The landscape in the Gmünd district reveals a variety of facets: Blockheide Nature Park combines bizarre granite formations with quiet forests, gentle meadows, heathland, hidden forest ponds and natural stream valleys. Hochmoor Schrems Nature Park offers a different natural environment. It covers around 300 hectares, 119 hectares of which are protected and part of the Ramsar site “Waldviertel Ponds, Moors and Rivers”. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between different focuses on granite landscapes and moorland.
Nature parks and trails
In Blockheide Nature Park, themed trails connect playgrounds, the 15th meridian, a former water reservoir that now serves as an information centre, and a 30-metre-high observation tower. The landscape is also a habitat for rare species such as marsh grasshoppers and common heather. If you are interested in moorland, Hochmoor Schrems Nature Park offers a different way to experience it: on the Hochmoor hiking trail, you can observe moor frogs, dragonflies, sundews and bladderworts.
The nature park is also home to UnterWasserReich, with an interactive indoor exhibition and a naturally landscaped water garden showcasing the world of Waldviertel ponds and moors. The attraction is accessible, offers content in German, English and Czech, and is suitable for rainy days. This means that the Hochmoor offers both nature-watching along the trail and a weather-independent indoor attraction.
Cycling and activities
For longer cycling stages, the Iron Curtain Trail – EuroVelo 13 starts in Gmünd and ends in Bratislava. It is well signposted along its entire route. Bicycles can be transported free of charge on the Waldviertel Railway, making it possible to combine train journeys with cycling tours and individual cycling stages. If you are planning this combination, check the timetable for your travel dates.
Hiking and golf offer further highlights. In Sankt Martin, a network of more than 70 kilometres of marked hiking trails criss-crosses the wooded landscape. In the Gmünd district, Haugschlag Golf Club has two 18-hole championship courses set among water, large granite boulders and heathland. Taster golf sessions and beginner courses are also available for those interested in trying the sport.
Observatory, castles and music
Höhenberg Observatory is located in the Gmünd district in a six-metre-high brick tower and is equipped with largely historic telescopes. A short planetary walking trail leads to the observatory. Ehrendorf Castle has a history of almost 600 years and was first mentioned in a document in 1427. A castle in Kirchberg am Walde in the Gmünd district combines a medieval core with Baroque and early Neoclassical design.
Music is another cultural highlight: the Schrammel.Klang.Festival takes place at Lake Herrensee in Litschau. The programme includes matinees, the Schrammel.Pfad, evening concerts and music workshops. It is advisable to check the exact festival dates in advance when planning your trip. Sankt Martin offers a culinary highlight: more than 30 speciality varieties of potatoes are grown and marketed organically, and turned into specialities by local restaurants.
Relaxation and accommodation
The Sole Felsen Sauna features a range of saunas, a steam grotto, a rock hamam and an extensive sauna garden by Asang Pond. The Sole Felsen Bad offers warm pools, some enriched with Bad Ischl healing brine, as well as bubbling attractions, massage jets and a lazy river.
Discover more destinations: Litschau, Schrems, Haugschlag, Sankt Wolfgang, Moorbad Harbach, Sankt Martin, Eggern, Gmünd, Heidenreichstein, Waldenstein, Weitra, Neunagelberg, Bad Großpertholz, Hirschenwies, Ullrichs, Kirchberg am Walde, Lauterbach, Hoheneich.
For the regional travel overview: Lower Austria.
