Herrensee covers 24 hectares of water and is 1.6 kilometres long; at the same time, hiking trails in Litschau range from a round trip of around two hours to considerably longer routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Litschau, these differences can help with your planning: first decide whether hiking, water, sacred art or regional culture should shape your stay. Herrensee is also called Herrenteich and brings together several of the themes described here—from nature and bathing facilities to the Schrammel.Klang.Festival.
Hiking Trails and the Waldviertel Landscape
The Höllgraben Trail starts in Litschau’s town square and leads through the Höllbachgraben, across the Reißbach and through the village of Schönau on the way back. The loop is around 8 kilometres long and takes about two hours. The Höllgraben near Litschau is a romantically rugged river valley with underground waterfalls and granite formations. The Reißbach, which the trail crosses, is a Natura 2000-protected watercourse that meanders freely through species-rich wet meadows.
The trail to Fiedelstein also offers a distinctive combination of water and forest: one section runs along Herrensee, followed by a stretch through the forest and the varied, typical Waldviertel landscape to the legendary Fiedelstein. For a comparison based on distance alone, there are two more routes to choose from: the 7 Villages Circular Hiking Trail is 32 kilometres long, while the Litschau Marathon Trail is 42.195 kilometres. This lets you choose a route according to your preferred distance without treating the trails as equivalent in every respect simply because of their length.
Church, Museums and Music
The parish church of St Michael dates from the mid-13th century. Below it is the newly renovated lower church, the Credo Chapel. The parish museum is housed in the former count’s gallery of the Gothic hall church and displays sacred objects: old stained-glass panels, wooden statues and statues of the Virgin Mary, Baroque monstrances and chalices. The museum’s seasonal opening arrangements may vary.
You can book a guided tour of the town through the tourist office. Among other places, it takes you to the old town wall, the Fischertor, the castle, the church, and the local history and parish museums. It costs €2.00 per person. Check the booking arrangements before your trip. A reservation is also required to visit the Litschau Castle Fishery: the tour takes you through the fish holding tanks, to Himmelteich and through the production area; a tasting follows.
The Kulturbahnhof provides information about the history of the Lower Austrian State Railways, former freight traffic and the technical safety systems used in railway operations. It also houses two historic museum railway carriages. Access is subject to the Waldviertelbahn’s operating hours. The Schrammel.Klang.Festival celebrates Schrammel music and takes place around Herrenteich on numerous natural stages; programme details vary from year to year.
Herrenteich, Swimming Facilities and Regional Specialities
The lido at Herrenteich has an outdoor swimming pool and provides access to Herrenteich. During the main season, there is also a children’s paddling pool, a large playground with a climbing fort, a multi-purpose sports court and a beach volleyball court. The seasonal restriction is particularly important for the children’s paddling pool.
Regional specialities associated with Litschau include Litschauer “Mangerl” and the traditional Litschauer wholemeal poppy seed cake. Whether both are available at a particular establishment depends on local offerings. The tourist office also provides advice on hikes, cycling tours, musical events at Herrensee, swimming, nature spots and museums.
Plan a Nostalgic Train Journey
The Waldviertelbahn offers a nostalgic train journey from Litschau to GmĂĽnd through the landscape of northern Lower Austria. As timetables vary seasonally, check the timetable before planning your trip. This way, you can include the train journey as a separate activity without having to combine it with the hiking trails or cultural attractions as part of a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Bad GroĂźpertholz, Heidenreichstein, GmĂĽnd, Hirschenwies, Sankt Martin, Kirchberg Am Walde, Schrems, Lauterbach
Back to the main travel overview: GmĂĽnd.
