Dr. Ruso Path

We park at the Greil guesthouse and walk down the cellars' lane until after the fire station we turn right and reach the marked Way of St. James leading up to Waschberg (viewpoint!). From there we continue toward Michelberg, where we find the commemorative plaque of the 50th anniversary of walking the Dr. Ruso Path. At the guesthouse at Michelberg, which is still closed at this early hour, a breakfast break is possible. We continue up Michelberg, and if shortly below the summit we turn right into the forest, we find remains of a World War II barracks. Next to the church at Michelberg, we admire the excavations. Here we have reached the highest point of the hike. We follow the Way of St. James signposts northwards and pass Hollingstein, where shortly after, in an idyllic setting at the self-service rest area Traubengarten, a dry, wind-protected break can be taken. Those who don’t rest here can do so later at the Karl Hut. The Rohrwaldweg leads us further, and where you meet a freshly fenced enclosure, instead of the path walk directly along the fence and finally reach the federal road to Karnabrunn, which we follow on a beautiful side path to the pilgrimage church. We leave the church via the Stations of the Cross on the longest staircase in Lower Austria and cross the village near the parish farm. We follow the field paths southwards and soon reach Obergänserndorf, where we can rest at the sports field. Afterwards, we go about 300 m up the hill on L109, turn right onto a farm road, follow it to the second junction, and then turn right again toward the forest edge. At the forest edge, turn left at a right angle. Soon the path bends sharply to the right and we follow it until we meet the Rohrwaldweg (marked). Hidden in the undergrowth, the Silver Fountain is falling into decay here. We follow the Rohrwaldweg to the left and come to the Golden Fountain inn. From there we continue along L32 (the only unpleasant road section of the hike), until on the left side of the road the forest begins and we follow this forest edge for about 2 km. At a field path we turn left, then right again, and afterwards we can already see our destination Leitzersdorf and follow the field paths more or less straight to the starting point.