Most beautiful hiking routes

Winter tranquillity and nature in Bartholomäberg

View from Bartholomäberg into the inner Montafon, with the 3000 m peaks of the Silvretta in the background.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

On the circular route you pass the typical old Montafon maize fields again and again

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

This sporty circular hike leads from the baroque church to Rellseck, then to Lake Fritzensee and back to the starting point via the Garsella and Sassella parcels.

The village of Bartholomäberg extends over a large, sparsely wooded mountain ridge and is the oldest settlement in the Montafon and an ideal starting point for relaxed to sporty winter hikes. Archaeological finds indicate that the area was already inhabited in the third millennium BC. As in the Bronze and Iron Ages, Bartholomäberg was also a center of mining throughout the Middle Ages: iron, copper and silver were extracted here.

Tips and information

Type: wintery, sporty circular hike Starting point: parking lot at the Bartholomäberg baroque church, Montafon
Duration: around three and a half hours Ascent: around 450 vertical meters
Equipment: waterproof winter hiking boots with good tread soles (icy sections), weatherproof clothing in layers, rucksack with a drink and a snack, hiking poles if required Refreshments available: Hotel Restaurant Bergerhof ( open Tue to Sun)
Public transport: Bus route 640 from Schruns train station to Bartholomäberg church or route 641 from St. Anton i. Montafon train station to the church

Today, the municipality is a magnet for nature lovers, mountain sports enthusiasts and those seeking peace and quiet and has often been the starting point for various hiking tips. In winter, a selection of well-prepared hiking trails lead through snow-covered forests and rustic Maisäß landscapes. The starting point is the parking lot opposite the baroque church. Cross the road and walk to the "Bärger Lädile", where you can follow the signposts. For the long circular tour, first take the Lindaweg, a narrow road with little traffic, up to Fritzatobel. In a bend above the ravine, the actual hiking trail begins at the end of the cleared road. This leads through a ravine forest and on a short steep section to the snow-covered mountain meadows of Goritschang.

This section can be a little strenuous. However, the views become ever more expansive and soon extend across the eastern Rätikon to the three-thousand-metre peaks of the Silvretta. The route takes you through a picture-book winter landscape, whose tranquillity also helps you to slow down. Along the route, you will also come across information boards on the geological nature trail. These provide an insight into 1000 million years of Montafon's geological history: various rocks, their age, formation and composition are explained. At the same time, the mountain structure of the surrounding mountain ranges is explained and an insight into the formation and decay of the mountains is provided. From Goritschang (1383 meters), the trail continues upwards. At a fork in the trail, you have the choice of taking a detour to the Rellseck viewpoint (1492 meters) or continuing the hike in the direction of Sassella via Fritzensee.

Common ivy

The common ivy is an evergreen climbing plant that belongs to the Araliaceae family. The plant is native to Europe and parts of Asia and is the only native root climber in Central Europe. With its adhesive roots, it can climb to heights of over 20 meters. After a few years, the shoot axes begin to lignify and the common ivy develops from a semi-shrub to a shrub or liana. The dark green, lobed leaves, which often have lighter veins running through them, are also characteristic. Ivy forms two leaf and growth forms, a young form with climbing growth and an old form in which it flowers and bears fruit. The inconspicuous yellow-green flowers appear in the fall and provide insects with valuable food before the cold season sets in. In winter, the blue-black berries serve as food for birds, but are poisonous to humans. Ivy prefers forests and alluvial forests as well as quarries and ruins. In alluvial forests, ivy climbing up the trees indicates higher humidity. The climbing plant does not normally harm the tree it uses as a climbing aid. The common ivy can reach a maximum age of around 450 years and is therefore considered a symbol of durability and vitality.

The common ivy.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

Unique panoramic view over the inner Montafon
Far away from the hustle and bustle of the ski slopes, the trail leads through snow-covered forests and across a high plateau. Lake Fritzensee can only be seen as a hint, but the surrounding Maisäßhütten huts offer a unique panoramic view of the inner Montafon. Looking back, the Zimba rises impressively into the sky with its contours resembling the famous Matterhorn. In the forest above the Fritzensee lake, you finally reach the highest point (1480 meters) of the circular hike.

Now it's a short, steep descent in the so-called Lippaloch to the Maisäßhütten in Garsella. You then return to a panoramic hillside terrace, where the Verwall mountains increasingly come into view. At the "Berthold-Rank" there is another turn-off. From here, you could continue on to Innerberg. Alternatively, you can take the path to the right through the mountain forest downhill to the uppermost houses on the Sassella plot. From there, a cleared road leads back to the starting point in Bartholomäberg.