The Bruckweg on the Leitensteig

Together with the Hausruckwald, the Kobernaußerwald forms the largest contiguous commercial forest in Austria, covering 360 km².

Due to its favourable accessibility, it was suitable for settlement on its edges early on. It was reduced to its present size by clearing. Place names such as Roith, Reith, Edt, Brandstatt or Brast point to its origins in clearing. The earliest artefacts found in the municipality of Waldzell date back to the Hallstatt period around 500 BC.

Until around 1600, the Kobernaußerwald forest was only cultivated in the peripheral areas. However, the first paths through the Kobernaußerwald were laid out by Romans travelling through around 200 AD. The border between Bavaria and Austria separated the Hausruck from Austria until 1779, when the municipality of Waldzell belonged to the Bavarian Mattiggau.

The Schranne, around two kilometres south of there, was an important border post and an important collection point for the tithe (taxes). In 1779, the Kobernaußerwald (then called Hohnhart) became part of Austria together with the Innviertel and became a state forest. The administration moved from the village of Höhnhart to the hamlet of Kobernaußen. From around 1840, the name Kobernaußerwald became established. Emperor Franz Josef I declared the core area of the state forest to be Habsburg family property in 1868. The forest areas on the periphery were sold to private individuals or the existing timber procurement rights were paid for.

The four-kilometre-long Bruckweg extends from Wirmling via the Leitensteig to the Josefitafel near the Schranne. As this path is mostly laid out on the ridge at an altitude of 700 to 734 metres, the water remains in the ruts, which is why these areas were laid out with 220 cm long fir roundels with a diameter of 15 to 22 cm laid at right angles to the direction of travel and grouted with sand.

Around 1950, the "Bruck" was still completely intact. After that, heavy vehicles replaced the horse-drawn carts. The bridge collapsed and was gradually covered with ballast. Only in a few places do the beams still protrude. In order to preserve the memory of the original Bruckweg, a small section was reconstructed here with the support of Österreichische Bundesforste AG and the municipality of Waldzell.