Through forest and hills
The rivers Kleine Mühl, Große Mühl and Steinerne Mühl gave the Mühlviertel its name. Hamlets and large farms, meadows and forests and, above all, many beautiful hills characterise the landscape. If you want to discover as much of it as possible, take the Mühlviertel cycle path. It leads through the entire region.
The Mühltal cycle path R26 or the Gusental cycle path R26, from the Danube northwards into the Mühlviertel, are recommended routes to try out.
Tour 1: Mühlviertel cycle path R5 (251 km)
THE TOUR
A good level of fitness or an e-bike are required in the Mühlviertel. Then you can always enjoy the wooded hills and tranquil villages. There is plenty to discover - without the hustle and bustle. For example, Austria's only monastery brewery in Schlägl Abbey. Or the moor and Kneipp spa town of Bad Leonfelden with its pilgrimage church worth seeing and the museum village of Windhaag near the border, where the composer Anton Bruckner worked as a teacher. Upper Austria's highest town Liebenau with its moorland reserve is also on the R5.
VISUAL VALUE
Schlägl Abbey and Abbey Brewery Schlägl Abbey is the spiritual centre of the upper Mühlviertel. A more secular approach is taken to beer in the Abbey brewery and in the Stiftskeller.
Weaving museum in Haslach Historical and current information on traditional linen weaving.
Bad Leonfelden Interesting facts from the European watershed to the hospital church and the gingerbread adventure world.
Rosenhof Castle The small Rosenhof pond is a popular swimming stop.
DRIVING IN TIPS
Landhotel Mühlböck in Schwarzenberg, inns in the "Schmankerldorf" Vorderweißenbach, Hotel Fürst in Unterweißenbach, Bergergut in Afiesl
TOUR-INFO
Bike-friendly accommodation
Karlingerhaus in Königswiese
Tour 2: Mühlviertel taster tour (96 km)
THE TOUR
For cyclists who find the entire Mühlviertel Cycle Route too long, a combination with the Mühltal Cycle Route is recommended as a weekend taster tour. The first half of the tour follows the R5 from the Danube at Kramesau up towards Schwarzenberg am Böhmerwald. Not far from the Czech border, the route heads towards Aigen-Schlägl with its famous monastery. The R26 Mühltalradweg cycle path begins directly in Aigen at the market square and leads along the Kleine Mühl for 28 kilometres to Obermühl on the Danube. If necessary, return on the Danube cycle path.
VISUAL VALUE
Schwarzenberg Wood Sculpture Park Impressive works of art have been created at various wood sculpting symposia.
City of Rohrbach Architecturally interesting are the baroque parish church, the Renaissance town hall and the Holy Trinity Column on the town square.
Alluvial channel The Schwarzenberg Alluvial Canal was built in the 18th century to transport timber in the Bohemian Forest and covered more than 50 kilometres between Bavaria, the Czech Republic and the Mühlviertel.
DRIVING IN TIPS
Bertlwieser's in Rohrbach, Biergasthaus Schiffner in Aigen-Schlägl, Restaurant Bergkristall in Schwarzenberg
TOUR-INFO
Tour combinations Danube Cycle Route R1, Alluvial Canal Cycle Route 888, Šumava Cycle Route R27
Bike-friendly accommodation
Hotel Almesberger in Aigen-Schlägl
Tour 3: Beer cycle tours (70 km/72 km/81 km)
THE TOUR
The Mühlviertel is the largest hop-growing region in Austria and the beer country par excellence, especially around the beer metropolis of Freistadt. There are three beer cycle tours between 70 and 81 kilometres to choose from. For the beautiful but strenuous hilly terrain, we recommend an e-bike or spreading the tour over two days. If you have acquired a taste for beer, you can also combine the three cycle tours into one long beer tour. And if your taste buds want to try something other than beer, there is also an excellent cider on the culinary tour.
VISUAL VALUE
Maria Bründl pilgrimage chapel
Late baroque pilgrimage chapel on the edge of the forest outside St. Oswald bei Freistadt.
Kefermarkt winged altar A major Gothic work in the parish church of St Wolfgang.
Upper Austrian Castle Museum Reichenstein Life in a castle in the 12th to 17th centuries.
Schaumosterei Pankrazhofer in Tragwein Representative of the many cider cellars and farm shops in the Freistadt region.
DRIVING IN TIPS
Schlossbrauerei Weinberg in Kefermarkt, Kräuterwirt Dunzinger in Hirschbach, Gasthaus Franzosenhof in Leopoldschlag, Gasthaus Ochsenwirt in Neumarkt
TOUR INFO
Tour combinations Mühlviertel cycle path R5, Aist-Naarntal cycle path R30
Bike-friendly accommodation Inn Pammer Jahn in Leopoldschlag
E-BIKE TIPS Various towns, such as Bad Leonfelden and Königswiesen, offer e-bike packages including hotel and hire bike. The three beer bike tours described below are also available from Freistadt as an e-bike package. Tour tips are available at www.muehlviertel.at/radfahren
Further information is available here:
Mühlviertel Tourism Information
Freistädter Straße 119, A-4041 Linz
Tel. 0043-732/7277-727
info@muehlviertel.at
www.muehlviertel.at
