This short but very varied family hike leads to the red “Beimsteinknott” in Vöran on the Tschögglberg. Starting off in sunny conditions through woods and meadows, the exposed viewpoint at the end of the hike offers a unique panoramic view over the holiday resort of Vöran, the low mountain range of Tisens opposite, and the surrounding area from Merano right up to the imposing Texel Group in the north.

Reachability

From Bolzano, take the MeBo expressway to Merano South and continue initially towards the Passeier Valley, where we turn off onto the bypass road to Schenna, heading towards Hafling/Merano 2000. Passing Hafling, we reach Vöran on the Tschögglberg after just under 10 minutes’ drive. Without turning into the village, we continue towards Mölten, where we come to a large car park at the Grüner Baum inn (bus stop for bus route 225 Merano-Labers-Hafling-Vöran and the Tschögglberg bus).

Description

Starting from the car park at the Grüner Baum inn, we cross Vöranerstraße (no zebra crossing) and follow the footpath towards Vöran, which runs parallel to the main road. After just 100 m or so, we cross the road again to turn right onto an unpaved track (signpost ‘Beimsteinknott’ 10 minutes). From here, the route continues on level ground for a while, though the bumpy surface has deep ruts. Passing a small farmstead with extensive meadows and the occasional place to sit at the edge of the forest, we finally reach a dense stretch of woodland. From here, the path climbs gently before levelling out again after a small hillock. At a junction (signpost ‘Beimsteinknott’ 5 minutes), we come to a very steep ascent (gradient over 30%). The ground here is covered in massive tree roots. Crossing stony forest ground and another steep hilltop, we finally reach the long-awaited viewpoint on a sloping red rock slab, at the very front of which stands a weather cross visible from afar. From here, a breathtaking view of the entire surrounding area opens up before us. Caution is advised for small children due to the exposed terrain. We return to our starting point via the same route.