Path of Mindfulness - spiritual hiking trail
4400 Steyr
Spiritual impulses & experience of nature
The Path of Mindfulness runs through the gentle and equally wild heart of Upper Austria in a 96-kilometer loop. Along the crystal-clear Almu and Steyr rivers, you get into the walking flow and are touched by the mountain world. Those who stroll at a walking pace through the forests and meadows of the Kremstal have time for (inner) walking. You encounter power places, spiritual sites, heavenly views, and impulses that gradually increase our mindfulness step by step. Further information will soon be available on the website and in the accompanying booklet for the Path of Mindfulness!
Recommended season:
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- Multi-stage route
- Botanical highlights
- Faunistic highlights
Path of Mindfulness
A path that makes mindfulness with oneself and the environment perceptible through conscious experience of nature & spiritual impulses
Stage 1: 17 km | 200 m ascent
Grünau im Almtal — Almtalerhaus
Stage 2: 20 km | 200 m ascent
Almtalerhaus — Klaus/Steyrling
Stage 3: 23 km | 800 m ascent
Klaus/Steyrling — Schlierbach
Stage 4: 22 km | 600 m ascent
Schlierbach — Scharnstein
Stage 5: 15 km | 230 m ascent
Scharnstein — Grünau im Almtal
Directions:Stage 1:
The House of Mindfulness in Grünau im Almtal is the perfect place to arrive and set off. Soon you get into the flow: Along the Grünau stream it goes to the Alm river, whose babbling and glittering accompanies us for many kilometers. The Alm springs from the Totes Gebirge; on gentle riverbank paths you hike towards the mighty mountains. Along the route lies the Grünau Wildlife Park, home to brown bears and greylag geese. Stopover: recommended! At Landhaus Jagersimmerl you turn into the Hetzau valley and follow the road to the rustic Almtalerhaus, always next to the downstream babbling creek. A small detour via the idyllic Ödseen is also possible. The rugged karst peaks become increasingly larger as they peek out from behind dark green treetops, the everyday thoughts smaller and smaller as an oasis appears – the first stage destination.
Stage 2:
At Almtalerhaus awaits the most alpine stage, where you may be on your own over long distances. Nearly 200 meters of altitude have to be climbed to the Ringsattel — the transition into the Steyr valley. On the path, you should be sure of your steps over root networks.....
Stage 3:
Alternating the Steyr riverbank, you immerse yourself in the fairy-tale forest leading to the pilgrimage site Frauenstein. Magical is the light shimmering through the leaves in the morning. On a hill appears the church, which houses a cultural treasure with a Madonna of the Protective Cloak on the main altar. When you detach yourself from the heavenly view in Frauenstein, you head to Göritz near Molln to discover the power of water at the Jugendstil power plant Steyrdurchbruch. Opposite the emerald green Steyr begins the meadow and forest green of the Kremstal. At the Marienkapelle, the Prälatenweg leads to Altpernstein Castle. Gentle hills accompany you to Grillenparz and its summit larch. Simply lie in the grass and enjoy the distant view! Once more it goes downhill until the towers of Schlierbach monastery are within reach, where we find good rest at the SPES Hotel.
Stage 4:
On this section, civilization is noticeably more present: first passing through the monastery village Schlierbach. There, where farm roads lead between fields, the path below the motorway briefly recalls the hectic flow of time. When you enter Hubertusweg in Inzersdorf, it goes upwards again into green. Before the Hubertus chapel, you will marvel in retrospect at how far your own feet have carried you. The parish church Magdalenaberg is the next highlight. Poppies between the fields accompany you in early summer to the church Heiligenleiten. Back at the Alm, after a loop over Bäckerberg, you reach a mysterious place surrounded by Tibetan prayer flags: In a quadrangle courtyard is the Gomde, the international Buddhist center, the perfect place to go inward and to sleep.
