S. Waldviertel · Lower AustriaOstrong

13 kilometres of forest, gneiss and views over the Danube valley. The ridge between the Yspertal, Weitental and the Danube – with the Großer Peilstein as the highest summit of the southern Waldviertel.

48°17′ N15°6′ E≈ 13 km
Hiking trailsGo to map
01

The Mountain

A densely forested low mountain range – and one of the most popular hiking areas in the region.

The Ostrong is a ridge roughly 13 kilometres long in the south-western Waldviertel in Lower Austria. It lies north of the Danube, opposite Ybbs, and extends from the Danube to the Yspertal and Weitental. The Yspertal separates it from the Weinsberger Wald.

Geologically, the Ostrong belongs to the Bohemian Massif. It consists predominantly of paragneiss of the so-called “Monotonous Series”; on the southern slope the “Variegated Series” of the Drosendorf Unit comes to the surface. In the Miocene the primeval Danube flowed along its western and northern sides – through today’s Yspertal and Weitenbachtal.

Today hiking trails lead along the ridge, for example the Eisenwurzenweg (Austrian long-distance trail 08) from the Danube near Persenbeug to the Großer Peilstein. On trail no. 33 the view opens up over the Danube valley and the Alps.

Legend · Key facts

Region
Danube Waldviertel
Federal state
Lower Austria
Length
approx. 13 km
Highest point
Gr. Peilstein, 1062 m
Rock
Paragneiss (Bohem. Massif)
First mention
1379 · “Oestragen”
Neighbours
Weinsberger Wald, Danube
  • Summit
  • Hut / shelter / tower / ruin
  • Place
  • Trail from OpenStreetMap
  • Only partly mapped
Trails & points: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Map contents as a list

Summits

  • Kleiner Peilstein – 1028 m (48.3043 N, 15.1047 E)
  • Großer Peilstein – 1062 m (48.3028 N, 15.1014 E)
  • Katzenstein – 968 m (48.2979 N, 15.1143 E)
  • Kaiserstein – 935 m (48.2789 N, 15.0997 E)
  • Weißenberg – 737 m (48.2584 N, 15.1272 E)
  • Galleck – 727 m (48.2452 N, 15.0587 E)
  • Sulzberg – 852 m (48.2440 N, 15.0851 E)
  • Großer Mühlberg – 509 m (48.2175 N, 15.1069 E)

Huts, shelters, tower & ruin

  • Schutzhütte Peilstein (48.3038 N, 15.1047 E)
  • Naturfreunde Unterstand (48.2731 N, 15.0968 E)
  • Aussichtswarte Kollnitzberg (48.2606 N, 15.1329 E)
  • Ruine Weissenberg (48.2584 N, 15.1278 E)

Places

  • Münichreith (48.2645 N, 15.1310 E)
  • Altenmarkt (Yspertal) (48.2805 N, 15.0663 E)
  • Persenbeug (48.1864 N, 15.0859 E)
  • Marbach an der Donau (48.2143 N, 15.1508 E)
  • Maria Taferl (48.2253 N, 15.1572 E)
  • Artstetten (48.2426 N, 15.2048 E)
  • Weiten (48.2912 N, 15.2657 E)
  • Ybbs an der Donau (48.1772 N, 15.0853 E)
  • Laimbach am Ostrong (48.3175 N, 15.1223 E)
  • Pöggstall (48.3176 N, 15.1994 E)
  • Gottsdorf (48.1918 N, 15.1067 E)

Trails (OpenStreetMap)

  • 33 – Peilstein – Yspertal Nr. 33 (only partly mapped)
  • 08 – Eisenwurzenweg 08
  • 31 – Druidenweg – Ysperklamm
  • 31a – Druidenweg – Peilsteinblick
  • 35 – Waldlehrpfad – Yspertal
  • NLW – NÖ Landesrundwanderweg
  • 606 – Waldviertel-Weitwanderweg 606
  • rot – Artstetten - Maria Taferl
  • LeWe – Lebensweg gesamt
02

Summits

The summits of the Ostrong between 509 and 1062 metres. At the very top: the two Peilsteins.
Heights from OpenStreetMap (as of 10/2026), mostly from laser models of Land NÖ (Province of Lower Austria) or BEV (Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying) survey points. The source for each summit is shown in the map popup.

