Danube Cycle Path Stage 4 South Bank: Ardagger - Melk

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 53,74 km
Duration: 3:20 h
Ascent: 27 m elevation gain
Descent: 51 m elevation gain

From the bicycle museum to the Nibelungen town On this beautiful long-distance cycle route, you cycle from a small, tranquil Danube town called Ardagger along the Danube to the "gateway to the Wachau", the town of Melk. As you cycle through the picturesque Danube valley, you will pass Hößgang, Ybbs an der Donau, Krummnußbaum and Pöchlarn, among others, until you finally reach your destination of Melk.

Starting point of the tour: Ardagger
Tour destination: Melk

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 53,74 km
Duration: 3:20 h
Ascent: 27 m elevation gain
Descent: 51 m elevation gain

Fitness level required:
1/6
Overall experience:
5/6
Scenery:
6/6

Lowest point207 m
Highest point258 m

Stage tour
Nice views
With refreshment stops
Suitable for families and children

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Description

The market town of Ardagger is one of the main towns in the Mostviertel region. Those interested in culture can visit the church in the former monastery, which houses Austria's oldest figurative stained glass window from the 13th century. Sports enthusiasts, on the other hand, can take advantage of the many water sports facilities and the "Donauwellenpark" directly on the cycle path (beach volleyball, climbing wall, etc.).

Then it's off through the Strudengau. This narrow Danube valley is bordered by high, densely wooded hills. Again and again you will find inviting sandy beaches right by the river, and small villages such as Hößgang and Freyenstein enliven your ride.

Soon after the Ybbs-Persenbeug visitor power station (guided tours by prior arrangement), you reach the small town of Ybbs, where you should stop for a visit to the bicycle museum alone: From the wooden wheel to the weapon wheel from imperial times, the history of your favorite companion is documented here. The Renaissance town houses in the old town are enchanting, and the parish church of St. Lorenz has an impressive net vault and an organ that Mozart signed during his visit in 1767.

Passing the villages of Sarling, Säusenstein and Krummnußbaum, you reach the "Nibelungen town" of Pöchlarn, which is home to the birthplace of the painter Oskar Kokoschka (exhibitions) and a carpentry museum. The Nibelungen monument is a reminder that the small town is the setting for the ancient epic, which is partly set on the Danube. If you are still in the mood and have time, you can take a short detour to Erlauf and visit the ERLAUF ERINNERT peace museum there (approx. 3.5 km from Pöchlarn to Erlauf). From Pöchlarn you reach Melk, the "gateway to the Wachau", less than three quarters of an hour later.

Route description Ardagger Markt - Hößgang - Ybbs an der Donau - Krummnußbaum - Pöchlarn - MelkRoute description:You start the route in Ardagger Markt and immediately look for the path to the Danube. There you join the Danube Cycle Path. With a beautiful view of the river, you cycle through the cultural landscape of Strudengau. It owes its name to the many dangerous whirlpools and shallows. It was therefore once considered by boatmen to be one of the most dangerous sections of the Danube. Today, this landscape section belongs to the reservoir area of the subsequent power plant and is easily navigable for shipping.It continues on the Danube Cycle Path without major settlement contact to Ybbs an der Donau. You have plenty of time to enjoy the flora and fauna in the Strudengau, which impresses with its large number of protected trees alone. In Ybbs an der Donau, it is time again for some culture. Here, the old town of Ybbs, with its restored Renaissance townhouses, and the St. Lorenz parish church stand out. The organ in the church bears the initials of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart since his visit in 1767. Also located here is Austria's largest run-of-river power plant, the Ybbs-Persenbeug power plant. You pass through the town and then cross the Ybbs.A stretch along the river follows back to Sarling on the Danube. Your next stop is the town with the peculiar name Krummnußbaum, whose origin most likely lies with the nut trees that once grew by the river. Directly afterwards is the municipality of Pöchlarn. In the early Middle Ages, it was known as Bechelaren and is mentioned in the Nibelungenlied as the ancestral castle of Rüdiger of Bechelaren. It is also the last larger town that separates us from our destination, the town of Melk. After a lonely but relaxing ride along the Danube, you finally reach the end of today's stage.Melk is a beautiful conclusion to this route, as it can be called a real "cultural highlight". Parts of the town, such as Melk Abbey, are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Wachau. The abbey has been described as the "most symbolic and dominant Baroque building"; it also houses the Melk Abbey Secondary School, Austria's oldest still existing school. Since the well-known landscape section "Wachau" begins here, the hills get higher and steep vineyards accumulate on all sides. An ideal panorama to end today's bike tour.
Parking In Ardagger Markt
Getting there You travel from Linz on the A7 heading south. At the Linz motorway junction, you take the A1 towards Vienna. At Amstetten, you switch to the B 119 to Ardagger.
Public transport By bus from Linz.

Danube Cycle Path Stage 4 South Bank: Ardagger - Melk

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