Gravelbike Wörthersee T7 | Durch den Süden in den Norden

Additional information

LOST PLACES WORTH SEEING AND INTERESTING STORIES ALONG THE TOUR

Schütte's Tavberna | a u s t o u r l y c u l i n a r i k

Heinz "Schütte" Schüttelkopf is probably the most uncompromising innkeeper in the Rosental. He cooks in his rustic taverna in Feistritz/Rosental himself - in a kitchen without microwave or deep fryer. He sources the fresh products from the immediate "international" surroundings: Carinthia, Slovenia, Italy. The small but fine menu reads accordingly. On Fridays there is freshly caught fish from the Upper Adriatic.

www.tavberna.at

Brechelgrube

In Sala near Feistritz/Rosental, the route leads past a crushed stone pit that was reconstructed in 2009. It is a reminder of the production of flax that once flourished in the area. In the brick oven sunk into the ground, flax stalks were "pre-treated" by heat. To prevent the fire from spreading, these pits were always located at a safe distance from the nearest settlement. The product of the process, the flax fibers, was then processed into linen. The technique was standard in the Alpine region for centuries; today, with few exceptions, the crushing pits have disappeared from the landscape.

Aerial bombing emergency drop

In Rabenberg, a memorial has been set to peace: in the form of a real bomb! It was part of a so-called emergency bombing during the Second World War, exactly on March 16, 1944. An American bomber, which had presumably been damaged by anti-aircraft fire during an attack on Klagenfurt, tried to get rid of excess ballast in order to make it easier to fly south again over the mountains. Two to three (it cannot be reconstructed that precisely) of the bombs dropped over Rabenberg exploded, one did not. The 500-kilo dud of an incendiary and demolition bomb now commemorates the event.

Weizelsdorf station and Historama | a u t h o r t o u r ly

At Weizelsdorf, the route briefly runs parallel to the Rosentalbahn, which is also a kind of lost place. Regular passenger and freight service on the line, which went into operation in 1906, was discontinued in 2016, exactly 110 years later. Nevertheless, one or the other locomotive still steams past here in the truest sense of the word. It then has a nostalgia train from the "Nostalgia Railways in Carinthia" association in tow. The starting point of the trips is always the Weizelsdorf station, 1.2 kilometers away by bike, where the chances of catching a glimpse of historic wagons and/or railcars are correspondingly good.

South of Ferlach, by the way, the association runs the Historama technology museum, which is only open during the summer vacations. On 2200 square meters of exhibition space, historical vehicles of all sizes can be admired, from mopeds to post buses to Count Khevenhüller's flying machine from 1914, which was powered exclusively by muscle power. Tip for a day trip!

https://nostalgiebahn.at/

Sattnitz Conglomerate

From Glainach you have a good view of the Sattnitz, which rises vertically to the north of the Drava River. You've already driven along this mountain range on its northern side near Ebenthal, taken a look inside it at the waterfall in Ebenthal, and finally crossed it over the Zwanzgerberg. The Sattnitz consists of conglomerate rock, as can be seen particularly well at this point. This refers to gravel that was consolidated millions of years ago by a binding agent. In the case of the Sattnitz, it is a cemented river deposit from the Neogene (have fun googling; to dive into the matter, you really have to have time and interest).

Plague cross

At Glainach, the route passes directly by the Plague Cross. It stands on a cemetery that has disappeared. When the plague raged in the area in 1680, the "Gottesacker" (an old word for cemetery) near the church, which had been used until then, quickly became too small to bury the many dead. It was necessary to move here. Incidentally, the typically Austrian "Helf Gott!" (Help God!), which was said (instead of "Gesundheit", for example) when someone sneezed, also dates from the time of the medieval epidemics. An incipient cold could be a symptom of the plague, which is why people wished each other God's help as a preventive measure.

Waterfall and moated castle ruins | a u t o u r ly

In summer, the fine spray around a waterfall acts like a natural air conditioner: it is always a few degrees cooler in the immediate vicinity. In addition, there are the fine aerosols that are formed when the water hits the rocks. Unlike the aerosols mentioned in the Corona pandemic, they have positive (!) effects on lung function and the autonomic nervous system. Waterfalls are therefore a source of strength. And this also applies to the 40-meter-high Ebenthal waterfall (for directions, see above).

The detour pays off not only because of the picturesque surroundings. You constantly have the feeling that a hobbit is about to peek out of one of the many natural caves. In addition, there are two beautiful lost places at the bottom. They are the remains of old water castles, which served the water supply of the surrounding area. One building is even open. Be careful on the way to the waterfall! There is a risk of tripping over one or the other old pipe.

Ebenthal mulberry trees | a u t t o u r l i c h

Only 300 meters from the trail you can admire a rare natural monument for Carinthia: two white mulberry trees. The gnarled and crooked fellows were planted in 1859. They are the last relic of a silkworm breeding once planned here. To raise them, a total of 1000 young plants were shipped across the Persian Gulf to Trieste at that time. Since the construction of the Suez Canal had just begun, the plants had to make the months-long sea journey around Africa. Only just under 100 trees are said to have survived the rigors of the journey and taken root in Ebenthal. Their leaves were to serve as food for the silkworms. However, breeding did not take place, interest in the mulberry trees, which were of little economic value, declined and they were soon cleared except for the two strictly protected specimens today.

The footpath to the mulberry trees begins at the Marterl (Bild- or Heiligenstock) on the mountain road, shortly after you have left the village of Ebenthal and the slope picks up speed. Always keep straight on in a westerly direction and do not turn around immediately after the mulberry trees! If you follow the path here south for another 300 meters, you will come to a truly fabulous lost place: the Ebenthal waterfall and the moated castle ruins.

