A clearly dated glimpse into mining history and a long hiking route through Schmitzberg give your trip planning two distinct focal points. The cultural connection can be seen in the Schmitzberg-Ampflwang Miners’ Band; the Hausruck Forest Loop – Oberbank Long-Run can be assessed by its stated distance and duration. This lets you choose between an interest in cultural history and a hike lasting several hours as the main focus of your stay.
Mining History and Musical Tradition
The Schmitzberg-Ampflwang Miners’ Band was founded on October 7, 1925, by twelve miners from the Schmitzberg WTK lignite operation based in Ampflwang. The founding connects the musical ensemble with the history of mining and a specific operation in Ampflwang.
The werXmusi youth group of the Miners’ Band organizes the traditional annual werXmusi-Gschnas. The cultural story thus spans two periods: the founding in 1925 and a regularly recurring festival organized by the band’s youth group.
Railways and Mining at Lokpark Ampflwang
Lokpark Ampflwang – Upper Austrian Railway and Mining Museum is located on the former surface site of the Wolfsegg-Traunthaler Kohlenwerks AG (WTK). Until the 1990s, lignite mined in the region was loaded there into railway wagons; today, the museum presents the history of railways and mining. This distinguishes the site’s former use from its present-day role as a museum.
Lokpark covers 25,000 m² and houses more than one hundred rail vehicles. The site also includes a railway and mining adventure playground for children. The number of vehicles and the area give a concrete sense of the museum grounds’ scale; the playground is a separate feature that fits the theme.
The Hausruck Forest Loop as a Longer Hike
The Hausruck Forest Loop – Oberbank Long-Run runs from the Lukasberg forest road via Schmitzberg and Katzlholz to Innerleiten. The route passes several named points, with Schmitzberg explicitly forming part of the trail. A historical example is the “Horse and Coal Hike,” announced for October 20, 2019: it ran from Seemoos via Schmitzberg through woodland and meadows to a midday break at the Aldiana Club Ampflwang.
The tourist route listing gives a distance of 23.0 kilometers and a duration of 6 hours 30 minutes. Together, the length and duration provide a clear time frame: the loop is a several-hour focal point for planning your day. As these figures may change, check the current route description before making plans.
Climbing Towers and Practical Information
The Ampflwang climbing tower is located at Schmitzberg 16 in Ampflwang im Hausruckwald. For the Seemoos climbing tower, a five-digit access code is sent by email after you purchase a day ticket online. The information is clearly assigned: an address is given for the Ampflwang climbing tower, and the process after ticket purchase is specified for the Seemoos climbing tower.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Frankenburg Am Hausruck, Oberhofen Am Irrsee, Rutzenmoos, Steinbach Am Attersee, Pitzenberg, Neukirchen An Der Vöckla, Mühlbach, Vöcklamarkt.
Back to the main travel overview: Vöcklabruck.
