Burgenland lies tucked against the Hungarian border, and it is the youngest of Austria's federal states. The region was part of the Kingdom of Hungary until 1921, when it was awarded to Austria after the First World War, and the town of Sopron, just across the line, chose by plebiscite to stay Hungarian. The composer Joseph Haydn served the Esterházy princes at Eisenstadt for decades, and the palace where he worked still stands.
The land is Pannonian, which means the western edge of the Hungarian plain, with a warm, dry climate, wide skies and light that feels more southern than Alpine. Vines cover the slopes, and the red grape Blaufränkisch, with its spicy dark fruit, is the speciality, alongside sweet wines made near the lake. A few kilometres further east, the Neusiedler See, a huge, shallow steppe lake ringed with reeds, draws birdwatchers and windsurfers. Villages have long, low houses with arcaded courtyards and storks nesting on chimneys.
The Hohe Wand, which gives this stop its label, is a limestone plateau far to the north-west. Here, on the border, the riding is calm and flat, a land of straight avenues of walnut and cherry trees, old churches and the occasional sunflower field. The roads are in good shape, and traffic is light except around Eisenstadt and Mattersburg. Wind can be fierce across the plain. In summer, heat shimmers over the tarmac, and in the vintage season, tractors loaded with grapes cause delays. The Rosalia ridge offers gentle bends through beech and oak woods.
Practically, there are fuel stations in Mattersburg and Eisenstadt, and small villages have a bakery or a shop. Wine taverns serve local wine with cold meats, bread and spreads, and traditional dishes such as goulash and goose, especially around St Martin's Day in November. Remember that Austrian drink-driving limits are strict. The border with Hungary is open under Schengen, so crossing is simple, though carry your documents. Evenings in late summer are soft and golden.