A mystical long-distance hike from Freistadt in the Mühlviertel via the horse railway route, salt road, to the Czech border, through the Green Belt to Buichers / Stadelberg and via Sandl to the ÖAV Braunberghütte back to the medieval brewing town.
Freistadt - Thurytal - Rainbach - detour via the Heiligenberg due to S10 construction site - Pferdeeisenbahn station Kerschbaum - Dolni Dvoriste - Eisenhut - Maria Schnee - Leopoldschlag - Leopoldschlägerberg - art trail - Green belt center Windhaag - old border bridge Mairspindt - Zettwing - Sinetschlag - Buchers - displaced persons chapel Stadlberg - three-country corner - Rosenhofer ponds - Rosenhof castle - Sandl - Holzmühle - Braunberg summit - ÖAV Braunberghütte - Alm - Freistadt
Sights on the panorama trail:
Freistadt: medieval brewing town with a flying fox (high flight), old town with Linzer and Böhmertor gates, brewing commune
Thurytal: popular hike along the romantic Feldaist with demonstration smithies in Thuryhammer II, Devil's Rock and bathing spots
Rainbach: glass bead path
Horse railway path: from Rainbach the panorama trail follows the horse railway path to Kerschbaum at the horse railway station
Green Belt: between Deutsch Hörschlag and Eisenhut the panorama trail switches to the Green Belt in the Czech Republic, the marking with the Nordwaldkammweg logo II is also present here
Eisenhut: here the horse railway path is reached again with remains of an old former bridge
Maria Schnee new: from this church you can see the pilgrimage site Maria Schnee, which was inaccessible for decades due to the Iron Curtain
Leopoldschlag: the panorama trail leads through the water buffalo area of the Maltschauen
Leopoldschläger Berg: Celtic sacrificial bowls
Windhaag near Freistadt: on weekends the Green Belt center is open, previously the panorama trail passes the artwork Wettershuttle (European Watershed) on the sculpture trail, afterwards past the Venetian saw and the Hofwieshammer
Mairspindt: former customs house with the old Maltsch bridge to the Czech Republic.
The Nordwaldkammweg marking only appears again in Stadlberg, here the KCT marking colors apply, supplemented by panels and stickers "Nordwaldkammweg Panorama".
Zettwing: the panorama trail follows the yellow-marked cross path up to above the church of the place destroyed after the war on the Maltsch, from here the panorama trail follows the Czech tank path, marked by KCT for the Nordwaldkammweg II project, today also very popular as a bike path, via Doni Pribrani (Sinetschlag).
Buchers: the Buchers local association is very active here, especially around the destroyed church in the rebuilding place demolished after World War II.
Stadlberg: near the path is the source of the Lainsitz, Buchers displaced persons chapel, connecting path V9, at Stadlberg we meet the classic Nordwaldkammweg
Three-country corner: Lower Austria - Upper Austria - South Bohemia
Rosenhofer ponds: bathing opportunity near Rosenhof castle, directly on the Nordwaldkammweg
Sandl: stained glass museum, observatories
Braunberg: east summit with beautiful summit cross, ÖAV Braunberghütte
Author’s recommendation
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Rest stops
Rainbach im MühlkreisPferdeeisenbahnstation Kerschbaum
Koller´s Ferienparadies
Leopoldschlag
Pieberschlag
Green belt center Windhaag bei Freistadt
Jelení Vyhlídka
Sandl Marktplatz
Braunberg-Hütte
Safety information
Don't forget your passport and observe the current corona regulations Austria - Czech Republic!
The marking of the Czech section was extended in spring 2025 with panorama trail panels.
Tips and suggestions
Mühlviertler Alm Freistadt Tourism Association, Freistadt Info Center, Waaggasse 6, 4240 Freistadt, Tel. +43 5/07263-21, email link https://www.muehlviertel.at/nordwaldkammweg.
The sections Simonsteg border crossing at Deutsch Hörschlag to Edelbruck border crossing and Mairspindt to Stadlberg in the Czech Republic were re-marked in spring 2025.
The Horní Dvořiště station on the Summerauerbahn is not served on weekends from May 9, 2025 to June 2, 2025 due to rail replacement service!!!
Due to work on the S10, there is no marked trail north of Rainbach. We have not yet received a detour from asfinag!
Roadbook
Stage 1: NWKW connecting path V9 Freistadt - Rainbach im Mühlkreis, 10.8 km, 3 hours, ↗ 204m, ↘ 52m
Stage 2: Nordwaldkammweg II Rainbach im Mühlkreis - Pferdeeisenbahnhof Kerschbaum - Deutsch Hörschlag - Eisenhut - Leopoldschlag - Windhaag near Freistadt, 27.1 km, 8:30 hours, ↗ 640m, ↘ 615m
Stage 3: Nordwaldkammweg II Windhaag near Freistadt - Mairspindt (yellow KCT marking) - Zettwing (green KCT marking) - Dolni Pribrani (on bike path 1193) - Buchers, connecting path V12 Buchers - Stadlberg, 22.3 km, 6:45 hours, ↗ 485m, ↘ 284m, taxi to Karlstift
Stage 4: Nordwaldkammweg Stadlberg - Sandl - Holzmühle - ÖAV Braunberghütte, 21.2 km, 6:15 hours, ↗ 441m, ↘ 495m
Stage 5: Nordwaldkammweg Ia ÖAV Braunberghütte - Mühlviertler Alm - Freistadt, 10.1 km, 2:30 hours, ↗ 197m, ↘ 528m
Historischer Thuryhammer
Neumühle
Rainbach im Mühlkreis
Pferdeeisenbahnstation Kerschbaum
Deutsch Hörschlag
Bahnhof Horní Dvořiště
Rastplatz Tabor
Eisenhut Grenzübergang
Koller´s Ferienparadies
Eisenhut
Maria Schnee bei Hiltschen
Leopoldschlag
Pieberschlag
Green belt center Windhaag bei Freistadt
Mairspindt
Cetviny / Zettwing
Jelení Vyhlídka
Dolní Přibrání
Pohoří na Šumavě
Stadlberg
Rosenhofer Teich
Sandl Marktplatz
Sternwarte Freiwald
Pürstling
Holzmühle
Ostgipfel Braunberg
Braunberg
Braunberg-Hütte
Public transport
Bus to Freistadt StifterplatzDirections
Car on the S10 to FreistadtParking
Free parking at the Freistadt hiking stoneCoordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Nordwaldkammweg guide at Pustet Publishing
Author’s map recommendations
Hiking map Mühlviertler Alm - Freistadt
Cross-country skiing brochure Mühlviertler Alm - Freistadt
Book recommendations for this region:
Equipment
Trekking backpack, water bottle, hiking clothesLocalization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

User Questions