Waldhausen im Strudengau – Hiking, Swimming Lake and Culture

Waldhausen im Strudengau combines a distinctive hiking landscape with a swimming lake and remarkable architectural and festival culture. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home can choose the location according to their preferred daily rhythm: active hiking days can be followed by trips to the water, cultural discoveries or a seasonal visit to the collegiate grounds.

Hiking between rolling hills and rock formations

The hiking trail network in Waldhausen im Strudengau is more than 110 km long. This gives the area a wide range of options for anyone who wants to spend most of their days on foot. One special route is the Ausblicksrunde, an IVV-certified hiking trail. This challenging circular route leads through the typical rolling landscape of the Mühlviertel at elevations between 500 and 700 m.

The Ausblicksrunde passes natural rock formations and also offers magnificent views. The information about the challenging route and its elevation is important for planning the day. If you are travelling with people who have differing levels of enthusiasm for hiking, you can adapt your choice of accommodation and daily activities accordingly: the Ausblicksrunde is a clearly described challenge, while the extensive trail network opens up further options for personal travel planning.

Swimming lake with sports facilities and accessible areas

The Waldhausen swimming lake complements the hiking opportunities with time by the water. The lake has a wakeboard or water-ski lift. The water surface covers approximately 3.5 hectares, and the maximum depth is 4 m. These specific dimensions give the natural swimming lake a distinct character of its own and make it another travel idea alongside the trails in the rolling hills.

The Waldhausen natural swimming lake also has an accessible lakeside promenade with a sunbathing lawn and beach volleyball court. Entry into the swimming lake is also accessible. Those who take the composition of their daily activities into account when choosing accommodation can plan the swimming lake as a central focus or combine hiking and time in the water without overlooking the cultural aspects of the area.

Collegiate church and Advent festivities in the collegiate grounds

Waldhausen’s cultural heritage includes the present-day early Baroque collegiate church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It was built from 1650 to 1680 and contains nearly 300 colourful frescoes attributed to Christoph Colomba. The nave of Waldhausen parish church is considered one of Austria’s most significant post-Gothic structures. Anyone interested in ecclesiastical art, architecture and historic interiors will find an independent reason here to view Waldhausen as more than just a destination for its landscapes.

A seasonal highlight is the Waldhausen Advent. It takes place every year around 8 December in the collegiate grounds on Schloßberg. For a trip during this period, a visit to the Advent festivities can be combined with the area’s cultural sights. At other times of year, the hiking trail network, the Ausblicksrunde and the swimming lake remain independent points of interest.

Getting there and choosing accommodation

Travelling to Waldhausen im Strudengau by public transport can be done from the Westbahn railway line via Amstetten railway station, taking a bus via Grein. This connection is a relevant consideration if you want to choose your holiday apartment or holiday home not only according to the excursion programme but also according to your planned journey.

Other places to search

If you would also like to look at other places, here is a compact selection: Klam, Straß, Dimbach, Münzbach, Allerheiligen im Mühlkreis, Mitterkirchen im Machland, Wansch and Windhaag bei Perg.

To the higher-level travel overview: Perg.