Hochbuchberg

The Hochbuchberg stands 836 metres above sea level in the Mühlviertel region of Upper Austria. It rises above the market town of Pabneukirchen, where it is known as the town’s house mountain and the roof of the Strudengau. Three working farms sit on its slopes, two at the base and one just below the summit. A circular footpath winds around the slopes, giving walkers views across the surrounding villages. The peak is reached by a farm track that starts in the hamlet of Wetzelsberg. The Hochbuchberg’s history includes a stone tower called the Kaiserwarte, built in 1898 at the expense of parish priest Dr Vinzenz Koberger. Lightning struck the tower in 1904, damaging several columns, after which it was painted red and fitted with lightning conductors, again paid for by Koberger. A memorial stone to the same priest stands beside the summit path. Local legend speaks of a hidden lake inside the mountain that could one day burst forth and flood the land. The Hubertus-Hochbuchberg-Rundweg is a waymarked trail that leads walkers over the summit and past two viewing platforms. The Marktblick platform at 755 metres and the Alpenblick platform at 835 metres both offer seats and large wooden-and-steel panels showing the names and positions of every village and peak in sight. From these points the whole Strudengau unfolds, with the Bohemian Forest stretching away to the north.