Rail & Trail "On the trail of the fascination of the Rose Valley"

The hike starts at Weizelsdorf railroad station in the rural plain of the Rosental valley. After a short settlement area, we walk through dense riparian forests to the banks of the Drau. This is where the incomparable natural idyll of the Ferlach reservoir begins: we continue along the high, largely tree-lined embankment. The wide expanse of water, steeper on the north bank with mixed forest interspersed with rocks, views to the south over wide alluvial forest areas into the Karawanken mountains - a special kind of landscape experience! Hollenburg Castle, once the center of power in the Rosental valley, towers above the valley and marks the halfway point of the riverside trail. Afterwards, views open up of the Maria Saal pilgrimage church and the world-famous gunsmith town of Ferlach. We change banks via the Ferlach-Maria Rain power station. Now the rustic, partly rocky mixed mountain forest of the Sattnitz ridge is a delight. Wide serpentines allow you to conquer the steep flank at a leisurely pace. As we emerge from the atmospheric forest, we reach the Kaiserhütte viewing platform - the highlight! Summit flair, magnificent views down into the vastness of the Rosental valley ... an insider tip. We take a leisurely stroll through a residential area past the popular Maria Rain pilgrimage church to Maria Rain railroad station. Lively country idyll delights the heart.