The 8th stage of the Viennese Alps (WAB) route starts in Mönichkirchen. With its wide range of historic buildings and the Anton Wildgans-Themenweg, the village lets you drift back to bygone days. The picturesque and appealing Schwaigen landscapes are a good place to stop for a bite to eat.
Description
This stage could be summarised with the motto “what one cannot speak about, one should remain silent about” (loosely based on a quote from Wittgenstein). Both Schwaigen and the silence can be enjoyed in the truest sense of the word. Wandering through this glorious landscape is a natural relaxant, relieves stress, and promises to be a wonderful mountain experience. In such a natural and idyllic landscape you can simply take a very deep breath, breathe in, and let the day’s worries drift away.
Starting point of the tour
Mönichkirchen, cable car
Destination point of the tour
Feistritzsattel, car park
Route description WAB - Stage 8: Mönichkirchen - Feistritzsattel
We start the tour at the cable car in Mönichkirchen and follow the yellow signs with the blue Viennese Alps logo. We take a sharp turn left after around 500 metres. We then follow the marked path until we get to the Schwaig in Mönichkirchen. At this point, we turn left and follow the path which leads along the Zentralalpenweg route. After continuing along this path for around 8 km, we reach the Hochwechsel summit. The views from here are fantastic. This is the highest point of the stage, and it goes downhill from here. We follow the marked path to the end of the stage, the car park at Feistritzsattel.
Getting there
Arriving from Vienna on the A2, take the Edlitz exit and head onto the Wechsel Bundesstraße, following the signs to Mönichkirchen. Arriving from Graz on the A2, take the Pingau exit and head towards Friedberg, following the signs to Mönichkirchen.
Directions
Arriving from Vienna on the A2, take the Edlitz exit and head onto the Wechsel Bundesstraße, following the signs to Mönichkirchen. Arriving from Graz on the A2, take the Pingau exit and head towards Friedberg, following the signs to Mönichkirchen.
Parking
There are plenty of parking options near the cable car in Mönichkirchen.
Take the train from Wiener Neustadt railway station to Aspang, then carry on to Mönichkirchen with the regional buses.
More information can be found at www.oebb.at
Author's tip
Combine your hike with a stay in Alpengasthof Enzian. Highly recommended for families. Bookable offers can be found here.