Stage 5:
When the morning sun lights up the paradise garden of Gomde, the final day begins with light steps. The legs walk downhill on hiking trails and could take root for a while just before the village of Viechtwang. Here, a lime tree over 500 years old rises as a natural monument in the southeastern slopes of the Hacklsberg, providing shade and strength. Past the parish church with its onion dome tower, it goes to the already known Alm river. We stay close to its crystal-clear water and follow it through the town of Scharnstein. The raftmen's path leads back to Grünau im Almtal, where the circle closes at the House of Mindfulness. We may look back with joy, pride, and gratitude on a path that perhaps does not end here, because it will carry us onward in life.
Paths covering:
further information:
- Multi-day tour
Getting there
West Motorway A1:
Vienna - Voralpenkreuz-A9 - Exit Ried/Tr. - Voitsdorf - Pettenbach - Scharnstein - Grünau im Almtal
West Motorway A1:
Munich - Salzburg - Regau - Gmunden - Scharnstein - Grünau im Almtal Innkreis Motorway A8: Passau - Wels motorway junction towards Graz or Voralpenkreuz A9 Pyhrn Motorway (also coming from Graz) - Exit Ried/Tr. - Voitsdorf - Pettenbach - Scharnstein - Grünau im Almtal
From the center of Grünau im Almtal follow the signs "House of Mindfulness" or park your car at the Sportplatz parking lot (parking lot 4 in the Grünau parking guidance system).
Public Transit
Accessibility / Arrival
How to get to the Path of Mindfulness in Grünau im Almtal:
We recommend arriving by public transport!
By train: from Wels station with the Almtal railway (line 153) to Grünau im Almtal;
numerous connections from Wels station to the main trains on the Westbahn line (line 101). The House of Mindfulness is only one kilometer (approx. 15 minutes) on foot from the station.
By bus:
OÖVV bus line 533/534 Gmunden - Grünau im Almtal - Almsee, stop Grünau i.A. Gemeindeamt
The House of Mindfulness is only 600 meters (approx. 10 minutes) on foot from the station.
Salzkammergut shuttle service:
With the Salzkammergut Shuttle Service Route 60, for example, from May 1 to September 14, if the Almtalerhaus is fully booked, you can travel from the Almtalerhaus stop to the Sportplatz stop and from there reach the House of Mindfulness (3 minutes). Please call the taxi center at least 1 hour in advance at 050-422 422 or order via the otaxi app. on foot: From the Grünau im Almtal station, you can comfortably follow the path through the village, either along the Grünau stream or along Schindlbachstraße to the House of Mindfulness. You can then take the Path of Mindfulness from the House of Mindfulness along the Grünau stream to the Alm and then hike the Alm river path "Enjoyment on the Alm River" via Cumberland Wildlife Park to Jagersimmerl/Habernau. From there you continue through the Hetzau valley to the Almtalerhaus.
Parking
Please use only the designated parking spaces at the entry points and respect private property! Thank you for your fairness!
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
Please get in touch for more information.
Stadtplatz 27
4400 Steyr
Phone +43 7252 53229 - 0
mobile +43 7252 53229
E-Mail reichraming@steyr-nationalpark.at
Web www.steyr-nationalpark.at/
Web www.wegderachtsamkeit.com/
https://www.wegderachtsamkeit.com/
Vis-à-vis users
1. The tours presented for hiking, walking, biking and road biking, mountain biking, motorbiking, horseback riding, climbing, cross-country skiing, and going on skiing and snowshoe tours etc. are to be considered non-paid tour recommendations and only serve as non-binding information. We have no intention of concluding a contract with the users of this website. The utilisation of the data does not lead to the establishment of a contract with us.
The data may only be used for private use; any commercial use is prohibited. In particular, it is not permissible to offer the data on commercially run websites, file-sharing platforms etc. or to use it to develop commercial products. Downloading data does not imply that users are granted rights to the data concerned.
