R1.04 Donauschlingen round

The Upper Danube Valley – with over 90 km (!) one of the longest breakthrough valleys of the Danube. And with rare gorge and mixed slope forests, a natural jewel of Central European scale. The starting point is located deep in this gorge a little upstream of the natural wonder Schlögener Donauschlinge – the Danube market Wesenufer. Today inconspicuous, it is the third oldest Danube town in Upper Austria! The name "-ufer" actually derives from "ferry crossing." There is even a former castle: Niederwesen Castle, today's Wesenufer Hotel.

The 280-meter altitude climb starts at the Danube shore up to the Sauwald plateau. In the magnificent gorge forest of the steep valley flanks, you climb on a quiet country road. Sweat flows, thoughts fly. Shortly after the ruins of Wesen Castle, the forest thins and you stand on the Sauwald plateau at the Waldkirchen crossroads. Congratulations, the hardest part of the ascent is done! Now the Sauwald panorama road begins. On gentle farm tracks you cycle over a hilly panoramic ridge. Lush meadows, fertile fields, scattered farms, small woods ... convey Sauwald countryside idyll. Breathtaking views to the Mühlviertel, over the Alpine foreland up to the Alps ... give a sense of height. Pure bliss! The panoramic view "Paschinger Hill" marks the start, a little later the impressive Etzinger meditation pyramid (642 m) is the highlight. Congratulations, you stand at the highest point of the round! Now begins the hilly descent to the roof of the Schlögener Donauschlinge. After the idyllic high village St. Agatha, you speed down through shady hillside forest in the rhythm of the curves.

At Nibelungenstrasse begins the roof plateau of the Schlögener Donauschlinge. A short ascent brings you to Haibach ob der Donau. A charming church village (= church at the center) that exudes proud and lively country idyll! Christoph Zeller, the second great peasant leader during the Upper Austrian Peasants' War in 1626, was once an innkeeper here. Nice country roads lead further over the - intersected by a ditch - slightly hilly plateau. In the mentioned forest ditch of the Fox Creek you rush briefly downhill and up again on the opposite slope. Then you enjoy a delightful ride through rural cultural landscape to the bicycle parking lot "Schlögener Donaublick." A short walk (~ 15 min) takes you through wonderful mixed hillside forest slightly downhill to the famous viewing platform "Schlögener Donaublick"! Only this magnificent deep view lets you understand the natural wonder of the Schlögener Donauschlinge: within a few kilometers, the deeply incised mythical river twice changes its direction by almost 180° – simply incredible! Afterwards, you cycle in a curve to the other edge of the plateau, then enjoy a swift forest descent through the steep valley flank to the Danube.

On the legendary towpath, you now pedal comfortably eye-level with the natural wonder through the Danube loops. The narrowness of the gorge, the lonely forests, the mighty river ... invite reflection. Today almost forgotten, the Schlögener bend once counted among the most dangerous locations on the Danube because of its rushing currents and treacherous rocks. The lovely small church in Inzell, in the heart of the second 180° bend, recalls this. According to legend, it was founded by a survivor of a shipwreck. At the first 180° bend, Roman excavations in Schlögen remind of another facet of the river. Here was a Roman small fort of the UNESCO World Heritage Danube Limes! The local Roman park lets this heritage shine in a new light again. The crowning conclusion of the natural wonder highlight: the crossing with the bike ferry from Schlögen to Au – the close-up perspective from the river! On the towpath, you cycle out leisurely along the broad Danube river. In Niederranna, over the Danube bridge, the modern version of the former ferry, and the starting point is reached again. Enjoyable cycling with changing perspectives!