Nordwaldkammweg Tour 6 Sandl - Nebelstein

The Nordwaldkammweg takes us about 1 km east from Sandl towards the Rosenhofer ponds. It was relocated from the main road to a southern side path (Old Road). As part of the 2024 road renovation, a footpath was also built near Kohlstatt. Where the forest begins (the Czernin-Kinsky forester's house to the left) and the Böhmerwaldbundesstraße B38 makes a right turn, we branch off and follow straight ahead a forest road not allowed for public traffic over the Hengstberg. In front of Rosenhof Castle - one of the largest modern Mühlviertel castles, characterized by a courtyard enclosed on three sides - the Nordwaldkammweg was moved slightly south by the Kinsky forestry administration in 2015 because the beautiful chestnut avenue had become very dangerous due to falling branches. At the eastern end of the chestnut avenue, we turn left onto the forest road that leads to the Large Rosenhofer Pond. After about half a kilometer, on the left side of the road, we come to the large upper pond (bathing prohibited!), and a little off the road on the right side is the small or lower Rosenhofer pond (bathing possible, use path S2 for access). We approach closer to the Czech state border and thus to the connecting path V11 to Paulina and the recommended ascent of the Kamenec (1,072 m) in Czechia.

If you go from the right curve of the Nordwaldkammweg (elevation 986, N 48° 34.870', E 14° 40.382') a few meters west along path S10, you will stand in front of a tall fence, which has a pedestrian passage on the right, so you can continue on the path behind it (S10). Follow path S10 about 300 m to the next crossing tall fence. Do not climb over this (would be S10), but walk 100 m along the fence to the green KCT marking starting there, which leads over Kamenec to Buchers or on the other side to Paulina to NWKW II (= connecting path V11). This green-marked path can also be used for a detour to Kamenec (1,072 m).

Further on the Nordwaldkammweg

At elevation 986, the Nordwaldkammweg changes direction from north to east and soon reaches a fork in the forest road. There, you should not follow the right forest road but take the passage through the tall fence and stay near the border! On this forest road, which alternates through forest and meadows, we reach the place where the inn "Auf der Schanz" once stood (Schanzberg 1004 m). The memorial stone at the border between Upper Austria and Lower Austria is interesting. Just after the tripoint, there is a rest area with a spring.

We then pass a monitored shelter and some farms. From here, the local farmer mows the Nordwaldkammweg with a lawn tractor for 2 km to Stadlberg, so you can walk barefoot. After about one hour of walking from the Schanz, after Antonius spring, Stadlberg with its displaced persons chapel is reached. It is now also possible by car to switch to NWKW II to Buchers (connecting path V12).

To reach the next hiking goal, Karlstift, from Stadlberg, we follow the ridge trail marking on the district road coming from Buchers, pass the closed customs house to the former forester's house (Jagahäusl). Here we leave the district road, cross the Christianaberg-Karlstift highway and go straight uphill following the path of the power line downhill, passing the Trinity chapel and the municipal waterworks. In this area, there is a beautiful view of Karlstift, Liebenau, and the Upper Austrian border mountains. The walking time from Stadlberg to Karlstift is 1.5 hours. In Karlstift, the Nordwaldkammweg merges with the north-south long-distance trail and continues towards Nebelstein under AV no. 605. At the same time, the main hiking trail no. 170 begins here, which shares part of the north-south long-distance trail.

On the Nordwaldkammweg, we walk parallel left next to the main road into the saddle hollow and turn at a right angle to the left onto a forest road (barrier). We pass a forester's house at the forest edge and now turn downwards into the Einsiedel valley. We follow the Einsiedel brook on a forest road downhill to shortly before its mouth into the Lainsitz at Hirschenstein - Joachimstal. To the left begins along the Lainsitz the connecting path V13 to Stribne hute/Silberberg on NWKW II. From Joachimstal, we now walk right along the forest edge to the district road and along it about 1 km to the junction into the forest (arrow to the left). A footpath leads here to a crossing of the Lainsitz. We follow the Lainsitz to the former ironworks. Shortly after the former ironworks, a signpost points left. Past a house, uphill, at a second house we cross a bridge and hike right on a narrow path through the forest across a forest clearing. Ahead lies Friedental with 3 houses.

The Nordwaldkammweg leads us back into the forest. After a quarter of an hour, we come over a ridge and see the houses of Althütten in front of us. The name Althütten comes from a former glassworks. To the left above it, we see our destination, the Nebelstein. We use about 300 m of asphalt road, go uphill, turn left, and pass Himmelreich. This name probably derives from the beautiful view. After a short steep path, we reach the parking lot of the Nebelstein hut.

The ascent to the Nebelstein hut takes 10 minutes. This hut, built in 1947 by the ÖAV section Waldviertel, lies a little below the summit. It has 5 modern bedrooms for 14 people and two mattress dormitories with a total of 35 places. A day room and a terrace are available for staying. Food and drinks are provided. For larger groups, advance booking is recommended. The Nebelstein summit (1015 m) offers a wide panoramic view over the Upper Waldviertel with the towns of Harbach, Weitra, Gmünd, and Schrems as well as Gratzen in Czechia with its ponds, further to Mandlstein, Mannhartsberg, and with quite good visibility the view extends to Schöpfl, Ötscher, Hochschwab, Gesäuse, etc. The summit is adorned with a large wooden cross and a war memorial for the fallen from the surrounding places.

There is again a connection possibility to NWKW II (V14), this time somewhat longer than the other connections at 6.9 km, but quite interesting scenically: via Schwarzauerhof (814 m) the border to Czechia is reached (new cycle path, please observe usage times!) and then the primeval forest Zofin / Sophienwald.