The tour recommendations posted were created with utmost care; nevertheless, we assume no liability for the correctness and completeness of the information.
We point out that neither the tour recommendations included on this website nor the associated data and information were posted by us, but rather by third parties (Art. 16 Austrian E-Commerce Act). We have no influence on whether the details provided (e.g. distance, level of difficulty, change in altitude, description etc.) are authentic, correct and complete. We do not review these third-party contents. For this reason, we assume no liability for the authenticity, correctness and completeness of the information.
Construction-related measures or other influences (e.g. landslides and similar occurrences) can lead to temporary or permanent changes in a route (e.g. loss of a bridge and similar occurrences). Such occurrences can lead to part of the route or the entire route becoming impassable.
The use of the data as well as undertaking (riding, walking, taking etc.) the recommended tours or using the network of paths occurs at users’ own risk and on their authority. In particular, users themselves are responsible for the choice of route, outdoor orientation, adherence to traffic rules, supplies and equipment for tours listed in Point 1 (e.g. bicycle etc.), wearing a helmet, estimating their own fitness, recognising dangers and maintaining an appropriate velocity. We exclude ourselves from any liability whatsoever for damages, in particular accidents, that occur whilst taking part in the recommended tours.
2.Some of the tours lead over roads with normal traffic conditions. Please observe that there is an increased risk which can be avoided by means of appropriate attention and proper estimation and implementation of one’s own abilities. For this reason, please travel a route that is unfamiliar to you slowly and with special care. Pay constant attention to potential dangers and always observe traffic. Do not leave the routes featured in descriptions.
The potential use of private roads, in particular forestry roads and agricultural transport roads, can be subject to legal restrictions, which must be observed and adhered to.
The normal traffic rules apply. Each user (e.g. biker, motorbiker) is responsible for adhering to these rules and maintaining his/her bike/vehicle and its equipment (lights, brakes etc.) in good working order. Each user is also responsible for ensuring that he/she rides at a velocity that is appropriate for the conditions and his/her skill level and for maintaining sufficient distance to the rider in front. We explicitly recommend adjusting velocity to correspond to the respective field of vision, wearing a helmet, using reflective clothing (or similar) and employing bicycle lights in line with regulations.
3.Each tour requires good physical fitness as well as detailed planning. We explicitly recommend only taking the tours in the case of optimal healthiness.
We recommend that you conclude an accident and liability insurance policy. Use an onboard computer that displays the respective kilometres travelled per day and is calibrated for the front wheel.
4.Special for mountain bikers – Fair-play rules:
Mountain biking is one of the most wonderful outdoor leisure-time activities. Whilst biking or on a mountain biking tour, mountains and lakes, meadows and cabins are re-discovered in new ways. A couple of rules for fair play in the forest help to avoid conflicts whilst mountain biking.
a.Pedestrians have the right of way: We are accommodating and friendly to pedestrians and hikers. Upon encountering these fellow travellers, we alert them by using the bicycle bell and slowly overtake them. We avoid paths with heavy pedestrian traffic altogether. Take nature into account: We do not leave refuse behind.
b.The braking distance should be half of the total distance visible: We ride at a controlled pace, are ready to brake and maintain a braking distance half as long as the total distance visible, especially in curves, because we always have to count on obstacles on the path. Damage to the path, stones, branches, wood piles, grazing livestock, cattle grids, barriers, tractor-type forestry machines and authorised vehicles pose dangers that we need to be ready for.
c.Don’t drink and drive!: Do not drink alcohol when mountain biking. Take care at stop-off points (dealing with bike racks, dirty shoes or clothing).
It is obligatory to provide first aid!
d.Marked routes, closed paths and blockades: Keep to the marked routes, observe the blockades and accept that these roads are primarily for agricultural and forestry use!
