Haselböckau: Kremsauen and Hiking Trails

The Kremsauen nature reserve is located in Haselböckau, within the municipal areas of Schlierbach and Nussbach. A 2004 environmental report describes it as one of the most ecologically valuable areas and describes the Krems as meandering largely undisturbed, accompanied by near-natural peat bogs and marshland. For planning your visit, it is helpful to distinguish between the landscape and the trail: the Kremsauen refers to the natural area, while the route information specifies exact starting points and turnoffs.

River Landscape and Banks

A 2008 hydromorphological study reports that the Krems has retained a largely undisturbed, very winding course for approximately four kilometres through Haselböckau. This length refers to the river course; walking distances should be considered separately. The section of the hike through Haselböckau follows an unregulated stretch of the Krems. During spring floods, steep banks repeatedly form on the outside of bends. An outside bend is on the outer side of a river curve. Thus, the river course described as extending over several kilometres and the bank formations created during spring floods are distinct features of the landscape.

Hike Starting Point and Route

The hike through the meadow and river landscape begins below a farmhouse, before the Brandlmayrbrücke wooden bridge. First, a well-maintained gravel path leads for about 50 metres to a fork. From there, a spur trail approximately 300 metres long leads towards the Kremstalauen nature reserve. The two distance figures refer to different sections: around 50 metres to the fork and about 300 metres for the spur trail. This makes it possible to distinguish between the starting section and the additional turnoff when planning your hike. There is no formal parking area at the starting point. Bear this in mind when planning your journey, and check trail conditions before your visit.

Cultural Trail and the “1,000-Year-Old Oak”

The K10 cultural trail lists the natural monument “1,000-Year-Old Oak” as a sight halfway along the route in Haselböckau. A well-marked hiking trail from the Wanzbach district passes the oak; a seating area by the wayside shrine invites you to pause for reflection. The oak is described in two ways: the K10 places it halfway along the route, while the hiking trail from Wanzbach passes by it.

Birdlife of the Wet Meadows

A 2009 nature guide reports seeing dippers and grey wagtails at a weir along the hike. It describes grey herons sometimes flying up from the bed of the Krems or the adjacent meadows, as well as kestrels repeatedly seen hovering conspicuously over the meadows. It describes the wet meadows as habitat for the corncrake, also known as the landrail; its call could sometimes be heard as early as the evening. The time references differ: kestrels were repeatedly seen over the meadows, while the corncrake’s call could sometimes be heard in the evening. The description thus includes both recurring visual observations and a call that may be heard in the evening.

Discover more destinations: Vorderstoder, Steinbach An Der Steyr, Molln, Kirchdorf An Der Krems, Steinbach Am Ziehberg, Wartberg an der Krems, Pettenbach, Rossleithen.

Back to the main travel overview: Kirchdorf An Der Krems.