ST17 AAT: Bad Kleinkirchheim - Arriach

The trail starts from the tourist information office in Bad Kleinkirchheim and initially leads through the Kurpark, through the Sensory Water Park and past the Maibrunnbahn chairlift, following hiking trail 1 and for some of the time the road as far as the Waldtratte (1,380 metres). This is also the location of the middle station of the Kaiserburgbahn cable car. Still following hiking trail 1, and again for some of the time going along the road or the hiking trail, the route leads via the Rossalmhütte lodge onto the Kaiserburg (2,055 metres) (also the mountain station of the Kaiserburgbahn). The hiking trail firstly leads through the fields and lush green meadows in Bad Kleinkirchheim, then continues through first a spruce forest and then a light larch forest to the Rossalmhütte lodge, where it changes to open Alpine meadows. A little way above the Kaiserburgbahn mountain station you come to the intersection of the three districts of Spittal an der Drau , Villach-Land and Feldkirchen . From here the route follows the long-distance hiking trails 109 (the “Salzsteigweg”) and the “Weg des Buches”, which cross Austria from north to south. After a short hike following a hill path or trail you will effortlessly reach the mighty summit of the Wöllaner Nock (2,145 metres), where you can enjoy the glorious all-round view of the entire province of Carinthia . From here you can either follow trail 109 towards the Walderhütte lodge or hike along summit trail 164 in the direction of the Vorderer Wöllaner Nock (2,090 metres), on which you will catch sight of the village of Arriach (the municipality which is the central point of Carinthia) for the first time. Following trail 164 you will come in a short time to a distinctive point, the “Plagrast” at approximately 1,760 metres above sea level. Once you have got here, you can choose between making a short detour to the nearby Geigerhütte lodge, going to the “Plagrastplatz” resting place , or following trail 109 from here along the road again going southwards until you reach the turnoff for the central point of Carinthia (information board). From here the Alpe Adria Trail separates from trail 109 and you will follow the Mittelpunktweg trail (road) to the geographical centre of Carinthia , where you will have an opportunity of sending a photo to your nearest and dearest back home via the webcam. Continuing to follow the road you first reach a fountain with crystal clear, dextrorotatory drinking water, and then after a few minutes’ walk the panoramic rest area and the farms of the small village of Laastadt . From here you follow the information signs on the Hofwanderweg (farm hiking trail) across very attractive meadows and forest paths as far as the first houses of the village of Berg ob Arriach. Here you will also catch sight of the largest evangelical church in Carinthia , and after a few minutes’ walk along the village road you will come to the centre of Arriach.

Places to eat: Waldtratte, Bergrestaurant Kaiserburg and Geigerhütte.