Schönbach is located right in the source area of the Kleine Kamp. Well-marked hiking trails, distinctive rock formations and places with a strong tradition of craftsmanship offer a range of ways to shape your stay. When planning, it is worth deciding in advance whether you mainly want to go hiking, discover church art or explore traditional crafts.
Hiking among rock formations and trail destinations
The hiking trails around Schönbach feature cup-marked stones and imposing rock formations. These distinctive landscape features line the trails and connect your hike to the surrounding countryside. The Hieronymus Trail is 10.9 kilometres long; the stated walking time is three hours. It starts at the Infopoint – Wurzelsepp in Schönbach. If you plan this route for your day, you can use the walking time as a guide and add breaks at your own pace.
A hike through landscapes typical of the Waldviertel region passes numerous individual farmsteads, including the Vogelwaidhof, and ends at the Maria Rast pilgrimage church in Schönbach. A trail that is particularly interesting for children leads through forests and meadows, past a fishpond and an enclosure with domestic animals, and along granite formations back to Schönbach. The destinations and landscape features described show how varied the trails are in their themes.
The Lohnbachfall Trail leads through the impressive Lohnbach gorge to the Steinernes Bründl. The Lohnbachfall is a natural monument in the “Waldviertel Pond, Moor and Heath Landscape” European protected area. Alongside the hiking trails, a named natural monument and its protected area are therefore among Schönbach’s landscape attractions. Another leisure option is the freely accessible beach volleyball court in Schönbach.
Traditional crafts, pilgrimage and museums
The Schönbach Monastery-School Workshops are located in the former monastery in Schönbach. Guided tours explain and demonstrate basket-making and soap-making. At the Experience Museum, several stations showcase traditional crafts: spinning, weaving, the use of flax, making roof shingles and woodturning. The workshops and museum stations offer a variety of insights into crafts and the materials used.
The focal point of Maria Rast pilgrimage church and the pilgrimage itself is the statue of grace known as “Maria Rast”. The pilgrimage to “Our Lady of Maria Rast” was first mentioned in 1421. The church also has three Gothic winged altars. Those interested in religious history and church art will find both a historical connection and specific features of the church’s furnishings here.
The Schönbach Laundry Care Museum displays wooden washing machines and irons from the last century. The traditional Kriecherlkirtag festival, among other events, takes place in the monastery courtyard. If you would like to plan your visit around this festival, check the event dates in advance.
Tailor your stay
When looking for a hotel in Schönbach, it helps to decide what matters most to you: would you like to spend most of your time hiking, are you interested in the Lohnbachfall as a natural monument, or are traditional crafts, pilgrimage and church art your main focus? This way, your choice can reflect the Schönbach experiences that appeal to you most.
Discover more destinations: Schwarzenau, Kottes, Gutenbrunn, Bad Traunstein, Bernreith, Ottenschlag, Rappottenstein, Schloss Rosenau.
Go to the overview of the wider region: Zwettl.
