A circular hike above Krems

This beautiful hike starts at Campus Krems. This university campus hosts three universities. You can see one of them, the IMC University for Applied Sciences on the photo above.

From here you walk up the Alauntalstrasse. Before you reach the Thorwestenheim, a rest home, you turn left.

You now walk up a steep road named "Kögelweg", named after the mountain it leads up, the Kögel.

After some exhausting minutes you can already look down to Campus Krems and see all the universities: the IMC University for Applied Sciences, the Danube University and the Karl Landsteiner University for Health Sciences.

When you reach this curve in the road you walk straight ahead and continue walking through the woodland.

You'll see this hut in the wood.

Finally you reach the vineyards. Turn left and after some meters…

you will see this short path, walk these path upwards and then turn right.

Finally you reach this broader road. After some meters you have to turn left and walk straight through the vineyards.

You are now approaching the summit of a mountain that is called "Kuhberg" ("Cow mountain"). The summit is hidden behind the trees and approximately 400 meters above sea level.

Well, there's no cross on the summit, but a barbecue area! Congratulations, you now covered a height difference of about 160 meters within just two kilometers. You see, this ascent was really steep!

You walk down through the brushwood on the other side of the summit.

Then you reach this road. Walk this road in northeastern direction.

The road leads to a broader and asphalted road called "Armesündergraben" ("poor sinners moat").

At the beginning of the "Armesündergraben" you can see a small inn called Schwarzalm.

The "Armesündergraben" is a hollow road in the vineyards and quite steep.

You can see some caves in the loess.

A little bit later you come to the "Schießstätte" ("shooting range"), that is home and training place of the "Schützenverein Krems", a traditional shooting association founded in 1440!

Just a little bit after the shooting range you have to turn right and continue your hike in the "Wachtbergstraße".

At the highest point of this street you find this lookout place.

Now it's time to take a rest and enjoy the view! If you still have enough energy, you can walk up the Kreuzberg from here. More about this mountain can be found in this story.

Or you walk down the "Kreuzbergstrasse". After some meters, an asphalted road branches off, and yes: That is "Kögelweg" again!

You now just have to continue walking this road.

Enjoy the view and continue walking downwards!

After a total walking time of approximately 2 hours you'll be back at the Campus again!

As you have seen, this hike is really exhausting. The hike as I have described it, is not suitable for strollers, wheelchairs or anything else that has wheels.

But when you're back you'll not only be exhausted, but also proud of yourself and you won't have any doubt that this hike was worth all the effort!

A detailled map can be found in this German story on schmatz.blog. I really recommend using a hiking navigation app like Bergfex and take a power bank with you.

Wear walking shoes, this trail is not suitable for sneakers, sandals etc.! And please do not forget to take enough water with you - even in winter, but of course especially in summer. As mentioned several times, the hike is really exhausting and as you walk on the south side of the mountains you'll be exposed to sunlight almost all the way!

And finally: Don't forget your camera, because during this hike you will probably have the chance to make the most beautiful photos of Krems you have ever made!

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