Waldviertel

The Waldviertel lies between the Danube and the Czech frontier in the northwest of Lower Austria. Its name ("forest quarter") refers to the great expanses of forest which once covered this area. It is a rocky plateau of gneiss and granite ranging between 400m/1,300ft and 700m/2,300ft in height. The western part has a fairly severe climate. In this region, lying off the main tourist routes, there has been a modest development of the textile and glass industries in addition to the traditional agriculture and forestry. The principal rivers are the Grosser and Kleiner Kamp and, to the north, the Thaya, which joins the March northeast of Vienna. Numerous castles, country houses and religious foundations bear witness to a long and eventful history. The much eroded granite mountains of the western Waldviertel reach heights of over 1,000m/3,300ft in the Weinsberger Wald, which forms the boundary between the Waldviertel and the Mühlviertel in Upper Austria, and south-west of Wietra (Ostrong, 1,060m/3,478ft; Weinsberg, 1,039m/3,409ft; Tischberg, 1,073m/3,521ft; Nebelstein, 1,015m/3,330ft). They are for the most part covered with coniferous forest, with numerous small lakes and areas of moorland, especially around Heidenreichstein. The eastern Waldviertel is a rolling plateau with gorge-like valleys. The milder climate favors the development of agriculture and stock farming, especially sheep. Anyone seeking peace and relaxation will find both here in this friendly strip of countryside.

The Waldviertel occupies the northwestern part of Lower Austria. Where it approaches the Danube it merges into romantic Wachau.