On the trail of the Iron Road

Bicycle tour from Göstling, town center

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Elevation profile

74,68 km length

Tour dates
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Route: 74,68 km
  • Ascent: 996 egm
  • Descent: 994 egm
  • Duration: 5:00 h
  • Lowest point: 402 m
  • Highest point:754 m
Features
  • Round tour
  • With refreshment stops
  • Accessibility by train and bus

Details for: On the trail of the Iron Road

Brief description

The route along the Lower Austrian Iron Road connects the gently rolling countryside with the wild alpine mountain world of the Ybbstaler Alps. Cycle through history, enjoy nature.

Description

Follow the Ybbstal cycle path to St. Georgen am Reith and then turn right towards Ybbsitz. Via the large and small Kripp you reach the high valley of Prolling, from where the route descends gently to Ybbsitz, one of the main towns on the Iron Road.

Past the cute Maria Seesal, with little traffic on the small Ybbs Valley cycle path through the Zogels and Wiesergraben, you later reach the small Erlauf Valley cycle path and follow this via Brettl towards Gaming, where a highlight awaits with the Charterhouse.

Via Pfaffenschlag, you continue along the Erlauftal cycle path towards Lunz, which you leave to the left at the start of the town and cycle through the picturesque Ahorn and Sulzbach valleys surrounded by beautiful nature. At the Töpperbrücke bridge you come back into the Ybbstal valley and the last few kilometers lead downstream along the Ybbstal cycle path back to Göstling.

The route is NOT SIGNED as such!!!

Starting point of the tour

Göstling, town center

Destination point of the tour

Göstling, town center

Route description On the trail of the Iron Road

Along the Ybbstal cycle path to St. Georgen and from there right up to the Große Kripp, a climb over 3 km with a maximum of 12%. A short but steep descent (max. 16%) with two hairpin bends follows, and a 500 m long counter-climb (max. 8%) to the Kleine Kripp. Through the high valley Prolling it tends to go slightly downhill with a few small counterwaves and the last 2 km show a maximum gradient of 14% over 600 m. 

In Ybbsitz through the town and briefly follow the main street towards Gresten, then after 3 km turn right towards Zogelsgraben. First flat, later slightly ascending with max. 6%, it goes about 5 km to the crest, followed by a descent with max. 7% gradient and two hairpin bends at the beginning. 

Arriving in the small Erlauftal, turn right towards Gaming, initially a 3 km moderately ascending (3%) section to Brettl, followed by a moderately steep descent (4%) to the junction with the large Erlauftal cycle path. 

Follow this to the right after Gaming, past the Charterhouse and on towards Pfaffenschlag, a 5 km long climb with max. 8% gradient in the last kilometer. Parallel to the nostalgia railway it goes slightly downhill again towards Lunz, where shortly before the town sign you turn right towards the Ahor and Sulzbachtal. 

Follow the trekking route to the Topper bridge in Kasten near Lunz and from there right onto the Ybbstal cycle path and the last kilometers downstream back to Göstling. 

Directions

Motorway exit Ybbs - Erlauftal federal road B25 to Göstling or B31 Ybbstal federal road

Parking

Göstling town center on the Ybbs

With rental bike: VOR bus line to/from Göstling. Bike rental Sportwerk in Göstling/Ybbs

With own bike: bike tramper or bike taxi to/from Waidhofen/Ybbs or Göstling

Equipment

Well-maintained (trekking) bike, helmet, provisions, small change

Safety information

Caution on the descent from Große Kripp towards Opponitz: good asphalt, steep gradient and thus higher speed possible. At the end of the fastest section a hairpin bend. Equally steep gradient immediately before the town start of Ybbsitz (14% over 600 m). 

Map recommendations

MTB, road bike and river bike map Mostviertel Tourism

Author's tip

A visit to Ferrum - World of Iron, THE museum of smithing craft in Ybbsitz, perfectly completes the tour!

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