Walk to Waengle

Start

The Tourist Information Booth by the Post Office in Stanzach

Ziel

The bridge as you enter Holz

Weg

Today’s walk starts outside the government building that houses the post office in the centre of Stanzach. With the tourist information booth behind you, turn left and cross the bridge over a small stream and turn left towards the Lech.  Follow the path alongside the river – it’s a mixture of narrow trails and forest track for most of the way today. 

After about 5.5km you will reach the Forchacher Suspension Bridge (Forchacher Hangerbruecke).  It’s worth deviating off the trail here to walk onto the bridge and enjoy the views of the river.  Here the river is starting to get bigger, and it feels stronger and wilder.  It’s a great place to take a photo of the river with the mountains in the background.  

At approximately 7.5km you will reach a road bridge, the Johannesbruecke. Follow the “L” signs under the bridge and then follow the path as it winds back up and over it.  After cross the bridge, turn immediately right and then left to follow the path on the right bank of the river.  You will soon come across the beautiful natural bathing lake of Badersee.  This is a great place for a dip (remember to bring your swim gear) if it’s a hot day.  The water is clean and inviting, and it’s easy to access the lake from the shore.

Continue along the path until as it winds through the forest. At around 9.5kms you will reach a busy road – cross carefully – before the trail skirts through meadows around the town of Wiessenbach. The Lechweg passes through the centre of the town making a good stop around halfway through today’s walk for refreshments.  There are some shops and cafes serving food. If you have had enough of the walk today, you can also take a bus from here to Waengle.

Beyond Wiessenbach, you will cross the river again to the left bank.  The trail leaves the riverside here to divert through forests and the very picturesque hamlet of Rieden where there are some beautiful traditional Austrian houses with balconies garlanded in geraniums and pelargoniums. You will pass a small chapel and a water fountain before the trail winds out of the village and into the forest, passing a small crag bolted with rock climbing routes.

At about 16.5kms, the forest road reaches the main road. Follow the waymarks under the road (via a small tunnel) and turn right on the other side to continue to follow the Lechweg path marked Ehenbichl-Reutte. You are now back on the banks of the river and will pass an information board that explains the bedload trap system used for managing the debris brings down to the basin to help with flood management.  Continue to follow the path as you approach the conurbation of Reutte. Cross the large foot bridge and find yourself on the edge of the town.  Continue to follow the “L” waymarks as the path winds through woodland.  You will reach a road – the Hauptstraße. Cross here, and then take the path to the right of the storm drain as it ascends the hill towards the hamlets of Waengle and Holz. Continue to follow the Lechweg waymarks until today’s walk ends as you enter Holz.