To escape the heat in the lowlands, I decided to cross the Jauerling from Mühldorf to Emmersdorf over the summer solstice weekend. The sun has regularly caused the thermometer to shoot up to 25 °C in the afternoon over the last few days. A little cooling at higher altitudes is therefore appreciated.
Ascent to Trenning#
I pedal up the Spitzer Graben to Mühldorf, the starting point of this stage, on my rented bike - the rent bike system is excellent in the Wachau. From the town hall, I take a short stroll along the historic village street, where two-storey houses are lined up next to each other, before turning right and crossing the Spitzer Bach stream. I am already in the forest and on the steep ascent to Trenning, Mühldorf’s local mountain. The path, which is just over a kilometre long, climbs almost 300 metres and is therefore the steepest section of the entire World Heritage Trail.
Over a few serpentines, sometimes in a direct line uphill, I cross a few forest paths. The path only becomes stonier towards the end. Otherwise, I walk along a track without much foliage or roots. A few lizards sunbathe just before the summit. But I can’t take a photo of them, they disappear too quickly under branches, stones or foliage.
A summit cross awaits me on the Trenning, along with an incredible 360° panorama. Mühldorf with Oberranna Castle lies directly below me. The houses look like a miniature world, that’s how small they are from above. To the west I can see the village of Trandorf in the distance, to the east the Spitzer Graben as far as the Danube, and to the south the broad, wooded Jauerling rises up. I still have a long and strenuous climb up this mountain ahead of me, which is why I take a short break here at the summit cross to eat and drink.
Long Jauerling ascent#
Then I walk briefly downhill to the village of Thurn, where the ascent to the Jauerling begins. There are a good 450 metres of altitude to overcome over almost 4 kilometres. Not as steep as the climb to Trenning, but still not to be underestimated due to its length. I take it a little slower. This time the route is mostly on forest roads, only occasionally I switch to small tracks. I welcome the coolness and the shade offered by the spruce trees. A deer watches me curiously, but as soon as I approach it disappears into the forest.
Before the Jauerling summit, I pass the Naturparkgasthaus, where I also collect the stamp for this stage. Now I meet several hikers. They are all waiting for their lunch in front of the hut. The ascent, however, was a lonely affair. I only overtook three hikers.
This time I’m a lot higher than on the Trenning. It also feels pleasantly fresh up here and a light westerly breeze contributes to this. I take a short break before continuing to the summit. The Jauerling flattens out considerably from the Naturparkhaus. Without the summit cross (960 metres above sea level) as a marker, it would be almost impossible to determine where the highest point on this plateau is.
The route continues to the viewing tower on the Jauerling and past the monument to Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, the initiator of the German gymnastics movement. At 38 metres high, the tower doesn’t quite reach 1000 metres. However, the ORF transmitter mast next to it seems to be a little higher. There is also a herb garden below the tower and the tower houses a museum about minerals and herbs. But I carry on walking. I just fill up my drinks bottles here.
Down to Maria Laach#
Now I can run quickly. The forest road descends gently and evenly. I make rapid progress. A hike up the Jauerling from Maria Laach is therefore longer, but less steep. Shortly before Maria Laach, the World Heritage Trail turns off again. It makes a small loop around Maria Laach. If your strength is already waning, you can ignore this short ascent and descent to Maria Laach and save yourself almost 2 kilometres. The route changes to a tarmac road, the only longer tarmac section of this stage. For the effort of the detour, I am rewarded with a sweeping view of the Alpine foothills. However, the first Alpine mountains are shrouded in cloud and therefore difficult to see.
Finally, I arrive in Maria Laach, which is extremely lively today. A brass band is playing at the fire brigade’s festival. The village inn is also quite busy with numerous guests. I relax by the village fountain.
An attractive stage all round with the highest point of the World Heritage Trail. I say goodbye to the vines on this stage. I can only see the vineyards in the Spitzer Graben from a distance. Otherwise, the trail offers plenty of peace and quiet in the coniferous forests that almost completely envelop the Jauerling.
A great hike for all seasons. In autumn, the Spitzer Graben would be resplendent in autumnal colours. A winter hike in the snow would also be an exciting experience in the otherwise snow-poor Wachau. Only the first ascent to Trenning could be a little difficult if there is snow, due to the steepness of the terrain. If you still have energy left, you can descend from Maria Laach to Aggsbach back to the Danube. The following stage of the World Heritage Trail is not too long (less than 7 km) and does not include any ascents. Linking both stages would therefore be a good idea.