This strenuous mountain bike tour leads deep into the Ostrong Forest, where the Sulzberg is rounded. In some sections, it coincides with the Kaiser Route , which I rode last year. Although I’m more of a hiker and runner, I do get on my bike a few times a year.
Persenbeug Castle
Like the Kaiser Route, the Sulzberg route also starts in the centre of Persenbeug. In my blog entry about the Kaiser Route, I neglected to write a short entry about the history of Persenbeug Castle . I would like to add that here.
The castle is not located directly on the route, but sits on an estimated 15-metre-high rock above the town of Persenbeug. The location is ideal for a castle since Danube breaks out of the narrow Strudengau valley and then opens up in a wide loop.
Over the millennia, sediments washed up by the Danube were deposited within the loop, creating the so-called Gottsdorfer Scheibe, a flat plain. On the opposite bank at Ybbs, the river Ybbs also flows into the Danube, forming a wide, flat valley. From the castle’s vantage point, you have a perfect view of this wide plain and the shipping traffic on the waterways.
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/>The first mention of the castle dates back to 970, and the Holy Roman Emperor Henry III is said to have attended the funeral service for the lord of the castle in 1045. However, the ceremony ended tragically: the ceiling of the banqueting hall collapsed due to the large number of guests and claimed victims among the emperor’s entourage, who fortunately remained unharmed.
The castle, with its high tower, reminds me strikingly of the one in Schönbühel a little downstream. It was given its current appearance in the early 17th century. And another interesting little historical anecdote: Austria’s last emperor, Charles I, was born in the castle and also spent his childhood there. The castle and the associated property in the Ostrong Forest are still owned by the Habsburgs.
Scheibe
The first part of the route is on tarmac along the Danube bike path to Hagsdorf, where I briefly leave the path and switch to the parallel dirt track. After all, this is a mountain bike tour. In Gottsdorf, I briefly return to the tarmac and then onto the rough gravelled Danube river road – a foretaste of the gravel for the rest of the tour. Nevertheless, so far it has been a relaxed ride alongside the Danube, which glistens in the sun.
After a railway underpass, the road climbs steeply for the first time. Beads of sweat run from my forehead to my cheeks, dripping down and leaving a dark stain on the tarmac. With a gradient of up to 20%, 100 metres in altitude are overcome in less than 1 km. The last section is on a soft forest path. It has been raining for the last few days. My rear wheel slips with every turn. But dismounting is out of the question.
Ostrong Forest
I find a bench to rest at the Naturfreundestein. This is also where the Ostrong Forest begins, which stretches across the Ostrong range of hills to Laimbach. On the northern edge of the Ostrong is the Großer Peilstein, at 1061 metres the highest mountain in the southern Waldviertel. I don’t have to go quite that far north. The Sulzberg, my destination, is a little further south, roughly in the centre of the range and, at 850 m, is not quite as high.
Loja Quarry
After a short rest, the second steep ramp up to the Loja quarry follows. I find a good rhythm and try to breathe as evenly as possible. Two e-bike riders pass me at a leisurely pace. Their motor hums loudly with exertion as I pant. More beads of sweat.
Shortly before the quarry, the ascent flattens out a little - a welcome break. From here, the quarry is also in excellent view. Numerous steps wind their way up the hill from the Danube.
Granite porphyry and kerstanite have been quarried here since the 17th century. Both types of stone are characterised by their hardness and durability, which is why they are primarily used for rail tracks. Around 650,000 tonnes of stone are quarried here every year. No wonder that a large part of the hillside of the Großer Mühlberg is already missing.
Unfortunately for me, the forest roads in the Ostrong Forest use similar gravel. I have to carefully find my way through the coarse gravel. Otherwise, the wheels spin and I lose my balance. However, the paths remain in good condition and water can hardly soften them. Only once does the path change to a short trail in the forest to avoid a water-filled hollow.
Sulzberg
Above Auratsberg I pass two clearings - one of them the Angerwiese, where forest bees are buzzing around. The most strenuous part of the route is done. The following climbs are short and sometimes reach 10%. The ascent is steady at around 6%. The higher I get, the cooler it gets - pleasant compared to the heat down by the Danube. Tall old spruce trees alternate with newly afforested areas. The Ostrong Forest is used extensively for forestry.
The signposting of the route is fantastic. There is a direction sign at every junction. Away from the signposted paths, however, the forest is off-limits to cyclists. So always stay on the paths. I reach the highest point of the tour in Neuwaldhäusl, a clearing in the Ostrong Forest with a few farmhouses.
Several shepherd dogs bark energetically. My pulse increases. But to my relief, a high fence keeps the dogs in. At the next junction, I reach the granite trail, which overlaps with the Sulzberg route here. You should also watch out for hikers and horse riders on the descent. The Lebensweg and the Niederösterreichische Landeswanderweg also follow this forest road.
I quickly pick up speed on this relaxed descent without any major technical difficulties. I reach a large clearing at Feldmüllerstall.
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/>Cows from the Jaschke organic farm graze on the flowering meadows with their calves. They are unimpressed by my presence. Only the calves notice me and hide behind their mothers. However, they don’t even glance at the magnificent view. They are only interested in the tasty grass.
Hofamt Priel
Caution is advised on the final downhill section in the Ostrong Forest. The main road is crossed here. It is better to slow down a little beforehand so that you can stop if necessary. Then it’s a brisk downhill on a singletrail. I skip this section and take the easier main road.
There are many ways to return to Persenbeug: either via the main road through Hofamt Priel and then past Persenbeug Castle, or via Fürholz on a dirt track past a large fish pond.
