The Bettelküchenfährte trail leads along the edge of the slope above the Danube, through the wildly romantic Raintal valley, past beautiful rock formations and vantage points from which you can marvel at the loops of the second longest river in Europe.
Author's recommendation
This is a hike that can be done even in very hot weather, as it mostly passes through pleasant mixed forests.
Directions
We start our tour at the parking lot near the cemetery (Lindenstraße) and walk towards the village to Gutenstein Castle. After about half a kilometer, a path branches off to the right uphill, which we follow. At the end of the path we turn right again to the first vantage point of our tour and let our gaze wander into the valley. Here we immediately turn left and walk on the path along the edge of the forest until we finally meet a paved path again. We follow this path straight ahead in a westerly direction until we reach a junction after approx. 300 m. We continue on a natural path. We are now mainly on natural paths along the edge of the slope and can also catch a glimpse or two of the Danube valley. After about 900 m we come to a paved gravel path again, here we keep to the right and hike for quite a while in a corridor area called "Bettelküche"; the Bettelküche is a limestone rock formation, which is located below the path and which we can admire later from the Danube bank.
After about two kilometers we pass a larger junction where we decide to take the right path. At the next larger junction we also keep to the right and stay on the path that leads slightly downhill until we reach the third large junction, where we now descend into the Raintal valley. As we continue, the Raintal narrows until only a narrow path remains. From here on, we admire a wildly romantic landscape of cliffs that leads us directly down to the banks of the Danube. After walking a short distance along the river, a path branches off to the right and leads us uphill. At the next junction we turn left again, now strolling above the Danube and enjoying the beautiful view of the river and Thiergarten. After the bend above the railroad tunnel, we choose the path that leads downhill in a southerly direction. Here, on a narrow nature trail, we come very close to the banks of the Danube with its original riparian vegetation and can perhaps catch a glimpse or two of a fresh beaver nest. In the last part we reach the Grimmerriedweg in Gutenstein via an ascent with natural steps and go back to the starting point at the cemetery.
Equipment
Please remember to wear sturdy shoes, weather appropriate clothing and walking sticks if necessary + provisions if necessary.
Safety information
Please note that these are natural trails, which can be slippery, possibly icy, in appropriate weather conditions. Due to this, a complete walk on the trail in winter is not recommended for safety reasons!
More information
They pass Gutenstein Castle, which is now privately used and can be booked as a venue for events.
