Liesch in the Gitschtal: Hiking and Discoveries

Liesch lies in the Gitschtal valley, on the level terraces of the rock formations, at an altitude of around 750 metres. In the municipality of Gitschtal, the options range from alpine pasture and mountain hikes to traces of ore mining, farm golf and an adventure outdoor pool. When choosing a holiday apartment in Liesch, you can consider whether mountain tours, regional history or leisure activities should be the main focus of your stay.

Hiking between alpine pastures and mountain peaks

A hiking trail network spanning around 200 kilometres is available in the municipality of Gitschtal. Mountain hikes range from family-friendly tours to the surrounding alpine pastures, most of which are managed, to challenging tours up Golz (2,004 m) and Sattelnock (2,033 m), as well as a demanding alpine tour on Reißkofel. This offers a choice of different types of routes: family-friendly hikes to alpine pastures, challenging mountain destinations and a demanding alpine adventure. Check local information about the trail network before setting out on a specific hike. Cross-country skiing facilities are also available in the municipality.

Nature trail and mining history

The Gösseringgraben nature trail is one of the hiking options in the municipality. The Gösseringgraben is also home to relics from the era of ore mining, along with brief explanations of ore processing. This gives the gorge a distinctive focus beyond its mountain tours: alongside enjoying nature, visitors can learn about local mining history. For travellers interested in regional history, this offers a different focus from a summit destination such as Golz or Sattelnock.

Leisure activities and a regular event in October

The municipality has farm golf, with holes themed around rural life and agricultural equipment. The Gitschtal adventure outdoor pool is right next to the farm golf course. This puts farm-themed golf holes and an outdoor pool side by side. Check the pool’s opening dates and operating conditions before visiting.

The “Gitsch Valley Cabbage Festival” takes place in the municipality of Gitschtal on the first Sunday in October. If the festival is relevant to your travel plans, check the exact event date before planning your trip around it.

More regional routes and cultural themes

In the wider area around Liesch, the “Weg durchs Schilf” Slow Trail runs around Lake Pressegger See. The easy hike is around six kilometres long, takes at least 1.5 hours and has four stations. This sets it apart from the mountain tours in the municipality: its length, minimum duration and stations are specified, whereas the Gitschtal mountain hikes are distinguished, among other things, by their summit destinations and varying levels of difficulty.

Also in the wider region, Möderndorf Castle near Hermagor houses the Gailtal Local History Museum. It contains more than 5,000 artefacts from the Georg Essl collection, covering palaeontology, archaeology, and regional folk and everyday culture. The collection offers a distinct cultural focus alongside the nature and mining themes of the Gösseringgraben.

In the wider region, a Slow Food Travel experience at Hotel Schloss Lerchenhof combines Castellovino, Wurzelspeck and Heuspeck for €45, with guests joining in the seasoning and smoking. The castle owner and the Gailtal bacon master take part, while alpine cultural heritage is also preserved. Before making specific plans, check whether the experience is available on your travel dates.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Reisach, Jenig, Lesachtal, Gitschtal, Liesing, Weißbriach, Maria Luggau, Görtschach

Back to the main travel overview: Hermagor.