To the wishing tree on the Kathreinkogel

When in autumn the trees around Lake Wörthersee become colourful and the sun with its fading rays dips the shore in a rich orange, then the Wanderherbst at Lake Wörthersee has begun!

Dozens of easy hiking routes in the Wörthersee region invite you to take a leisurely walk or a leisurely hike in Indian summer, because hiking in Carinthia is simply at its most beautiful in autumn.

And the hike up the Kathreinkogel near Schiefling (6 km from Velden) is something very special. Because the 772m high Kathreinkogel is not only a place steeped in history with settlements dating back to the Neolithic Age. On its top you will also find Austria's only wishing tree, where visitors write their small and big wishes on wooden boards and hang them on the tree. So that the wind carries them out into the world full of hope and all the warmth of heart of their creators...

It's an easy, peaceful hike

From the former Kreuzwirt inn, the tour takes about 1 hour to the Kathreinkogel. In autumn, the meadows exposed to the south are still green for a very long time and make you feel a little nostalgic about last summer. However, if you enter the wonderfully colourful beech forest after about 15 minutes, the melancholy fades away as quickly as it came. In early autumn the trees present themselves in a splendid, reddish colour dress. And in late autumn, the fallen leaves transform the forest floor and footpath into a rustling sea that you simply walk across.

At the summit of the Kathreinkogel, not only an old church and archaeological excavations await you, but also Austria's only wishing tree.

Prepare your very personal wish at home. Please bring a small wooden plaque with a suitable string and simply hang it on the tree. The wind will carry your heart's desire out into the world, where it may come true!

Stop for a moment on the bench at the adjacent vantage point, enjoy the view and take a lot of strength from this wonderful place.