Start Danube Promenade - Röthelstein Ruins
The circular hike starts at the boulevard on the Danube Promenade, just outside the city wall gates of Hainburg. Following the promenade downstream, you quickly leave the town behind and soon reach two short cave passages carved into the rocks here. Once on the other side, you find yourself on a romantic path that follows the Danube shore to the east. There are frequent opportunities to explore the sandbanks of the Danube. From this spot, many bird species that live here and in the national park on the northern shore can be observed even without binoculars. After about one kilometer, the path moves away from the shore and winds through the dense floodplain forest to Ferdinand Häringer Platz. The shady forest offers a nice spot for a short break. Those interested can take a little exploratory tour to the side basins of the Danube.
To reach the Röthelstein ruins, follow a wide forest path gently uphill for just a few minutes, leading directly to the foot of the mighty ruin wall. A stone staircase leads up to a small viewing plateau among the remains of the former castle. Despite the short climb, you can already enjoy a wonderful view over the national park, which stretches north of the Danube. If you stay quiet, you might be lucky enough to observe grass snakes basking in the sun.
Röthelstein ruins - Summit
From now on, the path ascends. However, on the wide trail, you quickly gain height and move further away from the river. After crossing a road, the path becomes narrower and more challenging, but soon leads to the edge of the forest, from where you can enjoy another view of the extensive floodplain area to the northeast. Following the forest edge, you come across the serpentine road that leads up to Braunsberg again. You follow it for a short stretch on a narrow accompanying path, but shortly after leave it to climb the last ascent of the Celtic trail. After this short climb, you reach the meadow plateau of Braunsberg.
Summit
Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful panoramas in the region rewards here with its unique panoramic view of the natural Danube floodplains, the Roman land Carnuntum, and large parts of the Vienna Basin to the west. In the east, the nearby Bratislava and the Devín castle ruins are visible.
On the edge of the plateau stands a faithful reconstruction of a palisade wall that enclosed the Celtic hill settlement at the summit of Braunsberg. The remains of the earthwork are still clearly visible today.
Those not afraid of heights can sit close to the rocky edge of the plateau and look down to the roofs of the medieval town of Hainburg at their feet.
Summit – Danube Promenade start
Following the edge of the plateau, you soon reach the summit road and the descent back to Hainburg. The road ends just a few meters further at a parking lot, where the view to the east widens and you can take a short detour to the memorial of the Carpathian Germans. The descent requires good surefootedness in the first few meters but quickly leads to a well-trodden forest path. It descends in switchbacks on the south side of Braunsberg. Although the descent is easy and fast, you should not miss the hidden benches offering shady resting spots with views of Schlossberg or the steep faces of the mountain.
After leaving the forest path, you reach the city’s outdoor pool – an ideal refreshment on hot summer days after this hike. Past the outdoor pool, it is only a few minutes' walk back to the starting point at the Danube Promenade, with several rest stops where a final break can be extended as much as you like.
After the hike, make sure to plan enough time to explore the town of Hainburg. Numerous cafés and restaurants invite you to end the trip on a pleasant note.