Kalmusbad

Whoever speaks of "the Sattnitz" in Carinthia can mean two things: the mountain range, which will be discussed here later, or the only outlet of Lake Wörthersee, which has the same name in the vernacular. It is nine kilometers long, begins in the eastern bay of the body of water in Klagenfurt and flows into the Glan River. On most maps, the blue dash can be found under its official name "Glanfurt," but locals have stubbornly called the Wörthersee outflow Sattnitz for centuries. You can even swim in it 500 meters by bike from the route: in the equally legendary and secluded Kalmusbad.

The bathing place and the associated inn, where mainly products from the own agriculture are served on the table, have been a family business since 1932. The name of the bath is derived from the marsh plant calamus, which is native to the Sattnitz/Glanfurt area and to which a variety of healing powers are attributed. It also releases its active ingredients into the water. Bathing here is said to be "mood-lifting", helpful in states of exhaustion and to strengthen blood pressure and nerves.

Minimundus | o u t o u r ly

Around the world in a day - theoretically, you need a rocket to do that. At the Minimundus amusement park in Klagenfurt (450 meters from the track and directly accessible by bike), you can do it on foot. 159 models of landmarks from more than 40 countries stand on the 26,000-square-meter outdoor area. You can stroll past St. Peter's Basilica, the Taj Mahal or the National Library in Mexico City. The attention to detail of the miniatures and the original materials used, such as marble, sandstone, lava basalt and tuff, delight tourists. Minimundus, the little world on Lake Wörthersee, is open from March to November and is one of Carinthia's most popular excursion destinations.

www.minimundus.at

Villa Lido | C u l i n a r i k

Italy meets the Austrian or the Austrian South Lake: The Pizzeria & Trattoria Villa Lido is the first address when it comes to Mediterranean flair on the shores of Lake Wörthersee. The wood-burning oven is "operated" by genuine Italians, and the terrace with a view over the picturesque eastern bay of Lake Wörthersee is considered the most popular open-air meeting place in the Klagenfurt area. Accordingly, you need a lot of luck on a sunny day to get a place on the water. Right next to it is the shipyard of the Wörthersee shipping company, and in the water to the west of the building is a flooded lost place. Poles commemorate the former military swimming school, which burned down in 1932 and was the water sports center on Lake Wörthersee in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

www.villa-lido.at

Hotel Wörthersee

The former Hotel Wörthersee is considered a prime example of the so-called Wörthersee architecture, which is a mix of Art Nouveau and regional romanticism, Baroque and English country house architecture. It was built between 1891 and 1897 according to plans by architect Wilhelm Hess, commissioned by Counts Douglas Thurn-Valsassina and Georg Thurn-Valsassina. The hotel had 50 rooms with 130 beds, and as a special luxury there was electric light from the beginning. However, the heyday of the hostel is long gone. After several changes of ownership, the house stands empty and is increasingly falling into disrepair, although the facade and the roof are listed as historic monuments. No trespassing!

Schrottenburg

It sticks out of the forest like a warning finger in its own cause. Built in 1824, the scrap tower at the western entrance to Klagenfurt has been empty and unsuccessfully for sale for years. The listed building is visibly deteriorating - the lettering "Schrottenburg" has almost completely disappeared from the facade. This was the name of the café at the foot of the tower, which had been closed since 1970 and was famous for its terrace overlooking Lake Wörthersee.

However, the tower never had anything to do with a real castle - except that it is a fortified, but possibly lost, reminder of a long-forgotten chapter of local industrial history. Carinthia was a hotspot for the production of shot. Ammunition was produced by pouring molten lead through a sieve from above in towers specially raised for the purpose. Due to gravity and the appropriate alloys mixed in beforehand, the droplets formed into small balls as they fell freely. As such, they plopped into a cold water bath at the base of the towers to harden.

As a scrap tower, the building was in operation until the end of the 19th century. In 1927, it was converted into a restaurant. Entering the Lost Place is prohibited.

Bunker | a u t t o u r ly

From the Thalerium, it is only a few steps (first toward Lake Wörthersee, then to the left) to the Waldarena Krumpendorf. Events are held regularly on the open-air stage. The unfortunately locked iron door on the stage leads into a bunker from the Second World War. The German Wehrmacht had planned the construction of a "nautical non-commissioned officers' preparatory school" in the area of today's ship landing stage, but only completed the two associated air-raid shelters. The entrances to the second one, also closed, are located on the other side of the path in the hill between Thalerium and the ship landing stage.

Thalerium | a u t t o u r l i c c u l i n a r i k

This eatery 300 bike-meters off the route isn't a lost place - it's been undergoing step-by-step renovations since 2021. When it comes to food, the "inner values" are more important anyway. And in the Thalerium, these consist of a very special mixture: The young chef is Austrian, the young female chef is Thai. Austria meets Asia is also the culinary motto. The menu includes a breakfast with quail eggs as well as Carinthian snacks with products sourced from local farmers and, of course, homemade Thai specialties. Authentic multi-culti at its best!

http://www.thalerium.at/

Töschling Quarry | Climbing Garden

In the disused quarry of Töschling, the so-called Pörtschach marble was extracted. There was a lot of activity here, especially at the beginning of the 16th century, when the city of Klagenfurt was largely rebuilt after a catastrophic fire. Particularly much was needed for the construction of the Klagenfurt Lendhafen, which still exists today. At that time, up to 70 stonemasons were employed in Töschling at the same time. Today, the marble deposit is almost completely exploited; quarrying ceased in the 1970s. The quarry now serves as a climbing garden.

maltatal.rocks