Apricot blossom in Hartl on the Luftberg in Aggsbach-Dorf in the Wachau

The first opportunity to see the apricot blossom in the Wachau Valley, if you drive on the right bank of the Danube from Melk in the direction of Krems, is in Aggsbach-Dorf. Aggsbach is a street village that stretches along the Aggsbach, which flows in a south-westerly direction, approximately from the area of ​​the tributary of the Mitterbach to the confluence with the Danube.

Halfway into Aggsbach village, approximately at House number 34, the is a steep ascent, about 50 to 60 m from the valley floor up into the Hartl. When you arrive on the higher plateau, you can immediately see the large apricot gardens to the northwest and northeast.

The hike goes around the apricot gardens by first going west to the Luftberg and from there in a north-easterly direction until you descend again in a south-easterly direction to the bottom of the Hartl.

The hike is about 3.5 km long. You should allow around 2 hours for this so that you can enjoy the beautiful view of the Danube with a snack on the summit of the Luftberg.

From the starting point at the end of the Hartlweg from the state road, which runs through Aggsbach-Dorf, it goes steeply to the north for about 50 to 60 m.

Once at the higher level, a plain spreads out, at the beginning of which we follow the path that runs to the west, which also bears the logo of the Dunkelsteinerunde. At the end the path makes a 90 degree right turn and goes north to the summit of the Luftberg, from which there is a wonderful view of the Danube and the Wachau.

You can see to the west as far as Melk Abbey and to the east you can see the Aggstein Castle ruins on the right bank of the Danube and Schwallenbach, where there are also apricot blossoms, on the left.

From the Luftberg summit we walk along the ridge in a north-easterly direction until we reach the World Heritage Trail, which is also the Way of St. James in this section, and continue downhill to the right in a south-westerly direction. Here we come to the 2nd large apricot garden of the Hartl, this is the name of this raised ground from the Aggsbach valley, on the right hand side.

When we have reached the level of the plain, we continue in a westerly direction until we turn left onto the approaching Hartlweg and on the same path that we came up on, we descend again to the state road.

Take the car on the B33 from Mautern or Melk to Aggsbach-Dorf. When driving through Aggsbach-Dorf on the main road in the area of the bridge over the Aggsbach which flows into the Danube, take the junction in the direction of Gansbach, St. Pölten and drive through Aggsbach-Dorf to the municipal office.