Hiking Lakes and Mountains in the Tirol

Austria’s Tirol region is a hiking paradise with thousands of kilometres of signposted trails to head out on to (24,000 km of 15,000 miles to be exact!).

There are routes for all ability levels, from the complete novice – who have the option of hiring a guide or joining a guided group – to the experienced, super-fit, fully kitted-up hiker.

Most local tourist offices in Tirol have hiking maps, often freely available, and plenty of helpful advice.  Some also have hi tec aps that can help guide you on your route.

Recommended routes to meet you taste are generally colour coded and longer, multi-day, hiking routes can be tackled in sections or even part sections.

And, if you’d like a little assistance, many resorts in Tirol offer their chair and gondola lifts to get you up to the top of a downhill hike, and if you want to hike from village to village but travel light, baggage transportation services can move your suitcase for you whilst you wander with a small backpack carting just the essentials.

Finally, it has never been easier to get hiking in Tirol. A new BA service from London Heathrow to Innsbruck, at the heart of the Tirol, means you can be in  your hiking boots and out on the trail just a few hours after leaving home in the UK.

Altitude Hikes

The Zillertal region has a remarkable 1,400 kilometres (875 miles!) of hiking trails, some of which you can access using one of 10 cable cars in the valley that operate in the summer.

Many of the hiking routes are of easy or moderate challenge, but one, the ‘Peter Habeler Route’, is much more testing.

Habeler was born in Mayrhofen and in 1978 he and the Italian climber Reinhold Messner became the first people in the world to conquer Everest without bottled oxygen. The 56.1 km path was created to honour his 70th birthday. The route circumnavigates the peaks of the western Zillertal, crossing through awe-inspiring high mountain landscapes along the way. Divided into six stages, the entire route involves a heart-thumping 4,230m of ascent — and with a predicted walking time of 25.5 hours, it usually takes hikers four to five days to complete. There are six traditional mountain huts dotted along the route, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get some well-deserved rest and fill up on tasty local cuisine.

The hike traditionally starts and ends at Olperer Hut, above the mountaineering village of Ginzling, and can be walked in either direction. If you’re short on time, you can also just walk a section or two, with plenty of access points along the route making it easy to reach from all directions. Either way, you’ll experience a taste of the mountain lakes, glaciated terrain and rocky landscapes that make the Zillertal an outstanding destination for hardy hikers.

Sunrise Hikes

One of the most amazing things you can experience when in the mountains is sunrise from the top of a mountain.  The problem is you usually either need to hike all night to be up there at the right time, or you need to stay at the top.

But there is another option in Alpbach, located in the Alpbachtal valley, at the foot of the 1,898 metres high Gratspitz mountain.  Depending on when you visit this summer the natural wonder of a mountain  top sunrise can be witnessed between 5:30am and 7am and here you can take a gondola lift up (the lifts start running between 4 am and 5:30 am accordingly) to see it.

The sunrise hike begins at the Wiedersberghorn mountain (2,127 metres high) and you can also enjoy a wholesome breakfast after seeing the sun come up at Gasthof Hornboden, then start your hike down. The walking tour costs from €10 pp and walkers must register their interest at the Alpbachtal Seenland Tourist Office the day before.

All in all the region offers more than 900 kilometres (575 miles) of hiking trails and graded paths for eager walkers. Climb the Wiedersbergerhorn, venture across the Tiefenbach Gorge, or explore the family-friendly routes along the winding Brandenberg River.

Herbal Hikes

Eight characterful villages form the traditional Zugspitz Arena, located around Germany’s highest peak at 2,962 metres.

From meandering gentle routes to sweeping rocky peaks, the region offers more than 150 hikes for all abilities, many of which are guided: from sunrise to sunset tours to orchid or herbal hikes where you can find out about and sample herbs and wild seasonings as you pass reflective mountain lakes, cascading waterfalls and lush, green pastures.

Make time for the walk from Berwang to Weißenbach, via the Lech River: the path takes in plunging canyons, sparkling reservoirs and charming residential areas. The 12 km trek takes just under three hours and reaches an altitude of 1,342 metres. During the summer, the villages of the Zugspitz Arena offer different guided tours for free, for all visitors with a guest card.

Hike for 24 Hours

Apart from hiking routes that are there all the time, there are lots of hiking and walking events in Tirol each summer too.

The kitzalp24 that runs from the village of Auffach from the 15^th to 16^th July is just one example.

This scenic 24-Hour Walk takes you across Wildschönau, escorted by a team of experienced mountain guides, through sceneries of awesome natural beauty and along glorious and lofty summits and peaks.

The walk departs 9am from the base of Schatzbergbahn in Auffach amnd is regarded as something of a race for experienced mountain athletes willing to test the limits of their resolve, mastering a vertical elevation change of 3,000 metres over a 50k course of rugged and aesthetic beauty among lofty peaks and summits, valleys and canyons and bountiful wildlife and plant life.

But for everyone else it’s a more leisurely, fully supported walk with certified hiking guides and rest stops en route.

British Airways is offering a new direct service from London Heathrow to Innsbruck Airport, from which most destinations are just minutes away with efficient, short transfers. ba.com/innsbruck 

For more information visit www.visittirol.co.uk

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