Themed trail Hallstatt Echerntal
"Painters, Writers and Natural Wonders"
First you will see pure nature, wild mountain streams, waterfalls, then the natural wonder of the glacier furnaces, so-called glacier mills. Then we report on people who have come to the Echerntal. Emperors and kings, explorers, hikers and mountaineers, romantic painters, poets, writers, speleologists, hunters and poachers. The starting point for the theme trail is a pavilion called "Babylon" at the end of the asphalted Malerweg, just before the parking lot to the forest road to the Salzberg.
Easy to walk on
The theme trail through the Hallstatt Echern Valley is easy to walk. Preferably with solid shoes. Of course, on slightly worse days, a rain jacket should also be in your luggage. The trail can be walked between April and November. In winter, the themed trail boards are covered in German and English. You can't get lost along the way. The trail is well signposted and is also a circular hiking trail. The hike is marked with the designation "Themenweg" in German. Highlights include the waterfalls and the unique stone glacier garden.
It's ready to go...
Do you already feel like diving into the rich history? No problem! We have compiled texts and pictures of the ten boards for you here. So you can read aloud comfortably or review the story in the evening after the hike. We hope you enjoy the approximately 2-hour exploration tour through the wildly romantic Echern Valley in Hallstatt.
Good to know!
As a service, we have put the texts and pictures for the individual themed trail boards online for you below. So you can read up at any time or find out about the respective topics in advance of the hikes. Of course, you can also print out these texts. To do this, simply use the "Print" option in the browser. For all those who still like it simple: Save the page from your smartphone and use it when hiking on the theme trail through the Echerntal. The welcome in the valley is excellent!
To read: Thematic boards of the trail at a glance
Explorers, painters, men of literature
Hallstatt | Nature trail Echerntal: The unique natural landscape in Hallstatt's valley Echerntal has always fascinated artists and scientists. Let us accompany them on their discoveries!
Witnesses of stone
Rune stone and geology | The traces of Ice Age and considerable rockfalls have coined the natural scenery.
A paradise for artists
The brook Waldbach | The most famous painters of romanticism were already fascinated by Hallstatt's Echerntal and created their great works here.
Lost handcraft
Wooden rakes - glacier pots - stone mills - stone grindery | In former times, even stones were ground at the banks of the brook Waldbach.
Miracles of nature
View on Echerntal | Many beautiful landscapes await the fascinated hiker.
Mysterious traces
Eulenloch (owl hole) | Quite a few rock formations are still a mystery to scientists.
Lost in the snow storm
Waldbachstrub | Adalbert Stifter's coincidental encounter with two children inspired him to write the novella "Bergkristall".
Relicts of Ice Age
Glacier Garden - natural monument | Until 12,000 years ago, the landscape was covered by eternal ice.
A cave of records
With its more than 95 explored kilometres, the cave Hirlatzhöhle in the Dachstein mountains is Austria's longest cave.
A pioneer of the Dachstein mountains
Simony monument | One name is intrinsically tied to the great history of Hallstatt and the Dachstein mountains. The natural scientist Friedrich Simony dedicated his entire life to this landscape.
You might be interested in: More themed trails on offer
Themed trails & Audio Guide Tour
By means of display boards and interactive elements, visitors learn a lot of interesting and useful information about this unique natural and cultural landscape within the UNESCO World Heritage region. Most themed trails can be enjoyed whatever the weather.
Available accommodation for your hiking holiday in the Salzkammergut
Hotels and accommodation providers in Hallstatt, Bad Goisern, Gosau and Obertraun offer the ideal room or apartment for your holidays, no matter what your tastes. Aside from establishments rated according to the international "star" scale, you will also find around Lake Hallstatt in Austria businesses that have been awarded two to four "edelweiss". The more flowers, the greater comforts you can expect. Whether you eventually find your cozy nest in an elegant 5-star luxury hotel, at comfortable guesthouse, a family-friendly apartment, or on a traditional farm, the choice is always entirely up to you.