Ridge profile of the OstrongRidge profile from south to north: Großer Mühlberg 509, Sulzberg 852, Kaiserstein 935, Katzenstein 968, Großer Peilstein 1062, Kleiner Peilstein 1028 metres.40050060070080090010001100ELEVATION M A.S.L.SOUTHNORTH50985293596810621028Gr. MühlbergSulzbergKaisersteinKatzensteinGr. PeilsteinKl. Peilstein
Ridge profile south → north, order according to OpenStreetMap, distances schematic. Weißenberg and Galleck lie on side ridges.
  1. Großer PeilsteinHighest point · southern Waldviertel1062 m
  2. Kleiner PeilsteinSummit cross · Peilsteinhütte1028 m
  3. Katzenstein968 m
  4. KaisersteinCircular trail no. 51935 m
  5. Sulzberg852 m
  6. WeißenbergEastern side ridge · castle remains737 m
  7. GalleckWestern side ridge727 m
  8. Großer MühlbergSouthern end above Persenbeug509 m
03

Hiking trails

Official figures from the trail pages of Destination Waldviertel (waldviertel.at, retrieved 8 October 2026; most pages last updated 3 August 2026). Route lines on the map only where the trail is mapped in OpenStreetMap.

55Kleiner Peilsteinfrom Laimbach · easy route

Peilstein Gipfelerlebnis Laimbach – easy route

Official “summit experience” trail from the parish church in Laimbach to the summit cross on the Kleiner Peilstein; the official figures cover the ascent. Note: the official page rates it “moderate” despite the name.

Laimbach parish church› Birkenkreuz› Kl. Peilstein
Length
5.51 km
Time
2:00 h
Ascent
496 m
Level
moderate
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
55Kleiner Peilsteinfrom Laimbach · demanding route

Peilstein Gipfelerlebnis Laimbach – demanding route

Steeper variant via the “Felsenweg” to the foot of the Schneidermauer cliff and up to the Kleiner Peilstein (one way). Figures as published by the official page.

Laimbach parish church› Felsenweg› Schneidermauer› Kl. Peilstein
Length
2.67 km
Time
2:00 h
Ascent
496 m
Level
difficult
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
51Kaiserstein · PeilsteinCircular trail from Münichreith

Kaiserstein–Peilstein Circular Trail

Circular trail starting at the Johanneskapelle (St John’s Chapel) in Münichreith, past the Naturfreunde shelter at the Gscheidanger and the Kaiserstein to both Peilstein summits.

Johanneskapelle› Gscheidanger› Kaiserstein› Gr. & Kl. Peilstein› Birkenkreuz
Length
13.35 km
Time
5:00 h
Ascent
439 m
Level
moderate
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
▲Kleiner Peilsteindirect ascent from Münichreith

Birkenkreuz – Kl. Peilstein (direct ascent)

Direct ascent from the Johanneskapelle in Münichreith via the Birkenkreuz to the Kleiner Peilstein (one way).

Johanneskapelle› Birkenkreuz› Kl. Peilstein
Length
6.05 km
Time
2:00 h
Ascent
389 m
Level
moderate
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
33Großer PeilsteinCircular trail from Altenmarkt

Peilstein – Yspertal No. 33

Circular trail from the market square in Altenmarkt (Yspertal) up to the Großer Peilstein and the summit cross on the Kleiner Peilstein. Views of the Danube valley and the Alps according to lower-austria.info.

Altenmarkt market square› Gr. Peilstein› Kl. Peilstein› Altenmarkt
Length
10.98 km
Time
4:30 h
Ascent
628 m
Level
moderate
(only partly mapped in OpenStreetMap)Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
53HirschensteinCircular trail from Laimbach

Hirschenstein Höhenwanderung No. 53

High-level circular walk starting and ending at the parish church in Laimbach.

Laimbach parish church› Circular trail
Length
12.49 km
Time
5:00 h
Ascent
428 m
Level
moderate
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
54Laimbach Circular TrailFamily-friendly

Laimbach Circular Trail No. 54

Easy loop from the parish church in Laimbach between 525 and 665 metres.

Laimbach› 525–665 m› Laimbach
Length
7.06 km
Time
1:30 h
Ascent
198 m
Level
easy
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
52KollnitzbergCircular trail from Münichreith

Kollnitzberg Circular Trail No. 52

Short loop from the Johanneskapelle in Münichreith over the Kollnitzberg, where the Aussichtswarte (observation tower) stands.

Johanneskapelle› Kollnitzberg› Münichreith
Length
3.5 km
Time
1:00 h
Ascent
130 m
Level
easy
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
08EisenwurzenwegAustrian long-distance trail

Eisenwurzenweg 08

Austrian long-distance trail of the Alpenverein. Crosses the Ostrong from the Danube near Persenbeug over the ridge (Kaiserweg) to the Großer Peilstein and down to Laimbach.

Persenbeug› Kaiserweg› Gr. Peilstein› Laimbach
Type
Long-distance trail
Length (NÖ)
280.66 km
Level
n/a
Official page: Alpenverein ↗
LWLebenswegStage 1 · Laimbach – Nöchling

Lebensweg Stage 1

First stage of the Lebensweg long-distance trail: Laimbach – Peilstein – Kaiserstein – Nöchling.

