Sankt Oswald: Between Village Paths and Summit Tours

Sankt Oswald can be explored on foot at different scales: the St. Oswald circular trail takes in the stream and village centre, while mountain tours lead to several named summits. There are also nature experiences on Brunnachhöhe and ski tours on Falkert. You can choose activities based on whether you want to focus on local history, a route with a clearly stated distance or tours with summit destinations.

Village trail between stream, church and craftsmanship

The St. Oswald circular trail follows the St. Oswalder Bach to the Alte Schmiede, a craft museum, and through the idyllic village centre with its church and small Mesnerhäuschen. The parish church is dedicated to Saint Oswald. The stream, museum and village landmarks provide clear points of orientation along the circular trail. If you would like to take in the local culture and character of the village on a walk, this offers a different focus from a mountain tour with summit destinations.

Summit trails and shorter hiking options

The five-summit tour begins at the mountain station of the Biosphärenparkbahn Brunnach, which is accessible from Sankt Oswald. The route leads over Brunnachhöhe, Mallnock, Klomnock, Steinnock and Falkert. This makes five specific summit destinations the focus. As the cable car operates seasonally, check in advance whether it will be running during your travel dates.

Another hike leads from Falkertsee over the Nockberge, Falkertspitz, Steinnock, Klomnock and Mallnock to the mountain station of the Biosphärenparkbahn Brunnach. It can also be walked in the opposite direction, from Sankt Oswald to Falkertsee. Direction makes a real difference when planning: you can choose the starting point to suit your preferred route. Take current trail conditions into account.

The dog-walking loop is listed as 9 kilometres long, with 255 metres of elevation gain and an approximate walking time of three hours. Seasonal conditions may affect the walking time. The accessible adventure trail on Brunnachhöhe is considerably shorter at two kilometres than the nine-kilometre dog-walking loop, and can be reached from Sankt Oswald by the Biosphärenparkbahn. In direct comparison, this route is much shorter; however, the figures do not indicate a walking time. The “Family Hike in St. Oswald” is described as an easy ridge walk suitable for all ages. As assessments of difficulty can change with trail conditions, take the conditions into account before your hike.

Nature experiences with different focuses

“Silva Magica” includes an accessible adventure trail and the exhibition “Trees as Survivors.” On the accessible Brunnach adventure trail, a Speick educational trail focuses on the aromatic medicinal plant Speick. The exhibition focuses on trees, while the trail focuses on a plant: the subjects alone offer a way to identify different interests for a day out.

Ski tours towards Falkert and Brunnachhöhe

In winter, ski tours differ in their destinations and terrain. One tour starts in St. Oswald at an altitude of 1,319 metres. It first follows the forest road to the Falkerschutzhaus, continues to the Lärchenhütte and then climbs through treeless terrain to the 2,308-metre-high summit of Falkert. The easy ski tour to Brunnachhöhe begins to the left of the Gasthof-Hotel Hinteregger in St. Oswald at 1,340 metres. It passes through the forest and reaches an altitude of 1,970 metres, offering a breathtaking view of the UNESCO Kärntner Nockberge Biosphere Reserve. By comparison, the first route focuses on the summit of Falkert and its treeless final section, while the second focuses on the forest ascent to Brunnachhöhe. Snow and safety conditions vary by season; check the current conditions before your tour.

When choosing a holiday apartment, it is worth prioritising your planned outings; the seasonal cable car is relevant for routes to Brunnachhöhe. Compare the specific location of an accommodation with the starting points you plan to use, and factor your travel dates into your planning.

Discover more destinations: Teuchl, Spittal An Der Drau, Penk, Innerkrems, Stall, Oberdrauburg, Eisentratten, Kolbnitz

Go to the main travel overview: Spittal An Der Drau.