Lessach: Hiking, Cross-Country Skiing and Village History
Accommodation in Lessach
For winter orientation in Lessach, cross-country skiing and ski touring are two distinct points of reference. An eight-kilometre cross-country ski trail runs through the Hinteres Lessachtal nature conservation area; the Gumma is Lessach’s local mountain and is normally a popular ski touring mountain. On the mountain tour to the Gumma, you’ll reach avalanche cones: stone structures built to protect the village of Lessach from avalanches. The trail length is specified, but you should still check winter conditions before travelling. In addition to the mountain setting, the Gumma tour also features the protective structures built for Lessach as a distinct point of interest.
File:Lessach Pferdestall des Grubergutes bei 63 001.JPG
Photo: Markus 'Mex' Winkler via Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0-AT
Hiking and protected landscapes
Lessach also offers specific perspectives on foot. The Salzburger Arnoweg and the Lungau Cultural Hiking Trail pass through the village. There are also hiking opportunities to clear mountain lakes. When choosing a route, you can distinguish between the two named trails that pass through the village and hikes with mountain lakes as their destination. Lessach lies in the protected core zone of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Salzburger Lungau. This location adds the wider landscape setting of the village to the specific trail connections.
Comparing cycling routes
For cyclists, a cycling route and a mountain bike trail are listed with their distances and elevation gains. The “Lessacher Winklweg – Hinteres Lessachtal” is 6.7 kilometres long and has 85 metres of elevation gain. The “Wildbachhütte via Zoitzachalm” mountain bike trail is 7.1 kilometres long and has 610 metres of elevation gain. The route lengths differ by only 0.4 kilometres, while the difference in elevation gain is 525 metres. Both figures are therefore relevant for a direct comparison: otherwise, the nearly identical distances obscure the much greater difference in the listed elevation gains.
Church, cemetery and history
Lessach Parish Church is dedicated to Saint Paul. The cemetery is unique in the world and significant in terms of art history. Since the 17th century, all graves there have been designed uniformly as so-called chest-shaped tombs, also known as Sarchen. Those interested in religious and art-historical subjects will find distinct points of interest here: the church’s dedication and the uniform grave design in the cemetery. Thurnschall was built around the year 1200 and adds a much earlier historical perspective to the village’s story.
Tours and seasonal dates
Cemetery and church tours in Lessach can be booked through the municipal office by calling 06484/812; they take place by appointment. Arrange your preferred date with the municipal office before travelling. The “Schafaufbratln” takes place in Lessach only in September and October. If you’d like to plan your stay around it, check the local dates in advance. For travel planning, the Schafaufbratln therefore falls in a different period from cross-country skiing and ski touring.
Discover more destinations: Sankt Margarethen Im Lungau, Begöriach, Tweng, Weißpriach, Sankt Michael Im Lungau, Mariapfarr, Thomatal, Mauterndorf.
Go to the regional travel overview: Tamsweg District.
