Multi-day tour St.Pölten - Mariazell

Description

From the provincial capital of St. Pölten, the tour quickly leads out into the countryside via the Traisental cycle path and the first metres in altitude await with the ascent to Rudolfshöhe. Back in the Traisental valley, you cross over the Kaiserkogel into the Dirndl valley, which is now crossed from north to south with numerous climbs, some of which should not be underestimated, on the various MTB trekking routes in the municipalities.

The Josef-Franz-Hütte on the Geisbühel between Rabenstein and Kirchberg is a great place to take a break (and stay overnight at weekends!) and sample one or two Dirndl products. The gently undulating Alpine foothills are increasingly replaced by more alpine terrain.

From Puchenstuben, the tour runs through the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park, with Annaberg, the Hubertussee lake and the section across the Fadental valley as absolute natural highlights. Freshly cooled down from the Erlaufsee lake, you roll comfortably to the finish at the famous Mariazell pilgrimage church.

Starting point of the tour

St. Pölten, main railway station

Destination point of the tour

Mariazell, Basilica

Route description Multi-day tour St.Pölten - Mariazell

From St. Pölten main station, follow the signs to the Traisen Valley cycle path (approx. 1.5 km). The first few kilometres now lead flat upstream along the Traisen on the cycle path heading south and traffic-free out of the city. In Reith bei Wilhelmsburg, turn against the direction of the signs onto the "Sagensteintour" for the first quite steep (!) ascent to the Rudolfshöhe with the first refreshment stop at the Ochsenburger Hütte.

Back in the valley in Wilhelmsburg, there are a few more flat kilometres along the Traisental cycle path before turning right in Rotheau and then right again a few kilometres later towards the "Kaiserkogel route". Over the Meiselhöhe, you climb the Kaiserkogel and the associated hut and cycle down the "Kaiserkogel route" into the Pielach Valley to Rabenstein.

The next section runs against part of the "Geisbühel route", where a short out and back section to the Josef-Franz-Hütte makes a worthwhile detour with refreshment stops and - at weekends - overnight accommodation. Descend to Tradigist and then take a sharp left onto the "Dörfl- auf der Eben-Route" (again reversed) to just before Kirchberg.

Continue along the "Loicher Panoramatour" (in the "right" direction) to the Günterkapelle chapel near Wallerbach. Turn left down into the valley and then left again at the L102 towards Schwarzenbach. A few kilometres into the valley until you reach the turn-off to the right into the Taschlgrabenrotte and at Waitzgraben turn into the "Eibeck-Runde" and follow the signs in the direction of travel. The tour continues past the Eibeck-Alm until you turn left in Wies onto the "Frankenfelsberg-Runde" (reversed) to Laubenbachgegend.

The "Mariazellerbahn route" begins and/or ends directly at Laubenbachmühle railway station and starts in this direction with the longer but not too steep ascent via Puchenstuben towards Turmkogel and Wastl am Wald. You are now in the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park in the midst of fantastic forest scenery and with beautiful views of the Ötscher "from behind". The route continues past the dreamy village of Gösing to Reith, from where you take a short section of the "Ötscher Trekking Route" and a short climb up to Annaberg.

The route continues on the "Annaberg-Hubertussee route" (in the direction of the signposts) - via the source of the Walster and Ulreichsberg to the rustic Wuchtl inn near the idyllic Hubertussee lake. Via Fadental you reach Mitterbach via Schrottenreith and arrive at the last natural highlight including numerous refreshment stops - the crystal-clear and wonderfully refreshing Erlaufsee. From there, it's just a few kilometres to the finish in Mariazell in front of the famous pilgrimage basilica.