On the 17 kilometer long tour from Melk to Aggsbach Dorf you are passing the „Hohenwarther Höhe“ a plateau and at the end in Aggsbach Markt you reach the blacksmith‘s workshop. Stunnig views of the Danube valley, impressive buildings such as castle Schönbühel and Melk abbey, idyllic villages and natural diversity are part of this hiking experience.
Description
Wachau World Heritage Trail: From Melk to Aggsbach Dorf
From main square in Melk the way leads via Melk abbey up to Pielachberg and onward to Jonaskreuz (cross). Its a nice rest place with great views among the surrounding area between Jauerling and Danube. On a gravel path you walk on to Schönbühel with a worth seeing castle. Through the small village of Berging the way leads through the forest up to plateau „Hohenwarther Höhe“, where you get a great view of Dunkelsteinerwald (dark stone wood). Via the „Hohenwarthberg“ (hill) you walk downhill to Aggsbach Dorf, where the tour ends at the old blacksmith’s workshop.
Starting point of the tour
Melk, town hall square
Destination point of the tour
Aggsbach Dorf, blacksmith´s workshop
Route description Wachau World Heritage Trail 09: Melk - Aggsbach Dorf
The tour starts at main square in Melk. From here it is not far to the „Rathausplatz“ (town hall square), which you cross lenghtwise and immediately after turn left into Sechsergasse and walk up this narrow alley. You reach the monastery track and soon after Melk abbey, where you turn right into Abt-Dietmayrstraße (street named after abbot Dietmayr). Going down a bit you reach Wiener Straße and follow the way passing the public outdoor swimming pool before leaving the city. Underpassing main road, you walk straight via the round about and then along Pielacher Straße until the river Pielach. On a small bridge you cross the river and turn left at the first street and soon after you turn right. You walk up to Pielachberg and there you turn left. On an old gravel path you reach Jonaskreuz (cross height 344m). This rest place offers great views among the surrounding area between Danube, Jauerling and Melk.
After taking a rest for a while you follow the gravel path direction Hub and down to Schönbühel with the worth seeing castle. At the second crossing you turn left and follow the main road to the right which leads into the village. Along the road you find several restaurants, inviting you for a refreshment stop. In front of the village square you turn right and follow Rossbachweg (horse creek way) until Berging. Up at the village you can enjoy a nice view taking a last look back to Schönbühel and the river course of the Danube. Along main road you keep walking to Mostheuriger Ringseis (tavern offering homemade cider), where you turn right. Along shady forest trails the way leads up to Hohenwarther Höhe (plateau). At 475m you get a fantastic view of the surrounding wood area Dunkelsteinerwald. Afterwards you keep walking via Hohenwarthberg (hill) towards the Danube down to Aggsbach Dorf. At the hotel „Donauterrasse“ you keep right and follow the Aggsbach (creek) to the blacksmith’s workshop where the tour ends.
Directions
Highway A1 until exit Melk, following B33 to Aggsbach Dorf
Parking
In Melk at the parking lot oft he landing stage or at the chartreuse in Aggsbach Dorf.
The villages can be reached 7 days a week by public transportation (bus or train). Its possible to get back to the start of the tour
Melk is situated on the Westbahn (main train route through Austria) and also connected with Aggsbach Dorf and the trainstation in Krems offering a bus service called WL 720 (trainstation Melk-Schönbühel-Aggsbach Dorf-Arnsdörfer-Rossatz-Mautern-trainstation Krems). The buses are operating every two hours 7 days a week. On the north shore (Bus WL 715 from trainstation Krems via Dürnstein-Weißenkirchen-Spitz-Aggsbach Markt-Emmersdorf-Melk trainsation) hourly busses depart 7 days a week. Spitzer Graben (WL 718 connection between Spitz and Mühldorf) operates from Spitz departing every two hours. Info at: www.vor.at .
Wachautrain operates on weekends and public holidays (3 times a day) more information: www.noevog.at
Stations for the bike rent system „nextbike“ (1€ per hour) are located in Melk and Aggsbach Dorf. www.nextbike.at
More info/links
For restaurants and accommodation we recommend „Best of Wachau“ businesses: www.bestof-wachau.at . You find „Best of Wachau“ members in Melk and Aggsbach Dorf.
Further opportunities for restaurants, taverns and cafes and opening hours:
In Melk you find various restaurants (pizzerias, cafes, traditional Austrian cuisine and more) which are open year round www.stadt-melk.at . There is also a restaurant at Melk abbey www.stift-melk.at .
Restaurant Stumpfer in Schönbühel: Opening times are April, May, June, July, August, September and October from Thursday to Tuesday (Wednesday closed). December till March open from Thursday to Monday (Tuesday and Wednesday closed). Kitchen hours are: 11a.m. to 2:30p.m. and 6p.m. to 9p.m. (on Sunday only till 8p.m.). In November the restaurant is closed. www.stumpfer.com Tel: 0043(0)2752/8510
Restaurant/guesthouse „Domingo“, Aggsbach Dorf: open year round, warm food all day long (closed on Wednesday) Phone: 0043(0)2753/8353.
Restaurant/guesthouse „Zur Kartause“, Aggsbach Dorf: open from April to September (closed on Tuesday) www.gasthof-lechner.at ; 0043(0)2753/8243.
Restaurant/Hotel Reisdenz Wachau, Aggsbach Dorf: open from March 27th to October 31st, kitchen hours daily from 11a.m. to 9p.m. From November till January 5th only open on request with reservation (closed from January 5th till March 27th 2016) www.residenz-wachau.at ; 0043(0)2753/8221.
Restaurant/guesthouse „Zur Post“, Aggsbach Dorf: March till November open daily except Monday. Sunday and public holiday warm food all day long. During winter time closed December, January and February. Phone: 0043(0)2753/8220
On this tour you can find the only two cider taverns along the Wachau World Heritage Trail: Tavern Sonnenhof, family Ringseis, Berging Nr. 2, Phone: 0043(0)2752/83005 or Tavern Wachau Beef, family Bitter, Berging Nr. 6, Phone: 0043(0)2752/82918. Please see the current calendar for opening hours (Heurigenkalender) at www.welterbesteig.at .
More opportunities for accommodation are in Melk, Schönbühel and Aggsbach Dorf.
For easy and convenient organization of the tours its good to have the Wachau-Nibelungengau-Kremstal application. Just download for Android or iPhone .
Equipment
Hiking boots, raincoat, enough to eat and drink, a trail map and maybe a list of open taverns. You can find an equipmentlist on www.welterbesteig.at section service/tips.
Safety information
In case of an emergency call the mountain rescue Wachau: 140
Author's tip
On this tour you can find the only two cider taverns along the Wachau World Heritage Trail: Tavern Sonnenhof, family Ringseis, Berging Nr. 2, Phone: 0043(0)2752/83005 or Tavern (Wachau Beef) family Bitter, Berging Nr. 6, Phone: 0043(0)2752/82918.
