This winter walking trail starts at the Reidlhütte in Annaberg in Lower Austria's Limestone Alps.
From the parking below the JUFA hotel you walk through the wood.
After walking downwards you get out of the wood again. Right before the parking of the mountain rescue hut (Bergrettungshütte)…
you turn left and walk into the wood again.
In the wood you cross a stream called Thannbach. Then you turn left…
and pass a sawmill. The way now leads alongside the stream.
At the next crossing you turn left and cross the Thannbach.
You will reach a street named "Dambach" and turn left into it.
The streets ends in a village called "Sägemühle" (German for sawmill). Here you turn left into the B20 main road.
On your right hand side you will then see the Gasthof Sägemühle.
At the end of the village you leave the B20 main road and continue walking between the two buildings.
You will pass this wayside cross…
and come back to the B20.
But in the bend, that is by the way called "Hafner-Reith", you will walk straight ahead.
This way will lead you directly to the village Annaberg. At the end of the 12th century, a castle is said to have existed here, but there are no remains of it anymore. At the beginning of the 13th century, the village was founded and a chapel consecrated to St. Anna has been built. The chapel soon became a pilgrimage destination. Through the century, chapel was expanded to a church and converted several times. Since 1753 it has today's appearance.
In the village you have to cross the B20 and walk up the way between the Gasthof Meyer (a traditional restaurant with very good food at moderate prices) and the church. Before the municipal office (Gemeindeamt) you have to turn left.
The way will lead you out of the village and into the wood. At the fork you have to chose the right way.
After leaving the wood again you will come to a wayside cross.
Now you walk downwards again.
The information boards belong to the educational nature trail.
On the way down to the Reidlhütte you pass this entrance of an old mine. The oldest documents of mining in Annaberg is from the year 1499.
For some centuries silver, zinc, lead, gypsum and coal have been mined in the area around Annaberg.
Finally, after around 75-90 minutes walking time, you will come back to the Reidlhütte.
I really loved this winter walk although walking through the snow has been quite exhausting. I hope to get back to Annaberg soon because there are also some snow shoe hiking trails in the area and I cannot wait to test my new snow shoes.
A GPS track can be downloaded here.
Please also watch my video about this walk on YouTube