Wullowitz: Border Trails, Tobau and Cycling Routes

Wullowitz can be explored through its border history and several trails with different points of interest. The L2 border trail follows the Maltsch and runs through the European Green Belt; the Potters’ Trail passes through woodland and along the Tobau. There is also a trail with a place to rest in the town and cycling routes to Leopoldschlag. This lets you plan by distinguishing between scenery, hiking, cycling and a historical perspective on the border region.

Border History and Scenery along the Maltsch

In the border system established after the creation of Czechoslovakia, Wullowitz was a border crossing. This role adds a historical perspective on the town to today’s trails. Hiking also brings this perspective together with specific landscape features: the L2 border trail follows the Maltsch for about three kilometres and passes through the Natura 2000 protected area and the European Green Belt.

At Eisenhut, the L2 border trail joins the Horse-Drawn Railway Trail, where remains of the horse-drawn railway can be seen. The trail therefore brings together the river landscape and a visible link to the history of the horse-drawn railway. About 500 metres before the Wullowitz border crossing, the L2 crosses the main road. This places the road crossing within the border-trail section, without implying that the stretch along the Maltsch is the same length as the entire route.

Hiking Trails and the Tobau

A small moor forest known as the Tobau has been preserved in Wullowitz. The Potters’ Trail runs along the protected Tobau as far as the B 310, then passes through woodland near Leitmannsdorf and Stiegersdorf on its way to Wullowitz. As a family-friendly themed hiking trail, it is especially suitable for families with children. This makes it a distinct option alongside the L2 border trail: its route takes in woodland and the Tobau, while the L2 follows the Maltsch and joins the Horse-Drawn Railway Trail at Eisenhut.

The West Forest Air Bathing Trail also leads to Wullowitz: on its border-hiking section, the trail reaches the town, where there is a place to rest. If you include several trails in your plans, you can distinguish their respective highlights: the river and border landscape on the L2, woodland and the Tobau on the Potters’ Trail, and the place to rest at the destination section of the West Forest Air Bathing Trail.

Cycling Routes with Different Courses

Two cycling routes pass through Wullowitz on their way to Leopoldschlag, but take different courses. The Rennradhügelwelt Mühlviertel – Green Belt Tour comes from Rainbach to Wullowitz and then continues a few metres alongside the Austrian-Czech national border to Leopoldschlag. Wullowitz therefore lies between the starting point of Rainbach and the onward stretch along the national border.

The “Beer & Nature” Beer Cycling Tour also passes through Wullowitz and then follows the Maltsch along the European Green Belt to Leopoldschlag. From Wullowitz, this tour therefore follows the river and the Green Belt, while the Green Belt Tour continues a few metres alongside the national border. These differences provide a practical way to compare the routes by their respective courses.

Franzosenhof and Seasonal Offerings

Franzosenhof is located at Wullowitz 1, directly on the Mühlviertel main road B 310, also known as E 55, about 500 metres before the Wullowitz border crossing. It serves regional Austrian dishes and homemade specialities. You can also register at Franzosenhof for guided hikes through the Tobau moorland. If you are planning such a hike, check in advance whether it is available on your chosen date.

The Franzosenhof cross-country ski trail is ten kilometres long and of moderate difficulty. It runs along the Maltsch and the Potters’ Trail via Leitmannsdorf to Franzosenhof, where it is possible to join the trail. Its operation depends on snow conditions, so check the conditions in advance if you are planning to use it during your stay. This makes it easy to distinguish the seasonal cross-country skiing option from the trails that pass through Wullowitz.

Discover more destinations: Neumarkt Im Mühlkreis, Kefermarkt, Pregarten, Gutau, Tragwein, Bad Zell, Schönau Im Mühlkreis, Rainbach Im Mühlkreis

View the main travel overview: Freistadt.