10 best things to do
The Ybbstal cycle path is built close to the water - in the best sense of the word!
Yes, the beauty of the Ofenloch gorge almost brings tears to your eyes, and you can work your way through the different flavours of ice cream at the Reschinsky ice-cream parlor, and even get a glimpse of a rare ancient forest. So I put a handkerchief in my pocket and got on my bike. Here you will find 10 things that you should not miss on the Ybbstalradweg!
#1 Cycling through the stove hole
The imposing, unbelievably beautiful gorge at Opponitz allows you to look deep inside. This is not only thanks to the metre-high rock faces that line the path here, but also thanks to the crystal-clear, emerald-green shimmering waters of the Ybbs. It is therefore not surprising that the thundering watercourses and the highly rare original river course have been declared a natural monument. This natural spectacle is astonishing and particularly worth seeing.
#2 Eating ice cream at Eissalon Reschinsky
Leisurely cyclists burn a good 300 calories per hour; fast cyclists up to 1000! So if you don't want to turn into skin and bones, you should definitely treat yourself to the homemade ice cream specialities at the Reschinsky Eissalon on Kapuzinerplatz in Scheibbs. The wonderfully shady terrace is a great place to enjoy one, two or three scoops and a cup of coffee.
#3 Opponitz Tunnel
For almost 100 years, the Ybbstal railway ran through this tunnel and connected the iron and steel processing industry with the Erzberg and the main customers in the Danube region. Today, there is no longer a train chugging along the Ybbs here and instead of sitting in the train, you can now experience the wonderful landscape along the railway line up close from your bike. Picturesque arched bridges and the 87-metre-long tunnel at Opponitz line the path as silent witnesses of time - and all this in the midst of a natural idyll.
#4 Rest at the Kogelsbach cycle path restaurant
Built under Emperor Franz Josef, the former station of the Ybbstalbahn nestles into the landscape as it always has done. The listed building eventually became the Radwegstüberl. Here you can recharge your batteries (and your e-bike) - from pastries to daily menus and refreshing drinks, you will find everything your heart desires. So it's good to linger in the large guest garden! All the more so because the little ones can let off steam in the playground.
#5 Taste fish specialities
Along the Ybbstal cycle path it is always worth stopping to watch the fly fishers artfully swinging their dancing bait on the crystal-clear surface of the water. What they catch - grayling, char, huchen or Ybbstal trout - can then be found on the plates of the inns and restaurants along the Ybbs and around Lake Lunz. If that's not the most enjoyable way to combine two sports!
#6 Take a Mostviertel rail break
How practical! On the "Mostviertler Schienenradl", you can choose whether you want to pedal on the two connected saddles or whether you prefer to sit comfortably on the back seat (provided at least one person is still doing the sports part!). You start at the railway station in Lunz am See and thanks to the iron wheels that glide almost effortlessly over the former railway tracks, cycling here is an experience even for people of average fitness. After a good 5 kilometres, you can quench your thirst at the Mostviertel rail break in Klein Großau before heading back to Lunz.
#7 Enjoying retro flair at the lakeside resort of Lunz
Here you can let the sun shine on your belly on the 4,000 square metre sunbathing lawn before you are spoilt for choice. Do you want to go to the diving tower, take a boat trip, go to the buffet or just take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Lunz? Surrounded by a fantastic natural backdrop and with excellent water quality, it's a great place to stay - preferably until the evening. Because then the lake and nature become the backdrop and setting for the Lunz lake stage.
#8 Continue cycling into the Erlauf Gorge in Purgstall
True Mostviertel river cyclists know that where one river ends, you can already hear the next one rushing and murmuring. And the 60-kilometre Erlauf Valley Cycle Path leads from Lunz am See to a wildly romantic natural monument that is a must-see - the Erlauf Gorge in Purgstall. Here, the river has dug itself up to 10 metres deep into the rock and all the shades of green that nature has to offer can be found in moss, trees, grasses and the water of the Erlauf in elysian water places.
#9 Visit the Wilderness House
If you stand in front of five tree trunks lying criss-cross on top of each other, you are either already in the primeval forest of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage "Dürrenstein-Lassingtal Wilderness Area" or at least in front of the Wilderness House, which is architecturally modelled on such tree trunks. Regardless of whether it is the former or the latter - each is just as exciting as the other. State-of-the-art technology indoors and fascinating hikes with wilderness rangers outdoors promise a truly unforgettable nature experience!
#10 Visit to the Mendling Valley
There is a lot to see in the Mendling Valley near Göstling an der Ybbs - impressive gorges, winding streams and an impressive variety of plants. Just right, then, for stopping off in this unique natural setting and taking a dip in the cool water on a hot day. The fact that the Ybbs was used for decades not only for relaxation but also for work is shown to interested visitors by the spectacular exhibition track that can be booked along the "On the Wood Trail" theme path.
