Pörtschach - Bannwaldtour

The start is at the tourist information and the route first leads along the main road in the direction of Velden. After about 150 m - immediately after Leonstain Castle - turn right. Go under the railroad underpass and follow well-marked side roads to the north. After a few 100 m Seeburger Weg joins the somewhat larger Moosburger Straße. From this road, however, turn right again after about 50 m at a Kelag house. Go under the freeway underpass and past the Pörtschach district heating plant to reach the barrier of a forest road. You can drive around this to the left and then the route goes up for just under 3 km and 250 hm on a well-built forest road. The average gradient is therefore less than 10%. At all descents there are directional arrows, so that orientation is very easy. After the end of the forest road, the route continues for a few 100 m and a few meters of altitude on a hiking trail to the highest point of the route, just below the Bannwaldhöhe at 711 m above sea level. There, in June and July, extensive blackberry fields invite you to take a culinary rest.

From the Bannwaldhöhe the route leads well marked to the left - towards the south. A few 100 m and approx. 100 hm of wonderfully rideable single trails follow, interrupted only once by approx. 20 m of forest road. You have the impression that the bends were built especially for this trail. These are ancient hollow trails that were just waiting to be revived as mountain bike trails.

Back on the forest road, you share the route for about 1 km with the Wörthersee Rundwanderweg. On this section, you pass a magnificent vantage point directly above the rural hamlet of Winklern, which is called "Kate" by the locals. The view sweeps across the meadows and fields, over Lake Wörthersee to Maria Wörth and up to the rugged peaks of the Karawanken.

At the end of the forest road there is again a barrier, which can be easily bypassed on the left. Although the barrier is located after a long straight and is easy to see, caution is advised. Then, after a 180° bend, you come across the Gaißrückenstraße, which leads us in a hearty descent to the Winklern district. In this idyllic natural setting, you will find the Brockhof with a wonderful wine tavern and the Zocklwirt, which is known for its good home cooking.

Whether freshly strengthened or still hungry, the route leads well marked over asphalted side roads (Gaißrückenstraße - Tscheberweg - Karawankenblickstraße - Moosburger Straße) down to the center of town, where the circle closes at Monte Carlo Platz.

It is not recommended to ride the route in the opposite direction. One loses the wonderful single trails in the downhill passages and uphill they would probably have to be pushed by most bikers. Therefore, the Bannwaldtour was marked only in the described direction.