Category: Views

Hochosterwitz Castle

By Wolfgang Gärtner

On April 5, 2021

In Outdoors, Views

Short Facts:

Duration of the journey from Chalet Bjoerk:
about 45 minutes (around 45 km)

Recommended Equipment:
comfortable shoes

Location & History

Hochosterwitz Castle is one of Austria’s most impressive medieval castles. It is on a 172-metre high dolomite rock near Sankt Georgen am Längsee, east of the town of Sankt Veit an der Glan in Carinthia. The rock castle is one of the state’s landmarks and a major tourist attraction. You can see it from a distance of up to 30 km on a clear day.

The Beginnings

Louis the German first mentioned the rock in 860 in a deed donating several of his properties to Salzburg’s Archdiocese. The stronghold got the name ‘Astarwiza’, its name being of Slavic origin. It remained a Salzburg possession until the 11th century.

In his book Change, the Austro-American psychologist Paul Watzlawick (1921–2007) renders a popular tale of the castle’s siege by Countess Margaret of Tyrol (Margarethe Maultasch). According to legend first noted by the medieval chronicler Jakob Unrest and later by Jacob Grimm, Margaret, invaded the duchy. However, her forces were deceived and withdrawn when the garrison of Hochosterwitz slaughtered its last ox, filled it with corn, and threw it over the wall, pretending it still had so many provisions in stock that they could be used as projectiles. The tale is a common topic in the Eastern Alpine region, and it is known in many variations, with different characters.

In the 15th century, the Turks captured the last Carinthian cup-bearer, Georg of Osterwitz, who died in 1476 in prison without leaving descendants. Hans of Osterwitz was the last remaining survivor of the family. He had a substantial debt owing to the Emperor and gave up the castle’s deeds to pay his debts. After four centuries, on 30 May 1478, the castle’s possession reverted to the Habsburg emperor Frederick III.

Khevenhüller Family Owns the Castle since the 16th Century

Numerous Turkish campaigns damaged the castle badly over the next 30 years. On 5 October 1509, Emperor Maximilian I handed the castle a pledge to Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg, then Bishop of Gurk. Bishop Lang undertook a substantial renovation project for the damaged castle. About 1541, German king Ferdinand I of Habsburg bestowed Hochosterwitz upon the Carinthian governor Christof Khevenhüller. In 1571, Baron George Khevenhüller acquired the citadel by purchase. He fortified it to deal with the threat of Turkish invasions of the region, building an armoury and 14 gates between 1570 and 1586. Such massive fortification is considered unique in citadel construction. Because of the 14 gates, each equipped with different treacherous methods of guarding the path, local legend maintains that the castle has never been conquered and that none of the attacks managed to get beyond the fourth (Engelstor) gate.

Since the 16th century, Hochosterwitz remained basically unchanged. It has also remained in possession of the Khevenhüller family as requested by the original builder, George Khevenhüller. A marble plaque dating from 1576 in the castle yard documents this request.

Tourists can walk the 620-metre long pathway through the 14 gates up to the castle; each gate has a diagram of the defence mechanism used to seal that particular gate. The castle rooms hold a collection of prehistoric artefacts, paintings, weapons, and armour, including one armour 2.4 metres tall, once worn by Burghauptmann Schenk.

General Info

You can check admission prices from this page.
8 people can reach the stronghold via a riser height of 105 meters and a journey time of 95 seconds. Thus, the visit of the castle Hochosterwitz for older and disabled people made this possible. Approximately 1 million people have utilized the line since its commissioning.

The Villach Alpine Road up to the Dobratsch

By Wolfgang Gärtner

On March 30, 2021

In Outdoors, Views

Short Facts:

Duration of the journey from Chalet Bjoerk:
about 50 minutes (around 40km) via Villach and the Villach Alpine Road to the parking place P10 on the Rosstratten (toll needs to be paid – you can check prices here).

Recommended Equipment:
good walking shoes or mountain boots if you plan to go hiking, water bottle, binoculars.

The Dobratsch

Since 80% of Villach’s the drinking water comes from the mountain, the protection of this water has top priority. For this reason, ski lifts were dismantled, enhancing a more gentle way of tourism. Today the hikers enjoy the summer. In the winter, the ski tourers love the local mountain of Villach, which is now a natural and water protection area of extraordinary importance.

