BergeSeen Trail F2: Ebenau - Faistenau

Description:
The second section of this regional trail leads high over the wild Strubklamm Gorge along the Metzgersteig Trail (the butcher’s trail). This name stems from the fact that this airy path was used to drive cattle from Hintersee and Faistenau to meet their culinary end – but there is also the unsettling legend about a butcher who pushed his pregnant lover to her death here during a pilgrimage to St. Wolfgang.

Directions:
In Ebenau, you should first take a look at the small gorge of the Schwarzaubach Stream next to the Fürstenstöckl – a gorge in the middle of the village – both a unique feature and the site of a historical water tunnel (guided tours). Then you leave Ebeanu on Messingstraße heading south. At the junction with Wiestal-Landsstraße, keep left and hike along the Wiestalpromenade (no. 804, Arnoweg) to Haslau. Turn left there and then immediately right again onto the hiking trail at the edge of the forest. Continue on until you arrive at a street running across. Follow the street uphill to the left for 1 kilometre and then turn right onto a forest road – in front of the Werkschulheim Felbertal (650 m). Following the sign “Anfang Strubklamm, Staumauer Vordersee (Metzgersteig)”, you reach a bridge over the Schwarzaubach Stream (570 m) after approximately 15 minutes. Just before it, turn left onto the hiking trail which leads to a nearby metal footbridge over the Almbach Stream at the mouth of the wild Strubklamm Gorge. Further on, steeply ascend to a meadow, go left to Heiligenstein and then left again along the asphalt street to the Rossbach Farm (651 m), which is bypassed by going left underneath the power lines. Then hike uphill along the Metzgersteig Trail through the forested slopes over the Strubklamm. At its highest point (770 m), the narrow path runs directly beside the edge of the gorge – caution!

 

 Descending, you arrive at a forest track which leads to the Staumauer (680 m), a dam wall built in 1909. However, the Vordersee lake on the other side loses a lot of water in underground chasms. Cross over to the left and then briefly uphill to Almbachstraße, which you take to the right to arrive at Gasthof Zur Strubklamm “Seewirt”. Continue into the valley and then ascend left on Stegleitenstraße to Faistenau (786 m).

Safety guidelines:

• In alpine terrain, be aware of the danger of falling rocks.


• Through early summer, you may encounter steep snowfields or firn gullies – especially during icy conditions, there is an acute risk of falling and thus fatal injury!


• Due to storm damage, forestry work or construction work, individual trail sections may be difficult or impassable at times.


• Cows in the alpine meadows are often curious. Because they are nursing mothers, they develop a strong tendency to protect their calves. Therefore, move through cow pastures quietly, keep at least 20 metres of distance to the animals and never pet calves! In the case of threatening behaviour (pawing, stamping) slowly back away (do not turn your back). Keep dogs on a leash. They must not bark at or chase cows. In the case of an attack, the dog must be released from the leash.

Equipment:

For all stages, you will need hiking or mountain boots with treaded rubber soles as well as wind- and rainproof clothing. A change of clothes and a small first-aid kit should also be included in your backpack. The amount of provisions you should pack depends on the number of available rest stops. In any case, you should always take along plenty to drink. Telescopic poles are helpful, especially when walking downhill.

Additional information:

Text kindly provided by the publisher KOMPASS-Verlag and Wolfgang Heitzmann.

Further information at trail.salzkammergut.at