Oppenberg: Hiking, Pilgrimage and Nature in the Valley

Oppenberg combines a spacious valley floor, trails into the Rottenmann Tauern and a pilgrimage church steeped in tradition. Those looking for a mix of nature, outdoor activity, regional cuisine and discoveries related to church history during their holiday will find a variety of ideas for planning their days here. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can consider whether your trip should focus more on hiking, pilgrimage or peaceful sightseeing.

Natural Landscape in the Oppenberg Moor

The Oppenberg Moor nature reserve is located in a spacious valley floor west of the Rottenmann Tauern, in the municipality of Oppenberg. This gives the village a distinct landscape character: The valley offers a different kind of mountain experience from the higher-altitude routes. You can first take in nature in the open landscape and then plan more demanding activities along trails towards the surrounding mountains.

Parish Church and Pilgrimage

Oppenberg Parish Church was first mentioned in official documents in 1403. It was originally a Romanesque church before undergoing fundamental structural changes in the 15th century. The southern side chapel contains a Gothic shrine group depicting the Adoration of the Magi, dating from around 1490.

Oppenberg is also documented as a pilgrimage destination. The pilgrimage on foot from Irdning and Donnersbach to Oppenberg has been documented since 1403. The pilgrimage in Oppenberg takes place annually from 13 May to 13 September. The Rosary prayer begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Schattnerhof. The patronal feast of the Nativity of Mary is celebrated every year on 8 September. Those interested in religious traditions can take these dates into account when planning their trip and arrange their stay accordingly.

Hikes with Different Focal Points

Oppenberg offers several specific destinations for walks and hikes. The Gewürzalm Route leads across meadows and through the forest to the Gewürzalm Hut. Another hike leads to the Seekoppe. The Hochgrössen–Seekoppe circular tour is also signposted as a marked route. It leads downhill to Oppenberg via a mountain trail; afterwards, around 2 km must be covered along the road back to the car. This detail is important for planning the day because the tour does not end upon reaching the village.

The hike to the Schüttkogel is distinctly more alpine. It leads via a partly demanding ridge hike and a steep summit slope to a scenic peak over 2,000 metres high in the Rottenmann Tauern. This gives you a choice between a route across meadows and through the forest, a hike to the Seekoppe and a tour featuring a ridge and summit section. This range of options is useful for groups with different interests: Not every day of a holiday has to have the same character.

Accommodation and Regional Cuisine

When looking for accommodation in Oppenberg, it is worth using your planned activities as a guide. For hiking days, the routes mentioned above and the car park at the Wirtshaus Schaffer are important points for planning your day. For a culturally focused stay, on the other hand, the parish church, its history and the pilgrimage take centre stage. At the Alpengasthof Grobbauer in Oppenberg, regional ingredients are used and classic Styrian dishes are served. This adds a culinary dimension to your trip and makes regional cuisine a discovery in its own right.

Further destinations for orientation: Altenmarkt, Puchen, Bad Mitterndorf, Sankt Nikolai Im Sölktal, Gößl, Trieben, Furrach, Wildalpen.

For the higher-level travel overview: Liezen.