Many people do not know that the East Tyrolian mountains turn to splendor life in the summer time. The sight of the 3,000-meter-high mountain is impressive by itself, but going close, by tracking or walking in the mountains is miraculous.
We can see glaciers, waterfalls, mountain streams and lakes. Lots of tracks start from the valley, but the cable cars offer a different perspective. By operating also in the summer, they provide a comfortable starting point for our tours.
We can choose a pleasant track for a walk or a climb according to our interest. If we plan our tour longer, up to several days, we can visit one of the mountain huts and eat a pleasant lunch or even stay overnight. On the interactive map (https://maps.osttirol.com/) in the description of the hiking tracks we can also find the list of the huts that are on the way.
Hiking tracks
There are more than a hundred marked hiking tracks in East Tyrol
that we find by clicking on the www.osttirol.com interactive map, we can choose and plan our tour for the day. The routes are classified in different categories as light, medium and heavy, according to their difficulty, so we can choose the right one to our physical state. Some examples for tracks that start at the immediate proximity of Sportland:
This track starts at the hotel, an easy walk from the Isel river by the stone statues up to the lake, the Falter see.
Distance: 4.5 km, Time: 1 hour, Difficulty: easy, Level difference: 8 m
This track starts 3 km away from the house.
Distance: 10.5 km, Time uphill: 5.5 hours, Difficulty: medium, Level difference: 1200 m
This track starts 3 km away from the house.
Distance: 3.5 km, Time uphill: 3.5 hours, Difficulty: difficult, Level difference: 1140 m
Further information: https://maps.osttirol.com/
Thematic tracks
Thematic tours are generally easier and shorter routes, which is easy and fun for the whole family, with children and grandparents alike.
We can choose the theme of the track according to our interest and during the tours we find interactive surfaces, bedded in the natural environment, to gain information and study the topic.
tour starts in Hopfgarten 2 km from the hotel, along the 4,5 km track we get an insight into the life of local herdsmen. If we’re lucky, we can see the beautiful butterflies that color to the landscape, mostly in spring.
Another track starting from here is the aquatic adventure tour, which shows the importance of water, fountain, water mill on the route and we get to know how people lived along the rivers and the waters in old times.
We can choose from 4 different thematic tours starting near Matrei, 7 km from the hotel: there is a 2.5 km trail designed for children, where we can hear the sounds of the forest, also study its animals and plants. There is another shorter track, less than 1 km long to present the region’s flowers and plants. The track called Geschichte weg Dorfertal, is a 14 km long historic tour, which gives insight into the history of the valley. The Glocknerspur, during a 2-km tour, tells the story of the Grossglockner.
A few kilometres away from Matrei we can find 4 more thematic tours. The Umbell waterfalls is a 6-km route, we can experience the power of nature, the track guides us up to the source of the Isel River and to the waterfalls fed by glaciers. The Liegestatten track is 7-km hiking tour, a trip into the past, we can see buildings along the way, that served as resting place for the shepherds while guarding the sheep. The Virgen cross track is a 1,5-km pilgrimage route leads up to the church of Maria Schnee. The path of senses is 2.5 km long tour, guides us to get an insight into the local herding locations and crops.
about 15 km from the hotel, we can choose from 3 different thematic hiking trails: the first tour that leads to the local streams, springs, lakes and to the Defereggen’s healing water. The second tour is a 5.5 km botanical tour, that guides us through the wonderful countryside meanwhile we can study the local plants and the flowers, on halfway a hut waiting for us. The ‘Leben am steilhang’ – that is, ‘Life on the steep’ hike shows how people lived here many years ago, how they adapted and survived the long winters, we can see traces of mining and the still working Holczer mill, along the way. A little farther the Oberhauser Zieberwald, a 1.5 km long tour, guides us to the pine forest where we can get to know the local birds, animals, on halfway there is a hut waiting for us.
During a 6 km hike we can study the life of birds, more than 100 different kinds nest here. Road to Peace is a 2-km meditative path leading through the works of various artists, creators and organizations. The Kneipp tour that leads through the herb garden and the rock labyrinth, is the journey of self-discovery and natural healing following Sebastian Kneipp. A spectacular Dolomite tour, a 8.5 km long moderately difficult tour, guides to the Grafen stream. The old-times tour presents how people used to live here, what difficulties they had to face, some historic buildings can be seen along the way. Taking the Gaimberg tour, we can walk through the ‘sunny” fields around Lienz from where the city got its name, the ‘city of sun’. Through the 3-km hike, we can also find out the purpose of the many walls that were built and still can be seen around. During the 5.5 km Albin Egger route, we can get to know the life and the art of the famous painter.
A little farther near Kalkstein, starts the 6-kilometer hiking path called the smugglers’ route, used to be the hidden secret passage through the Italian border, it leads through wonderful, breathtaking landscapes. Special buses can be reserved to take us forth and back from Lienz, for more information, contact the tourist office in Lienz.
For further information: https://maps.osttirol.com/