Starting point car park - Franz Josef Watchtower
The most convenient starting point for the hike is the car park on the pass road between Hof am Leithaberge and Donnerskirchen. The tables and benches on the small square make it an ideal start and end point. From the watchtower, you first follow an almost flat forest road that cuts a wide track through the woods. On the left, the forest quickly thins and gradually opens up the view to the Schneeberg, the Rax, and the Semmering. At a curve at the end of the gentle ascent, two forest paths branch off, and you take the one on the right. Through the sunny beech forest, you reach the “Emperor Oak” just 10 minutes away, as the watchtower is also called. Initially still flat, the well-trodden path then winds up a short steep section to the summit. On the small plateau you reach, the watchtower towers.
Franz Josef Watchtower
Surrounded by lush blackberry bushes, a flat meadow opens up in the middle of which stands the stone tower that has been attracting hikers with its view since 1889. At its top, you can enjoy the 360-degree panorama in the wind- and weather-protected wooden pavilion. A particular highlight is the view of Lake Neusiedl, which extends immediately at the foot of the Leitha Mountains to the east.
Franz Josef Watchtower - Seven Lindens
Returning the way of the ascent, follow the forest road east through the woods. The wide, easily walkable path gently descends and crosses a dense network of forest trails several times. Past Binder Kreuz, the track leads purposefully to the Drei Hottern. These historic boundary trees mark the meeting point of Mannersdorf, Hof, and Burgenland. At this crossroads, turn left to the north, where the wide forest path follows the border with Burgenland.
Without any significant incline, the path crosses a sparse beech forest. Here, far from roads and villages, the walk among the huge deciduous trees offers an especially relaxing natural experience. If you have not taken a break yet, you should at the latest use the small rest area at the Seven Lindens.
Seven Lindens - St. Anna Monastery
From here, continue several hundred meters through the deciduous forest and then down a hollow path through a wild berry patch until you reach a wide path marked as the Maria Theresa hiking route.
You continue comfortably downhill along the track up to the monastery wall that surrounds the entire Mannersdorfer Wüste Nature Park. Next to a wall passage is the so-called “Fox Arch,” a wall opening for the Fuchsenbach, and an atmospheric photo opportunity for every photographer. Along a clearing with individual orchard trees, you soon reach the St. Anna Monastery.
St. Anna Monastery
The historic St. Anna Monastery is a small world of experience in itself. In addition to the petting zoo with goats, sheep, and pigs, the horse paddock and the cattle pasture are highlights, especially the large playground and the hedge labyrinth which is a real highlight for children.
The restored monastery complex is enclosed by a well-preserved monastery wall, with the main building in its center.
Numerous shady resting places and benches invite you to linger longer here.
St. Anna Monastery – Scharfeneck Ruins
At the back of the monastery, a wide forest path leads uphill to the Scharfeneck ruins. Shortly after leaving the monastery, you come to a small fishing pond with a rest area. A bit further on rises the overgrown ruins of St. Joachim’s Hermitage. The steepest part of the ascent is almost over and ends at the monastery wall of the nature park at the Schlossberg saddle. From here, a side path leads left to the keep of the Scharfeneck ruins, which you can reach in a few minutes from here.
The walls of the romantically forested ruins are well preserved and hint at their former size. The information board at the rest area beside the ruins tells about their exciting history.
Scharfeneck Ruins – Franz Josef Watchtower
From the fork in the path at the saddle, the path runs a short distance along the monastery wall to the south and soon leaves the nature park border. From here, the path winds southwards in a varied up-and-down along the ridge. At the crossing of the border trail, you change from the municipality of Mannersdorf to that of Hof. Here, the forest changes from light deciduous forest to dense young forest, where the path winds gently uphill through a tunnel, at the end of which a small clearing with a hunting stand invites you to rest. Continuing down the ridge on the south side, you cross the wide forest road of the Wolfsgrabenweg, which leads right to Hof am Leithaberge. After about 20 minutes’ walk through the forest, you reach the intersection of the forest road that brought you at the beginning of the hike to the Franz Josef Watchtower.
There is again the option to climb up to the watchtower, although you should allow enough time to stop on your way home in Hof or Mannersdorf. Here you can truly round off the hike with pleasure.
