There is a national park within the city limits of my hometown  – but I have not been there in ages. I rectified this oversight today (on a day off) and went on a bike ride there.

I started my tour at the wien-lobAU National Park House. From there, I wanted to head to the Panozzalacke first. However, after I spotted a signpost to the nearby Dechantlacke, I stopped by there first. This turned out to be a truly idyllic spot. However, since the path became increasingly narrow, I did not dare continue cycling (since cycling is not permitted on all trails in the national park). So, I cycled back to the main trail, and followed the signs to the Panozzalacke.

I probably should have familiarized myself with the map, though: The cycle path(*) makes quite a detour. Looking back, it would have been wiser to dismount at some point and push my bike a bit along a hiking trail. In the end, though, I reached the Panozzalacke from the other side, and explored it a bit on foot.

After that, I headed east to the outskirts of Groß-Enzersdorf. This town was perfect for a lunch break – even though the Greek taverna I had chosen beforehand looked a bit more upscale than I expected it to be. Still, I was served food even in my cycling gear. Feeling refreshed and energized, I was then able to set off back home.

On my way back I finally realized just how big a detour I had taken on the outward journey: I soon ended up back on the same path. Still: The beautiful floodplain landscape is definitely worth a second look.

All in all, having such a short weekend in the middle of the week was very enjoyable – maybe I should do that more often!

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