Laimbach› Peilstein› Kaiserstein› Nöchling
Length
26.64 km
Time
8:30 h
Ascent
968 m
Level
moderate
No route line of its own: OpenStreetMap maps only the whole Lebensweg – shown on the map as “Lebensweg gesamt”.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
YWYsper-WeitentalStage 1 · Laimbach – Nöchling

Ysper-Weitental Circular Trail, Stage 1

First stage of the Ysper-Weitental circular trail: Laimbach – Peilstein – Kaiserstein – Neuwaldhäusl – Kleehof – Nöchling.

Laimbach› Peilstein› Kaiserstein› Nöchling
Length
27.04 km
Time
10:15 h
Ascent
943 m
Level
n/a
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap, and the official GPX may not be republished.Official page: waldviertel.at ↗
KKaiserwegGschaidanger – Peilstein

Kaiserweg (Emperor’s Trail)

Ridge trail from the Gschaidanger (on trail 51 spelt “Gscheidanger”) over the Kaiserberg to the Großer Peilstein – according to tradition laid out at the wish of Emperor Franz I.

Gschaidanger› Kaiserberg› Gr. Peilstein
Type
Ridge trail
Figures
not published
Level
n/a
No route line: not mapped in OpenStreetMap.Source: Wikipedia ↗

More trails in the Yspertal

No.TrailLengthTimeAscentLevelMapSource
31Druidenweg – Ysperklamm8.25 km4:00 h494 mmoderatewaldviertel.at ↗
31aDruidenweg – Peilsteinblick9.79 km3:30 h602 mmoderatewaldviertel.at ↗
32Ysperklamm Wanderweg3.97 km1:30 h284 mmoderate–waldviertel.at ↗
34Herzsteinweg – Yspertal9.13 km3:00 h373 mmoderate–waldviertel.at ↗
35Waldlehrpfad – Yspertal3.09 km1:00 h100 mmoderatewaldviertel.at ↗

Difficulty as classified on the official pages. All information without guarantee – please check the official page before your hike.

04

Mountain hut

1019 m50 m SOUTH OF KL. PEILSTEIN
Mountain hut

Schutzhütte Peilstein

Mountain hut of the Naturfreunde, opened 2 September 2018, approx. 50 m south of the Kleiner Peilstein. Please check opening hours with the Naturfreunde.

  • ▲ 1019 m above sea level
  • Operator: Naturfreunde

Note: Please check opening hours directly with the Naturfreunde before your tour.

05

Places nearby

Starting points and excursion destinations – from Münichreith-Laimbach down to the Danube.

Starting point

Münichreith-Laimbach

Municipality at the foot of the Großer Peilstein, formed in 1971 from Münichreith and Laimbach. Parish churches of St. Nikolaus (Münichreith) and St. Margarethe (Laimbach). Starting point of several trails on this page.

West side

Yspertal

The valley west of the Ostrong separates it from the Weinsberger Wald. Worth seeing: the Ysperklamm (Ysper Gorge), where the Ysper drops around 300 metres over a few kilometres.

Danube · Trail 08

Persenbeug-Gottsdorf

Schloss Persenbeug and the Ybbs-Persenbeug power station, built 1954–1959 as the first hydropower plant of Österreichische Donaukraftwerke AG.

Danube

Marbach an der Donau

Market town at the foot of the pilgrimage site Maria Taferl. The name Marbach is first recorded in 1144.

Pilgrimage

Maria Taferl

Pilgrimage site on a hill above the Danube. The pilgrimage church was built 1660–1710 and has been a basilica (Basilica minor) since 1947.

Castle

Artstetten-Pöbring

Schloss Artstetten. Beneath its church lies the crypt with the sarcophagi of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife.

East

Weiten · Pöggstall

Pöggstall lies about 7 km east-north-east, Weiten about 12 km east of the Großer Peilstein.

Opposite

Ybbs

Lies opposite the Ostrong on the south bank of the Danube.

06

Map sources

Every map on this page is free to use under the licence shown. Please respect the providers’ usage policies.

Map / dataProviderLicenceServer
basemap.at Standard, basemap.at Grey, basemap.at Orthophoto, Hillshade (basemap.at)basemap.atCC BY 4.0 (Open Government Data Austria)Vienna, AT
OpenTopoMapOpenTopoMap; data © OpenStreetMap contributors, SRTMStyle CC BY-SA 3.0, data ODbLDE
OpenStreetMap (optional)OpenStreetMap FoundationData ODbL; tile usage policyCDN (Fastly, US company)
Waymarked Trails – hiking routeswaymarkedtrails.org; data © OpenStreetMap contributorsCC BY-SA 3.0 DE, data ODbLDE
Trail lines, summits, huts, places on this map© OpenStreetMap contributorsODbL 1.0served from this site
Trail figures (length, time, ascent, level)Destination Waldviertel – waldviertel.atFacts quoted with link; texts and GPX not republished–

All sources for every entry: Sources.