Most beautiful hiking routes

Lake tour with a magnificent mountain panorama

Lake Fritzensee is a scenic gem: here you can experience the beauty of nature to the full.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

Lake Fritzensee is a small natural mountain lake in the municipality of Bartholomäberg. The route there is also a journey through the history of the region.

If you are looking for a crisp, panoramic after-work tour or a hike between two downpours, you will find what you are looking for on Bartholomäberg. From the parking lot opposite the baroque church, the route takes you straight uphill. First follow the narrow, asphalted road through the village and then continue towards the historic mine.

This first section of the route already has a lot to offer: the meadows along the path are home to a remarkable variety of plants. Bumblebees, bees, butterflies and other insects move incessantly from flower to flower in search of nectar and pollen, and after the second hairpin bend there is also a magnificent view down into the valley and of the mountain range opposite. After the third hairpin bend, you have the option of turning off onto a hiking trail. This often crosses the asphalt road and eventually leads to the mine.

The view from Bartholomäberg of the mountain ranges opposite and the valley floor of the Montafon.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

The rough pastures are home to a variety of plants and animals.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

Settled by humans for thousands of years
This variant, which leads partly through wooded areas, is particularly recommended on very sunny days, as the rest of the route is unshaded. The Bartholomäberg has a history of settlement dating back thousands of years, which you can discover along the way. There is hardly a place in the area that has not been touched or shaped by humans in the past - be it through clearing, alpine farming, mining or settlements. Large parts of the soil are therefore made up of different deposits over time. In the scientific discipline of geoarchaeology, these deposits are studied in order to gain insights into human influences and their effects on the landscape.

The broad-leaved orchid

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

Broad-leaved orchid

The broad-leaved orchid is an orchid species that is still occasionally found in unfertilized wet meadows. The purple-red flowers (rarely also pink or white) are striking. The leaves have characteristic, mostly round spots on the upper side. At lower altitudes, the flowering period begins in early May and ends at higher altitudes at the end of July. The broad-leaved orchid grows mainly in nitrogen-poor, moist to wet meadows and is occasionally also found in fens. The plants prefer unshaded, sunny locations. In Austria, this orchid species grows at altitudes of up to over 2000 meters. Like all orchids, the broad-leaved orchid is strictly protected.

At the edge of the hiking trails, the ground cover is often broken up, allowing the trained eye a glimpse into the past. Changes in color and charcoal remains can be seen in the soil. Until around 5000 years ago, a large part of the area was covered with coniferous forest. According to the results of scientific research, large-scale slash-and-burn clearances probably began in the early Bronze Age - as indicated by the charcoal layers in the soil. After clearing, the soil material on the slope eroded and mixed with layers of humus. Such deposits are called colluvium.

The Schwalbenschanz.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

Swallowtail

The swallowtail is a butterfly from the damselfly family and is one of the most beautiful European butterflies. The insect lives in flower-rich meadows and dry grasslands, but also feels at home in natural gardens - especially if carrots, dill or fennel are grown there. With a wingspan of up to eight centimetres, this migratory butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in Central Europe. In order for the scattered animals to find each other for mating, they like to gather on hilltops for courtship flights. The caterpillars of the swallowtail are around 45 millimetres long and hairless. When fully grown, they are green in color and have black horizontal stripes with yellow or orange spots. If the caterpillars feel threatened, they extend an orange-colored neck fork as a deterrent, which emits a scent that repels ants, for example. In Austria, the swallowtail is considered an endangered species.

As major deforestation took place in different eras, colluvia of different ages sometimes lie on top of each other. They form the basis for today's comparatively fertile alpine soils, on which cows, sheep and goats now graze. Another indication of the varied history of the region is the historic St. Anna gallery at over 1300 meters above sea level.

Facts & Figures

Type: short, but quite sporty hike
Duration: two to two and a half hours
Starting point: Bartholomäberg baroque church
Ascent: around 450 meters in altitude
Equipment: walking shoes with good tread soles, sun protection, drink
Refreshment tip: from Lake Fritzensee it is not far to the Alpgasthof Rellseck, otherwise there are other places to stop for refreshments in the village
Public transport: bus route 640 runs regularly from Schruns (e.g. from the train station) to Bartholomäberg

A place where people like to linger
When you reach the former mine, you have already completed the main part of the ascent. The route now leads along a meadow path across a pasture up to the Fritzensee lake (1439 meters) with its quaint little Maisäß settlement. The waters of the naturally formed mountain lake are a habitat for amphibians such as frogs and newts, while brightly colored dragonflies buzz through the air on the banks. There are several places to sit and enjoy the view. After a rest, you return along the same route.