Niederkappel: Hiking at the Danube Loop

Niederkappel lies in the southwest of the Mühlviertel, on the steep slope down to the Danube Loop. Its landscape, trails, viewpoints and architectural history offer different starting points for a stay. If you are looking for hotels in Niederkappel, you can consider whether hiking, observing nature, swimming or culture should shape your travel plans.

Hiking trails and views

The Danube Loop Trail leads to the ruins of Haichenbach, with its observation tower, and downstream along the left bank of the Danube to the Danube Loop nature trail. The nature trail is 3.5 kilometres long; its information boards cover geology, fauna and flora. The focus at the Grain viewpoint is on the landscape: from there, you can enjoy views of Niederkappel and the Mühlviertler Dom across gentle hills and forests.

There are two options for a circular walk around the village, each of a different length. The “Digestion Walk,” also known as the Mühlberg Loop, is about 2.4 kilometres long and takes approximately one hour. The “Niederkappler Kreislauf” is a circular walk around the village of about 2.8 kilometres, with a walking time of approximately 1.5 hours. The Digestion Walk is therefore the shorter option in terms of both distance and approximate walking time. A marked hiking trail leads to Teufelskirche from Teufelbauer; the walk takes 20 minutes.

Architectural history and themed trails

The Mühlviertler Dom is a Gothic church dating from 1404 to 1411, and it was remodelled between 1890 and 1895. Guided tours about its architectural history are available for groups. The Dr. Kirchschläger Trail offers a different cultural focus: along the trail, stations featuring portraits and quotations provide insight into the life and work of Dr. Rudolf Kirchschläger. The trail also includes the “President’s Chair” viewpoint, which serves as a rest stop. The church’s architectural history and the trail’s biographical stations thus offer two different ways to explore Niederkappel’s culture.

Outdoor pool and leisure park

The Niederkappel outdoor pool is heated. The facilities include a spacious sunbathing lawn, shaded areas, a children’s pool and an adjacent playground. The “Gstoanarat” leisure park has a children’s playground with a play tower, slide, suspension bridge, climbing carousel, low ropes course and crawl tunnels, as well as a picnic area. Short hiking trails around the leisure park offer views. When planning, you can choose between swimming, play facilities, a picnic area and short trails with views.

Getting there and orientation

You can reach Niederkappel from Linz by public bus in just over an hour. Check the timetable for your travel date before setting off. The Danube Bus’s longitudinal ferry runs between Au in the municipality of Hofkirchen and Grafenau in the municipality of Niederkappel. If you plan to take the ferry, check the timetable in advance.

Discover more destinations: Peilstein in the Mühlviertel, Lichtenau in the Mühlkreis, Hörbich, Sankt Ulrich in the Mühlkreis, Neustift in the Mühlkreis, Klaffer am Hochficht, Godersdorf, Ahorn in the Mühlkreis

Go to the main travel overview: Rohrbach.