Circular hike tip on the Wiener Alpenbogen around Puchberg

Description

The spa town Puchberg am Schneeberg is the start and end point of this day tour at the foot of Schneeberg, Schober, and Öhler. On the regional route P, we hike on farm roads with the Mariazell pilgrims towards Losenheim and ascend the Fadensattel at the foot of Schneeberg. Alternatively, the ascent with the chairlift is recommended (see author's tip). Over the Dürre Leiten, we reach the alpine meadows of Mamauwiese and a trade route that is more than 2,000 years old, before the rugged Schober with its neighbor Öhler stands opposite us. We hike uphill to the Öhlerschutzhaus, from where the descent on the regional route Q to Puchberg, our starting point, begins.

Starting point of the tour

Puchberg am Schneeberg train station

Destination point of the tour

Puchberg am Schneeberg train station

Route description Circular hike tip on the Wiener Alpenbogen around Puchberg

The challenging circular hiking route starts at the Puchberg am Schneeberg train station, where we walk a few meters alongside the tracks back to Wiener Neustädter Straße. Ahead of us, we see the certified hiking operation Hotel Schneeberghof, where you can stay overnight if you arrive the day before and start the day with a tasty hiking breakfast. At the road, we turn north and cross the railway tracks. Shortly after, we turn left onto Siebertweg and follow the yellow signpost towards Losenheim. From here, for several kilometers, the red-marked Burgenland Mariazell route also accompanies us. At the end of Siebertweg, we turn right onto Paradiesweg and just seconds later continue left onto Römerweg. At some resting benches, a signpost leads us half-right off the road across a pasture. We continue walking west on quiet asphalt and gravel roads until the Mariazell route leaves us to the right at a junction with a transformer station. We follow the asphalt road to the left, which merges into the road to Losenheim after two curves. In the Sonnleiten settlement, we follow the road to Wasserfallwirt. However, shortly after a gravel car park at a farm, we leave this road to the left over the Sebastianbach and follow the yellow markings. Step by step, we get closer to Schneeberg, ultimately ending up back on the road to Losenheim. To the left towers the Losenheim Ruin, which has been privately restored since the 1990s. A visit is possible for groups of five or more by appointment. We reach the village of Losenheim with the hiking hotel Forellenhof but do not go directly into it; instead, we leave it just before the first houses half-right onto a hiking trail. The hiking path, marked blue, gently climbs near the Losenheim stream to a junction where we turn left back to the road and then right to the parking lot of the Salamander chairlift. Here there is the option to shorten the ascent with the chairlift. However, we hike uphill to the end of the road and take the marked yellow ascent path to the Edelweißhütte.

After some switchbacks, ski ascents, and crossing a pasture, the gravel path briefly becomes flatter. To the left is the Edelweißhütte at the foot of the Fadensteig, which invites you all year round for a rest and meal. The further path leads us with our back to Schneeberg past the Almreserlhaus along the signposted main route of the Wiener Alpenbogen over the Dürre Leiten to Mamauwiese. Here we briefly meet the Mariazell route again, which crosses Mamauwiese westward on a documented Roman road; we take the marked path east to the Öhlerschutzhaus. Over a cattle path and a pasture, we cross a small ridge before a fantastic view of Schober and Öhler is presented to us. Descending slightly, we stroll over gentle meadows to the gravel road and turn right here. Past Schoberhof, we turn left off the road at a refreshing spring fountain and follow the marked hiking trail steadily ascending under the Öhler rock walls to the Öhlerschutzhaus. Here again is the opportunity to rest and enjoy Öhler dumplings on the cozy terrace or in the warm room (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). After looking through the stationary Wiener Alpen-Viewer to Unterberg and Mariahilfberg, we begin the descent on the regional route back to Puchberg. The green Wiener Alpen logo marks the descent path, and the blue markings assist us in orienting during the descent. Only at Haltberghof do we walk on an asphalt road again and mostly along Schoberbach back to the station in Puchberg.