Waxeneck

Waxeneck is a long ridge of rolling hills in southern Lower Austria, just west of Berndorf in the district of Baden. Its highest point reaches 796 metres above sea level, yet the ridge lacks a single dominant summit. The land falls away gently on the eastern side toward the suburbs of Berndorf, while the western edge drops into the Hochwald range through the Hals pass. Two small streams mark its edges: the Veitsauer Bach flows south from the Geyersattel toward the Triesting, and the Grillenberg valley carries water westward. The ridge sits between the Hohe Mandling to the south and the lower hills near Pernitz to the north. Walkers and hunters value Waxeneck for its quiet trails and wide views across the surrounding countryside. Near the south-western end stands the Waxeneckhaus, a simple mountain hut offering food and overnight beds. On the eastern flank lies the Hallourhöhle, a small cave open to explorers. The name itself comes from an old suffix meaning a projecting height or hill edge, according to linguist Heinz Pohl. Several routes climb the ridge, including forest tracks from Pottenstein and Grillenberg, and the official Mountainbike route that passes Steinhof and Pöllau. A small settlement called Waxeneck clings to the southern slope of the ridge, stretching eastward from the hut entirely within Pernitz municipality. From Weissenbach walkers can choose between the Grabenweg and the red-marked Wanderweg 201 that crosses the Hals pass. The Geyersattel from the south also leads onto the same path, linking the ridge to the higher ground of the Hohe Mandling. On clear days the outlook takes in the Vienna Woods and the peaks of the Northern Limestone Alps.