Hiking tip for advanced: Pitten–Grimmenstein

Description

Between rural culinary delights and scenic highlights, you stroll for two enjoyable days through the northern Bucklige Welt from Pitten via Thernberg and Kaltenberg to Grimmenstein. The first hiking day leads along the Wiener Alpenbogen to the impressive Bergkirche in Pitten and descends via scenic paths to Thernberg. After a brief interlude with Erzherzog Johann at the Landgasthaus Thaler, the second half of the day leads to the Kaltenberger Höhe and the accommodation opportunity Gasthof Maria Schnee. The second day diverges from the Wiener Alpenbogen and follows Regional Route F with views of Wechsel, Semmering, and Schneeberg down to Edlitz-Grimmenstein train station.

Starting point of the tour

Pitten

Destination point of the tour

Grimmenstein train station

Route description Hiking tip for advanced: Pitten–Grimmenstein

The start is at Pitten train station, where you follow the Wiener Alpenbogen. At Bahnhofstraße, turn right, then at the end of the street turn right into Alleegasse and after a few meters turn left into Schulgasse. At the parking lot, cross the street slightly to the left and begin the ascent to Bergstraße. The street is walked uphill along the footpath to the Bergkirche; before the entrance to the church, the path turns right onto a hiking trail uphill to the castle.

A forest road is crossed, followed shortly by another forest road. To the left is the privately owned Pitten Castle, but the hike continues to the right of the forest road. After 100 meters, at a crossroads, turn half right towards Leiding. Follow the forest road towards Leiding further. On an open field, the view offers a good look at the "Bucklige Welt." An asphalt road descends into the center of Leiding. There, continue straight past the church and further onto the road to Thernberg. On comfortable gravel roads and private roads, continue to Stanghof. With a view of Thernberg ruins, go shortly downhill to Neustift. At the end of the private road, turn left onto the road to Thernberg. Caution is advised due to the unclear curves before reaching the town. Pass by the Thaler country inn (closed Wednesdays and Thursdays), pass the church, and the Erzherzog-Johann-Platz on the right. Then the route leads 3.8 kilometers uphill towards Wiesmath. A few minutes after the village of Eichberg, at a left curve, turn right and continue left onto the private road Kreuth. At the gravel depot, leave the green marked branching left, shortly after, the Wiener Alpenbogen turns half left from the road onto a forest path. Cross an asphalt road, continue on the forest path. Just two minutes later, at a crossroads, turn left; the hiking trail leads uphill to a forest road. Continue uphill on this forest road, leaving the forest. At the first fork, the path leads right onto a field path, which continues along the forest edge to Kaltenberger Höhe. Here turn left, reach the village of Kaltenberg, and the Gasthof Maria Schnee invites you to stay.

On the second day, leave the Wiener Alpenbogen and follow the Regional Route F to Grimmenstein. For this, the path leads along the main road towards Grimmenstein; after 500 meters, turn left onto the first asphalt road. At the forest edge to the right, switch to the red and orange marked field path, continue downhill on the forest road. The path flattens, and shortly before it would go uphill again, the marked forest path branches half right. This leads to a chapel above a pasture.

At the cart path left of the pasture, the path goes slightly downhill, after the forest, turn right to the asphalt road at Dermahof. To the left, the access road leads to a wider road, here turn right. With a view of Wechsel and Semmering, continue downhill on the red and orange marked road; ignore branches left towards Edlitz. After house no. 10 in the hamlet Kamerallen, turn right onto an agricultural road and walk right past a small forest. After a meadow path, the forest is reached again, cross the bridge over the A2 and continue on the private road to the federal road. Turn right there, cross the motorway feeder at the pedestrian crossing, and immediately switch to a footpath. This leads directly to a road that continues to the Edlitz-Grimmenstein train station.