Drau cycle path stage 4: Villach-Ferlach/Rosental

From Villach to Rosegg: Now you cycle downstream on the left bank of the Drau, passing the baroque pilgrimage church Hl. Kreuz. Before Magdalener Straße, you pass the central cemetery. Be careful to always keep right here. About 1 km behind the motorway bridge lies Lake Silbersee, where the route also splits. The route mostly follows the Drau bank and passes Wernberg Castle on the way to St. Ulrich, where you have to go around a campsite. Then continue under the motorway and parallel to the railway embankment to Dragnitz and Goritschach. Here you have the opportunity to make a detour to the nearby Lake Faak, circle the lake, or jump into the lake. To do this, instead of cycling under the bridge, turn left shortly before it.
The Drau cycle path itself takes you under the bridge, straight ahead to the power plant. Here you leave the Drau towards Emmersdorf and St. Lamprecht. A loop then leads you up to the Velden-Rosegg road. From the bridge, you can already see Rosegg Castle.

Rosegg: Upon reaching Rosegg, turn left before the church and cycle past Lichtenstein Castle. At the end of the avenue lies the village of Duel. Here the road bends to the left. Immediately afterward, you must turn right. All animal lovers should take time for a visit to the Rosegg animal park.
If you don't want to visit the animal park, keep right at all times. The route leads to Frög, past Hallstatt-era archaeological sites. Since these sites were unfortunately flooded by the Drau, the route turns right and circles the hill. At the next fork, turn right, cycle along the federal road, then turn left into the forest at the next opportunity. Continue over a bridge spanning the Drau canal, downstream to the next power plant.

Mühlbach: After Mühlbach the route returns to the bank of the Drau until you reach the idyllic village of Dreilach. Caution: here a wayside shrine marks the intersection where you must turn to Längdorf. Once you see the first farms, turn left towards Längdorf.

St. Jakob im Rosental: Through Längdorf, an asphalt path leads across the fields back to the Drau. At the first houses in Feistritz, the path bends right, then immediately left down to the gravelly bed of the Rosenbach. Keep left and then continue on the right bank of the Drau. Now the Drau widens into a reservoir.

Feistritz im Rosental: At the mouth of the Große Dürrebach, the route leaves the Drau. After a small bridge, turn left into St. Oswald, passing a chapel. The cycle path initially turns away from the Drau, passes under a road bridge, and shortly afterwards returns to the Drau. Always stay on the path parallel to the road. Continue through the holiday village Wahaha (former nature experience village Rosental). Now the scale of the dammed Drau becomes really clear. Stop and enjoy.
After about 3 km, you reach another power plant and then cycle on to a small bridge. Tip: A detour to the Alte Schmiede or the Krampus House in Suetschach is worthwhile.

From Weizelsdorf to Ferlach: From the small bridge, go straight along the dike of the Ferlach reservoir. After almost 7 km, you have to avoid the pillars of the railway bridge. Nearby is Weizeldorf station, from where you can also return to Klagenfurt or, with transfers, to Villach. About 500 m later, go under the connecting road Klagenfurt-Loiblpass beneath the Hollenburger Bridge. Immediately turn right, then left, after about 200 m turn right over a bridge into Kirschentheuer with the Carnica bee experience museum. Back on the Drau cycle path along the discharge channel past the Reßnig bathing beach to the Ferlach power plant. If you go left over the power plant, you reach Klagenfurt via the R7 through Maria Rain.

Ferlach: If you keep right at the power plant and go over the hill, you reach the center of Ferlach directly on the R7, known worldwide for hunting weapon manufacturing, the gunsmith and hunting museum with its castle park, the "Historama" museum of technology and transport, and St. Martin's Church invite you to linger.