Blockades can often not be avoided and are in your own interest. Biking beyond the intended path and outside of opening times is punishable and turns us into illegal bikers.
e.We are guests in the forest and behave accordingly, including vis-à-vis forestry and hunting staff. Whilst mountain biking, mobile telephones and music players are forbidden! Biking requires your full attention.
f.Avoid unnecessary noise. Out of consideration to the animals living in the wild, we only bike during full daylight. As a principle, we always wear our helmet (even when riding uphill)! Don’t forget emergency supplies: We always have a repair set and bandages along.
g.Don’t overestimate your skills: We should not overdo it when it comes to biking technique and physical fitness. Take the level of difficulty posed by the route into consideration and make a precise estimate of your experience and skills as a biker (braking, bell, lights)!
h.Close gates: We approach grazing livestock at a walking pace and close every gate behind us. We should avoid causing escape and panic reactions in the animals. Nothing stands in the way of the fun and athletic challenge in the mountains and forests!
i.Traffic rules: The general traffic rules (StVO) apply for all the mountain biking routes and we adhere to them. Our bike therefore needs to be in perfect technical condition and equipped in line with the traffic rules, including brakes, a bell and lights. We inspect and service our mountain bikes regularly anyway.
5.We assume no liability for the contents of external websites; in particular, we assume no liability for their statements and contents. Moreover, we have no influence on the design or contents of the websites to which hyperlinks on www.salzkammergut.at lead or from which hyperlinks lead to www.salzkammergut.at. There is no on-going review of websites to which hyperlinks on www.salzkammergut.at lead or from which hyperlinks lead to www.salzkammergut.at. We do not appropriate the contents of websites to which hyperlinks on www.salzkammergut.at lead or from which hyperlinks lead to www.salzkammergut.at.
Vis-à-vis bloggers
PLEASE OBSERVE:
1. Each of your tour recommendations for hiking, walking, biking and road biking, mountain biking, motorbiking, horseback riding, climbing, cross-country skiing, and going on skiing and snowshoe tours etc., along with other details and information, is free of charge. In particular regarding the correctness of the information, we assume no liability, nor do we assume any liability whatsoever for the consequences of the use of your tour recommendation by a third party (in particular by a user of this website). We do not review the tour recommendations you post, including other details and information, at any time.
We have no intention of concluding a contract with persons who post tour recommendations and/or other details and information on this website. Posting data (information) does not imply that a contract has been concluded.
By recommending a tour, we assume special responsibility vis-à-vis other athletes. Please take this responsibility seriously and describe your tour recommendation with utmost care and to the best of your knowledge and belief.
2.Your tour recommendations must therefore clearly and unambiguously include at least the following criteria and provide a sufficiently detailed description:
• Starting point
• Detailed route description
• Distance/Overall distance
• Level of difficulty
• Dangerous spots
• Average duration of trip
• Change in altitude
• Finishing point.
If possible, please provide the change in altitude.
3.When you post a tour recommendation, you give us the order to save your tour recommendation and/or the details you provide on our website and to make it/them accessible to third parties, in particular to users of this website, in the long term. We reserve the right to block or delete tour recommendations and/or other details and/or information that you post, either partially or entirely, at any time without providing a justification. Should this occur, it grants you no rights whatsoever.
Thank you for your efforts!
4. We are not responsible for the contents of external websites; in particular, we do not assume any liability for their statements or contents. Furthermore, we do not influence the design or contents of websites that can be accessed from www.salzkammergut.at via hyperlinks or that use hyperlinks to refer to www.salzkammergut.at. The websites that can be accessed from www.salzkammergut.at via hyperlinks or that use hyperlinks to refer to www.salzkammergut.at are not regularly monitored. Furthermore, we do not assume any claims to the websites that can be accessed from www.salzkammergut.at via hyperlinks or that use hyperlinks to refer to www.salzkammergut.at.
Altitude profile - Path of Mindfulness - spiritual hiking trail
Suggest changes
Please let us know how we can improve the quality of this property or if there is any incorrect information on this page (eg. opening hours, contact, etc.).
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are obligatory