Waldluftbadeweg Waschenberg

Forest air bathing in Windhaag

Windhaag near Freistadt lies half in the Mühlviertel highlands and half in the Freiwald spatial unit. The landscape area forms an almost circular basin landscape with the Waschenberg (966 m) at its centre. Windhaag has already been committed to nature, species conservation and diversity in the past with the Green Belt Centre. And for a cultural encounter between people on both sides of the Maltsch. Today, the Green Belt Centre is also home to the Waldluftbadeakademie.

Waschenberg forest air bathing trail

We start at the market square in Windhaag. On the way to Waschenberg, we come to the Jankus church on its south-eastern side. The name probably refers to a Bohemian deity. The rock is secured by ropes and can be climbed. Before that, we notice a "threshold", which we can feel as the boundary to an ancient place of worship. After the threshold, there is a cave on the hillside, which is called a sacristy and was used for entry and purification rituals. The rock itself is a natural sanctuary. On its summit is a bowl stone with two bowls.

The energetic centre of Windhaag is located at the summit of the Waschenberg. The Waschenberg has a twin summit on which there is a "rock village". Around 10 rocks line the hiking trail to the left and right and offer a fascinating spectacle.

Shortly after entering the forest at Predetschlag, we are greeted on the right by a sprawling boulder castle. After approx. 100 metres you reach the "Silbersee", a former quarry filled with water (bathing prohibited). To the right of the Silbersee, a short detour leads to a viewing point with a view of the Hundsberg and the Viehberg. We reach the Edlbauer Felsen via a small Plochwald loop on hiking trail S16 through beech, oak and maple forests. It is a so-called "Durchkriechstein". On its left side, you can crawl through a narrow gap between the granite blocks, cleansing your aura. Just above the Edelbauer rock, a rock village with several boulder castles spreads out at the summit. Below is an imposing wall complex, popularly known as the "walled-in Wiesl". The area surrounded by dry stone walls dates back to the Celts. On the way back, we pass the Kohlstatt and, after leaving the forest, reach the boulder heath of the Lipenhöhe. The hill is a designated ecological area and part of the European nature reserve Wiesengebiete im Freiwald. This is the strongest place with air quality in Windhaag.

Waschenberg forest air bathing trail - waypoints

1. hiking stone
2nd Jankus church
3. natural sanctuary on the Waschenberg
4. silver lake
5. viewing point to Hundsberg and Viehberg
6. beech, oak and maple forest
7. Edlbauer rocks
8. boulder castles above Edlbauer Felsen
9th Zuagmauerts Wiesl
10th Kohlstatt
11. rock village on Waschenberg
12. block heath Lipenhöhe

For guided tours, please contact our qualified forest air bathing instructors - you can find more information here.