Durch den Botanica Park zur Magdalenaberg-Kirche

The Magdalenaberg circular trail in Bad Schallerbach starts at Europaplatz in front of the Eurothermen Resort and leads from the Botanica Park through orchards and forests to the Magdalenaberg Church with a view over the Trattnachtal.

The Vitalwelt Bad Schallerbach has made a name for itself as a tourism region. Its heart is the Eurothermen Resort, known for its diverse offerings in health, wellness, and relaxation. The fact that it is also worth coming to Bad Schallerbach for hiking is proven by the Magdalenaberg circular trail, which connects the town’s highlights with the charming rural surroundings.
The spa town of Bad Schallerbach has a long tradition of healing water treatments. Coincidence also played a role in this. People were surprised in 1918 when, instead of oil, warm sulfur water emerged while drilling for petroleum.
Since then, around 60 liters per second of this thermal water have been bubbling to the surface from a depth of 460 meters. This stroke of luck has shaped the town’s further development in a lasting way and made it one of the leading tourist communities in Upper Austria. From the original bathing facilities of the early days, a modern wellness and health center has emerged. The Eurothermen Resort and the adventure world of Aquapulco leave nothing to be desired for those seeking relaxation and water enthusiasts.
In addition, it is the beautiful location of Bad Schallerbach in the Trattnachtal that makes the town an attractive starting point for hikes in the surrounding area. The first choice from the various circular tours is the Magdalenaberg circular trail.
This easily walkable route delights both culture enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
It begins with a delightful stroll through the Botanica Park, which directly adjoins the Eurothermen Resort and is still part of it. This spacious garden complex is a botanical jewel and hosts an impressive collection of plants from all over the world. Various themed gardens – such as a rose garden, an apothecary’s garden, a farmer’s garden, a bamboo water garden, and a lily pond – invite visitors to a colorful and fragrant experience. Tree-lined avenues create wonderful walking paths and quiet zones with numerous seating areas.
An hour can quickly pass exploring the Botanica Park. Then we cross the Trattnach on a bridge and leave the town for the surrounding countryside.
Gently ascending, we follow a farm road along orchards and rows of cider apple trees. Finally, after a forest section, we reach an elevation where, as the final highlight of the hike, the Magdalenaberg Church awaits us. A legend here tells of sermons by St. Severin and points to an early Christian site. The Gothic-style building was first mentioned in documents in 1423. It is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene.
As an important cultural and spiritual center of the region, the church, standing alone on its hill, is surrounded by a peaceful atmosphere. It is a place that invites you to linger.
Sitting down on one of the benches, Bad Schallerbach lies below us, and across the Trattnachtal we can see far into the countryside – on clear days even to the Alpine peaks.
Route description: From the old spa paths, the Bad Schallerbach “Bewegungsarena” (Exercise Arena) was created in 2009, with circular tours starting at Europaplatz in front of the Eurothermen Resort. There you will also find a large information board with a map showing all routes. The Magdalenaberg circular trail is marked on white signs with a red arrow and the route number 4.
The route goes into the Botanica Park, where we should take time to marvel at and discover the many walking paths. At the natural pond at the end of the park, we cross the Trattnach and, via the Gebersdorf settlement, walk out into the rural surroundings. A sunken path lined with cider apple trees leads us up to an elevation where we turn right. Through a forest section and past the Hubertus Chapel, we reach the Magdalenaberg Church – an ideal place to take a break and enjoy the view. Down a small trail, it is not far back to Europaplatz.
Trail length: 6 km; Elevation gain: 100 m; Walking time: 2 hours.
Variant: Within the Bewegungsarena, several other circular tours invite exploration. For example, the trail to Wallern along the Trattnach.
Tip: Good hiking maps are available at the tourist office near Europaplatz. The newly created promenade along the spa area provides information about the history of the spa operation.
Refreshments: In addition to the restaurants in the town center of Bad Schallerbach, the Hotel-Restaurant Grünes Türl is recommended along the way. Located in a restored old four-sided farmhouse, it serves excellent dishes made from regional products.

Hike by Andreas Mühlleitner from the book Hausruckviertel aktiv.