Dobratsch Circuit - Stage 4

Logo Dobratsch Circuit - Stage 4
Logo Dobratsch Circuit - Stage 4
Tour data
17.4km
497 - 575m
Distance
116hm
130hm
Ascent
05:00h
 
Duration
Brief description

An impressive walk through an impressive nature reserve called "Schütt".

Difficulty
easy
Rating
Technique
Fitness
Landscape
Experience
Starting point

Arnoldstein main square

Route
Oristagno (578 m)
0.1 km
Gailitz
0.5 km
Sankt Maria Magdalena
6.9 km
Oberschütt
7.0 km
Unterschütt
10.4 km
Radlertreff Gailstüberl
10.9 km
Erlendorf
11.0 km
Unterfederaun
13.9 km
Filialkirche Heiliger Matthäus
14.0 km
Oberfederaun
14.5 km
Studenca-Quelle
15.4 km
Studencafall
15.6 km
Warmbad-Judendorf
16.9 km
Warmbader Hauskapelle
17.0 km
Villach (501 m)
17.2 km


Best season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Description

On the last stage of the Dobratsch hiking trail you can experience unspoilt nature but partly also the negative effects of modern transport due to the proximity to the motorway. Apart from the occasional traffic noise you will come across the unique landscape created by the landslide of 1348 just to discover a antique Roman road in Warmbad Villach. From Arnoldstein it is a short stroll to the beautiful forest at the foot of the Dobratsch where the cows graze near the Gail river and a cozy inn offers local specialties. White sand banks line the river and polished rocks rise from the turquoise water. Two botanical jewels await the hiker near the village Oberschütt. There are two protected meadows called Gladiolenwiese and Weinitzen, both famous for their variety of different flowers. In Federaun there is a castle ruin which shows the former importance of this place. Here the Roman road begins and reminds the hiker of the long gone past. On the way we can also find a spring, called Studenca. During rainy seasons or when the snow melts then you can experience the water rushing out of the rock - no better place for a cool foot bath! From there it is only a short way left to our destination Villach –Warmbad.

 

IF your are looking for a more demanding variety of this trail you could also try out the way around the area called Graschelitzen. Turn right at the small castle Steinbichl in Oberfederaun and follow path no.16 to the ruins of Federaun castle- Then follow path no.15 a little more around the area called Graschelitzen and thus you get back to the normal route again onto the Römerweg.

Directions

 Gail / Zilja

The name derives from the Illyrian name gailias (=the flooding), and hardly applies today, since the river was largely regulated from 1875 to the 1970s. Many meadows and wet meadows that shaped the valley were lost forever in this way; only at the foot of the Dobratsch have some river loops and biotopes survived and convey a picture of the original character of the Gail. Up until the 18th century there was a »reservoir« that was created as a result of the landslide that laid the river bed. The field name Seewiese comes from this time. South of it is a fortification from 1903, below it one of the most beautiful sections of the river with bizarre rock formations.

Oberschütt / Rogaje

According to legend, the village church is the only building to have survived the landslide of 1348 unscathed. The remains of a medieval crucifixion scene on the outer wall are remarkable. A botanical treasure awaits hikers on the northern outskirts. It is a gently sloping wet meadow, called Gladiolenwiese, which displays an unprecedented bloom in early summer. It is named after the Illyrian gladiolus, which other rare plants such as the grass iris, the hem sedge and the upright trespe keep company. The medieval place name Weinzurel refers to the vineyards that were being harvested in this climatically favored area for centuries. The Weinitzen, a large, hilly clearing in the Schütter forest, takes its name from this period. It is one of the most biodiverse meadows in the country and is of outstanding beauty, especially in autumn, when the leaves of the scattered oaks change color. Not far from there are remnants of Mediterranean-looking dry stone walls.

Federaun / Vetrov

This place, which is plagued by transit traffic, has only a few historical buildings; Exceptions are the neglected Kreuzwirt, a former workshop and the simple church on the road to Oberfederaun. There you will find remnants of a mighty castle, which once controlled the valley, away from the circular hiking trail. From here in the 13th century the knights of Ras (after whom the Rosental is named) made raids in the area before they were expelled by the bishop of Bamberg. The view of the giant Fürnitz train station is impressive, for which 100 km of rails and 54 parallel tracks were laid at the widest point.

Römerweg

The Römersweg near Warmbad Villach is particularly steeped in history and surrounded by the aura of a sunken era. It once connected the province of Noricum with Rome and was an important transport link between Carinthia and Italy until the Middle Ages and beyond. A memorial stone in Unterfederaun commemorates its last »general renovation« in 1575. Near the Studenca well, there are in the stone chiselled rail-like ruts as well as the steps for the draft animals can be seen particularly clearly. Dodges and "passing lanes" can also be seen. The aformentioned well is especially after the sno melting and prolonged rainfall, an almost magical natural spectacle. The stream pours out of a rock as if under high pressure and flows over moss-covered stones through the deciduous forest. The water plunges into a ravine 300 m further in order to then continue leisurely towards Warmbad. The name corresponds to the Slovenian word for source and refers to the former Slavic settlement of the area.

Napoleonswiese

The name goes back to the years 1809 to 1813, when the area was part of the Illyrian provinces of Napoleon and the French emperor wanted to create a park here. Today, the extensive lean meadow with scattered groups of trees is an important habitat for butterflies and other insects, but also for songbirds, whose songs fill the air in spring. On the north side is one of the largest burial mounds in the Eastern Alps. It dates from the Hallstatt period and has been completely looted over the centuries. Only the gentle hills, once the burial places of elevated people, have been preserved.

Warmbaderhof

The hotel looks back on a long history and has undergone numerous metamorphoses over the centuries. Demanding guests get their money's worth, but travelers with smaller wallets are also recommended to visit. In the halls and extensive corridors, old engravings, paintings and historical photographs testify to the glamorous past of the resort; a few legacies of the Romans can also be visited. But the most beautiful place is the historical thermal bath with its light wooden vault and the natural gravel bottom, from which the water enriched with noble gases continuously bubbles and renews itself every three hours. The south wall is adorned with valuable marble inlays by the surrealist painter Franz Rogler from 1959.

Highest point
575 m
Endpoint

The train station Villach-Warmbad

Height profile

Equipment

Raincoat, good walking shoes ,water ,camera etc.

Tips

 You can also book your accommodation online at: www.visitvillach.at

Additional information

 Region Villach Tourism

 +43 4242 42000

 www.visitvillach.at/en

 


Directions

Please take the exit " Arnoldstein " on the A2 motorway towards Italy.

Public transportation

Arnoldstein is best reached by bus from Villach bus station.

Click here for timetable information.

Click here for the Carinthia train station shuttle.


Author
The tour Dobratsch Circuit - Stage 4 is used by outdooractive.com provided.

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