Large Stössinger circular hiking route

After a brisk ascent to the Hochgschaid district, we stay level and can focus on the beauties of this route. Views from all sides to Stössing, Hegerberg, Schöpfl, Gföhlberg, and into the valleys of the surrounding villages alternate with wooded areas, meadows, and pastures. We hike on forest trails and gravel roads, occasionally on meadow paths and a stretch on a farm road. Along the way, there is much to discover, such as the abandoned Ödhof above Stössing, the blueberry forest after Hochgschaid, the Vienna Woods sandstone flysch gorges in the Kottinggrub, the orchards along the Hochstraß, and, of course, the unique wild service tree grove above the Gritschenberger farmstead. The attentive, interested hiker will experience some more “discoveries.” Roe deer, buzzards, green woodpeckers, and songbirds appear from the animal world; at the right time, also the shy black stork. The hike through this cultural landscape is rounded off by 3 refreshment options: Gasthaus zur frischen Luft in Bonnleiten, Gasthof Zum Kreuzwirt at Stollberg, and the Johann Enzinger refuge hut at Hegerberg.

Gasthaus Damböck 3073 Stössing, Hendlgraben 2

Utak leírása Large Stössinger circular hiking route

The large Stössinger circular hiking route begins at the Stössingtal Stube Damböck. We turn towards the slope and ascend a path uphill to the left between two houses. The steep ascent leads us up to the edge of the forest. Through a wooded area, we come to a fork, which we cross straight onto a meadow path. In front of the next forest, a magnificent view of Stössing opens up, with a remarkable wild service tree in the foreground. Shortly after the dilapidated Ödhof, an idyllic clearing lies before us; we climb right to the highest point of the clearing, where we enter the forest. A “forest path” steadily ascends, leading us shortly before the hilltop to the right out to a scenic high meadow. Above the cherry trees runs a field path that leads us to Hochgschaid. We march slightly uphill through the small village and turn right about 400m after the EVN station. Through an orchard, the path leads into the forest and uphill to Pyrath. On the road, we turn right, then right again to reach the Windbichler Chapel. After the chapel, we ascend left onto a meadow path that takes us past a country house to a crossroads; we cross this straight ahead. Past the Stadlmann property and a game enclosure, after a woodland, we arrive at a magnificent view of the Vienna Woods heights to the south – the Bonnleiten farms below us. Below the farms, we find the inn "Zur frischen Luft." Refreshed, we climb up Eckweg, which we leave to the right towards Stollberg at the first hairpin bend. Via “die Kottinggrub” we reach the next refreshment stop, the Zum Kreuzwirt inn at Stollberg. We take the ascending Hochstraß farm road as the continuation path and follow it about 4 km to the Dolln property. Immediately after the farmstead, exactly at the best view of Michelbach, we ascend a path to the right, first across a meadow with groups of trees, then over a short road section leading to a forest. Here, we branch right at the hilltop and come after the forest to the monastery chapel. We leave the path before the chapel by turning left and hike to a trail that leads us after around 30 minutes to Hegerbergstraße. Now up the road to the refuge hut. The descent from the summit proceeds via the farm “Oberhegerberger,” about 100 m lower down. Continuing on the asphalt road, we reach a crossroads in the forest and shortly after turn left into a forest road, which after a while turns into a footpath leading us along the forest ridge back to the asphalt road. After a further 800 m descent, we are back at the starting point.