This is a great place for hiking! Pölla, with its 13 villages and the 3 parishes Altpölla, Franzen, and Neupölla, lies in the middle of Waldviertel. The name Pölla points to early Slavic settlement (poljane = field). Since 1297, the main village Neupölla has held market rights. Numerous excursion destinations make the municipality interesting and worth experiencing. In the sporting area, for example at the Dobra reservoir, you can swim, dive, boat, or fish. Attractive, well-signed routes invite you to hike, cycle, or mountain bike.
Starting point of the tourFranzen
Destination point of the tourFranzen
You walk past the bathing pond and after 300 meters turn right onto a field path. You reach the paved road and turn left towards Reichhalms and continue south to the Dobra ruin – with a top-class view from the keep over the Dobra reservoir! The keep of the Dobra ruin is open during the summer season. Your next attraction is the Devil's Church shortly before Schloss Wetzlas. From the castle you march via Schmerbach to Frauenluckn and further up to the Schwarzenöd ruin. After a view into the Kamp valley, you walk along Schmerbach, past the Schwarzenberg ruin, into the village of Schmerbach. From there the well-signposted path leads you back over fields and meadows to the starting point.
Coming from Vienna, take the A22 to Stockerau, exit onto B4 towards Horn, continue to Horn, then from Horn continue on B38 to Neupölla.
Coming from St. Pölten, take the S33 to Krems, B37 to Gföhl, B38 to Neupölla.
Coming from the west, take the A1 to St. Pölten, S33 to Krems, B37 to Gföhl, B38 to Neupölla.
"Hiking in the heart of the Waldviertel", hiking map set available at Waldviertel Tourism
As a souvenir of your hike around the Kamp reservoirs, you can get a hiking badge at the ticket office of Schloss Waldreichs.
Hiking badges are round plaques designed and inscribed with pyrography, which serve as souvenirs and at the same time as recognition for outstanding achievements. Diligent collectors of hiking badges are rewarded with a free premium hiking badge. More information can be found at http://www.wandermarken.at/