Kamptal Seenweg (Lakes Trail) 620 – Ottenstein – Zwettl section

I had to painstakingly piece together the third day's stage of the Lower Austria Mariazell Trail (WWW06) from Zwettl to Peybach/Ottenstein with the help of the hiking map for Komoot. The special highlight was Zwettl Abbey - rating: a MUST! I took the tour at 2 p.m. through the cloister, the treasury and the church and was very impressed! The cloister radiates peace and contemplation! Treasury: the Madonna's gaze at the child, looking at herself, is touching, a rare depiction, as the child usually looks at the viewer. The only preserved Gothic altar in the church is worth mentioning. There are many kilometers of asphalt after that, unfortunately not recommended! Only relatively shortly before the reservoir does the path lead back along the Kamp. Swimming in the reservoir was extremely brief, the water made slurry-like bubbles and also had a certain color similarity due to the boggy light brown water. Nevertheless, it was enough to cool down before I started the journey home by bus.

Today's 3rd stage lives up to its name, the Kamptal Lakes Trail. From Zwettl to the monastery of the same name, you follow the course of the river and after Friedersbach you reach the Ottenstein reservoir via the Purzelkamp. In between there is a longer stretch over roads, meadows and fields. The fields are particularly colorful at this time of year, as the poppies are just beginning to bloom. The weather was not very pleasant today, it was already humid in the morning and from Friedersbach onwards I was followed by a thunderstorm (I was faster!).