The Villach Alpine Road

The well-developed road is 16.5 km long. It covers 1,200 altitude metres and offers spectacular views of Villach and its surrounding mountains and lakes. The mountain road is one of a total of five premium alpine roads in Austria. Start your driving fun in Villach-Möltschach, where the pay desk is to be found. First, quickly ascend via several turns passing the Alpen Arena with the ski-jumping facilities before the road opens far-reaching views of Villach, the Julian Alps and the Karawanks. Now follow the brim of the striking ridge on the wide road until it leads to the final destination, Rosstratte, with views of the Dobratsch summit beyond the timberline across alpine meadows.

View of Villach – skiing resort Gerlitze in the background

10 parking lots give you the chance to stop and enjoy the many highlights along the mountain road:

P0: Arena Lookout Platform
Curve 2: View of the ski jump (also during the summer).

P2 View of the city and lakes, 862 m
Stunning panoramic view of Villach.

P4 View of the Schütt, 1.020 m
Impressive view of the “Schütt” landslide area, view of the Julian Alps and Karawanks.

P6 Alpine garden, 1.483 m
Nearly 800 alpine plants from three climatic zones. Extra admission; open daily from the beginning of June to the end of August (time required: approx. 1 hour).

P6 “Red Wall” observation platform
Stunning view 400 m into the deep rock face with a clear view of the Karawanks and the Julian Alps.

P1o Rosstratte, 1.732 m
Panoramic view over most of Carinthia, the “Sun trails!” observation station, relaxing deck chairs, large adventure playground, Rosstrattenstüberl restaurant and “From the Ocean to the Mountain” geology trail. In the mornings, chamois can often be observed in the wild from the newly-built Chamois & Outlook Platform after a short 20-minute walk on the panorama trail to the summit.

Hiking on the Dobratsch

Numerous hiking trails run across the Dobratsch. Allow us to introduce you to the most beautiful routes on Carinthia’s striking alpenstock. Choose among easy family hikes, high-altitude hikes with great views, educational trails and round tours.
Two very different hiking trails lead from the Rosstratte car park to the summit of the Dobratsch. While the meadow path is also suitable for untrained mountain walkers, the Jägersteig is recommended for sure-footed and experienced hikers.
• Route 1 “easy” across the Elfernock to the German and the Wendish church
Length 8.2 km | walking time 3 hours (there and back) | altitude metres 424 Hiking trail number 291 leads from the Rosstratte car park up to the summit of the Dobratsch at 2,167 m above sea level on an easily manageable route. Stop option: Dobratsch summit house. Tip: visit the two highest pilgrimage churches in the Eastern Alps!
• Route 2 “sure-footed” across the Jägersteig to the Dobratsch summit: Length 4.3 km | walking time 3 hours | altitude metres 434
The Jägersteig also starts at the Rosstratte car park. First follow the tarmacked roadway past the Rosstrattenstüberl, then the gravel path. The narrow Jägersteig branches off at the first sharp right turn. It constantly runs up and down, with exposed and steep spots in places, and affords great views of the Gailtal and the Julian Alps. Reach the summit cross via the Dobratsch summit house.

Alpengarten Dobratsch

The 1.2-hectare site between the Villach Alpine Road and the brim of the Schütt is located only a few steps from car park P6. The site is open to visitors from early June to late August. Admission is affordable – not least because many volunteers nurture and cultivate the garden. The biodiversity of the alpine flora is particularly abundant, thanks to Carinthia’s location. The province is located at the intersection of several flora zones: arctic-alpine, central-European, Illyrian, sub-Mediterranean and sub-Pannonian plants. Numerous species also represent alpine limestone flora. Plants diligently arranged in 27 plant quarters can be easily identified due to meticulously placed name tags by volunteers! Marvel at early flowering plants in June, see the colourful main flowering from late June to mid-July and the tail forb blossoms with numerous late flowerings in August. Tip: take a look at the special features, such as the Wulfenia (native exclusively to Carinthia!), Austrian kidney-vetch and various types of lilies. If you’d take a piece of the Alpengarten back home, then feel free: seeds and seedlings are given away for a donation.

“Red Wall” Observation Platform

The Dobratsch owes its distinctive form to the two greatest landslides in the eastern Alps. Large parts of the unstable south side of the mountain crashed into the valley in 1348 due to an earthquake, releasing a total of 530 million cubic meters of rock over an area of 12 kilometres from the southern flank of the Dobratsch. As a result, the Gail River was dammed up, large parts of the valley area were flooded, and subsequently re-landed by Gail’s boulder. Today the so-called “Schütt” is a nature reserve with a special fauna and flora.

