation tower and a stop at the forest shelter.

Equipment Standard hiking equipment
Route description From the train station, head east, follow the Triesting Valley bike path no. 42 beside the road for 300 m, then cross the railway to the right at the level crossing and immediately turn into the dead end street. Passing two houses, you continue to the end of the street and then ascend slightly into the forest just above the train station (direct passage from the station is closed). Here, you meet the yellow marking, which leads left on a hiking trail uphill through mixed forest in a steep ravine. The ascent soon eases, and at the upper end of the ravine, you reach flatter terrain and follow, at a forest road, the yellow marking on a path through dense forest. A section on a forest road and then back on a gently ascending path through forest following the yellow marking, across a clearing and through dense young pine growth. When you reach Golfstraße (asphalt road), follow it about 200 m to the right with the marking until the road makes a sharp left turn (here the green marking joins from the right). A few meters further, an inconspicuous path branches off to the right into the pine forest (watch for the yellow arrow, yellow marking), cutting a corner of the Golfstraße. Following this partially overgrown path for 300 m, you reach Golfstraße again. Follow it to the right for 1.3 km (to the red-marked junction to Aigen, then unmarked) until the golf courses come into view. 30 m before the first golf hole, leave the road to the left onto a forest road (traffic ban sign "forest road", electric fence) and follow this unmarked into the forest. Initially ascending, then gently undulating, this forest road leads in a curve along the slope above the golf courses. Passing the Rossbrunn spring (left of the path), after 1.5 km you reach a crossing forest road with blue marking (path from Aigen).Here turn right downhill and continue on this forest road (blue) and hike above the golf course, partly downhill, towards the north. The forest road finally enters a crossing forest path, which you follow left uphill (sign: Gr. Jauling, blue) to a small gravel pit. At the right edge of this pit, a narrow path begins, initially steep uphill, then leading straight uphill in a hollow way. After 200 m, a path to Gr. Jauling branches off to the right with blue marking; here, however, follow the yellow marking straight ahead towards Saurerkreuz and Kleinfeld. After 100 m, you reach the saddle with the "Saurerkreuz" in the pine forest (450 m, rest area). On the forest road in a ravine, descend towards Kleinfeld (yellow) until you reach a crossing forest road (at 410 m height). At the sign "To the Guglzipf forest hut," turn right uphill on the forest road until the highest point and descend to Guglzipfstraße. When you reach the access road to the shelter, follow it uphill to the highest point (472 m). Observation tower, shelter "forest hut", playground, bowling alley, forest educational trail.Begin the return path north of the hut, initially following the forest educational trail (red, green, yellow) slightly downhill. Where the trail turns sharply left (red), keep right, pass the "blockhouse" and follow the path (green) further to a forest road. Follow this for about 200 m until a hiking path begins to the left downhill (green, yellow). At a rest area, the path levels off; here, follow the green marking to the right, cross a forest road and continue about 700 m on the hiking trail (green) to a fork. Left leads green down to St. Veit, but keep right now on the red marking and after another 150 m reach Aichkreuz and immediately after a hunting hut. On a wide path (red), flat and gently downhill, reach after another 600 m a forest crossing where blue and yellow markings join from the right. Here follow the sign "red then blue," St. Veit, junction Hirtenberg. Follow the path (yellow, red, blue) flat along the golf course until you reach a stony, washed-out path. On this path, shortly after you reach Eichgraben (which leads left to St. Veit). Here, after the rock, veer briefly to the right; at the sign "Danger to life, golf course," leave Eichgraben to the left and follow a steep ravine (green) up to Golfstraße. Continue uphill on this and before the first golf course turn left onto a forest road (green) leading uphill to the saddle (430 m) between Pfarrkogel and Gr. Jauling. Several forest roads meet here; you cross the intersection and take the green-marked hiking trail, which now runs along the northern slope of Pfarrkogel and leads into a forest road followed for 150 m. At the sign "Hirtenberg train station, green," leave the forest road to the left and descend on a path through a clearing until you reach the houses "Kolonie," pass through the front garden and cross the railway to return to Hirtenberg. Now just return to the already visible train station.
Parking Parking spaces at the train station and diagonally opposite
Getting there A2 South Motorway exit Leobersdorf, on federal road B 18 to Hirtenberg, turn left at the 2nd traffic light in town into Bahngasse and to the train station Public transport: Hirtenberg train station