Daytrip to the Beautiful Soca Valley in Slovenia

By Wolfgang Gärtner

On March 29, 2021

In Outdoors, Views

Looking into the beautiful Soca Valley in Slovenia

Short Facts:

Duration of the journey from Chalet Bjoerk:
Round trip Chalet Bjoerk – Wurzenpass – Kranjska Gora – Vršič Pass – Soca Valley – Predil Pass – Tarvisio – Chalet Bjoerk can take up to a full day if you take a couple of stops. The driving distance is around 160km.

Recommended Equipment:
good walking shoes, binoculars, passport

This round trip will take you to Slovenia and Austria, provide you with beautiful views, and take you back in time.

The first part of the trip from Lake Ossiach to Vršič Pass
Starting from Chalet Bjoerk, you’ll take the winding road up the Wurzenpass to cross over to Slovenia. After you have passed the skiing village of Kranjska Gora, the winding road to the Vrsic mountain pass provides stunning views of the Julian Alps. The road through the pass rises from Kranjska Gora in a series of 50 hairpin bends, traverses the top of the Vršič Pass, and descends into the Soča Valley. The upper elevations of the road are rendered impassable by heavy snowfall during much of winter. The Isonzo Front of World War I greatly improved the road in late 1915, and it was originally named after Archduke Eugen of Austria-Hungary. The current name, Russian Road (Ruska cesta), refers to the approximately ten thousand Russian prisoners of war used as labourers in the 1915 construction. On the north side of the pass, just off the main road, at an elevation of around 1,200 m, a Russian Orthodox chapel built by the Russian POWs to commemorate their about 380 comrades who died the road construction. The Vršič Pass is the highest mountain crossing in Slovenia and the highest in the Eastern Julian Alps.

From Vršič Pass to Predil Pass
26 hair bin bends take you down to the beautiful Soca valley. Along the road, you will be able to see remnants of the First World War. The valley was the stage of major military operations, including the twelve battles of the Isonzo on the Italian front in World War I between May 1915 and November 1917.
Due to its emerald-green water, the river is marketed as “The Emerald Beauty.” It is said to be one of the rare rivers in the world that retain such a colour throughout its length. The river’s course invites you repeatedly to park your car and take a few steps through the valley. For fishers of particular interest is the Soča Trout, which attracts fishers from all over the world. The marble trout is found in only a handful of drainages and rivers of the Adriatic basin.
Following road 203 from Bovec to the north, you will arrive at the Kluže Fort. In the 15th century, it was a wooden fortification intended to prevent Turkish invasions in Carinthia. Later on, a stone fortification was built, defended by Austrian soldiers from Napoleon Bonaparte’s military in the 18th century. The fort obtained its modern view in the 19th century, while in the 20th century, it played an important role on the Isonzo Front. The Fort Hermann on the Mt. Rombon was built to support the Kluže Fort between 1897 and 1900. You can reach Fort Hermann by foot, from the Kluže Fort, on a wide marked route, carved into a rocky slope, through a 100 m long illuminated stone tunnel and then on the left path climbs the Rombon. The walk to the fort takes a little less than half an hour. Via the Predil Pass, you will cross over from Slovenia to Italy.

Lago del Predil
Following the road down from the mountain pass, you will reach a beautiful lake at the foot of the mountain – Lago del Predil. Due to its picturesque setting beneath the Kanin massif, it is worth taking a break.
For centuries, the southern border of the Imperial Duchy of Carinthia with the Venetian Domini di Terraferma ran along the nearby mountain crests of Predil Pass and Sella Nevea. After the Venetian territory’s loss to the Kingdom of Italy in 1866, the Austro-Hungarian Army from 1885 to 1887 had a fortress erected on the lakeside to protect the road down to Tarvisio. In World War I, the fort was badly damaged during the Battles of the Isonzo on the Italian Front. Some ruins are preserved and accessible to the public. On the way to Tarvisio, you will pass the village of Cave del Predil, which was once famous for the lead and zinc mines.

Tarvisio
Located at the border with Austria and Slovenia, Tarvisio and its neighbouring municipalities of Arnoldstein and Kranjska Gora form the Romance, Germanic and Slavic Europe’s tripoint. As a former component of the Austrian Empire, until 1918, the town was overwhelmingly German- and Slovenian-speaking, as was the rest of the Canal Valley. Today the municipality speaks mostly Italian. For decades, Tarvisio benefited economically from people coming from Austria and Yugoslavia for shopping trips. However, trade at the notorious “Rag Market” diminished after the establishment of the Eurozone. Today, tourism and winter sports in the Karawanks, the Carnic Alps, and the Julian Alps have become important industries.

Using either the motorway (A23) or road SS13 (B83), you will get back to Villach and subsequently to Chalet Bjoerk.