Rottau: Moorland Trails, Alpine Pastures and Industrial Heritage

Rottau combines trails through the Kendlmühlfilzen with alpine pastures and evidence of the region’s peat-cutting and local history. The range extends from a 12-kilometre hiking loop and short themed trails to a cycling route, an alpine pasture tour and the historic field railway. The trails lead through Rottau, Grassau and the Kendlmühlfilzen; the alpine pasture tour leads to the Moieralm and Hefteralm.

Hiking through Moorland and Countryside

The Grassau Terrain Therapy Trail is 12 kilometres long and designed as an easy route. It leads through Grassau and Rottau, passes the Rottau Kneipp pool and barefoot trail, and then continues through Rottau along traditional farmhouses. Via a panoramic trail at the Salz & Moor Museum, the route returns to Grassau. You should allow 3 hours and 20 minutes of walking time for the loop. The route includes several village and landscape sections, including Grassau, Rottau and the Kendlmühlfilzen.

For planning the day, the stated walking time provides a fixed framework; the loop combines village trails, moorland and the panoramic trail at the Salz & Moor Museum. The time indication helps distinguish this route from the short themed trails.

Short Themed Trails in the Kendlmühlfilzen

The Moor Loop Trail leads through the heart of the Kendlmühlfilzen and features an observation tower; the Kendlmühlfilzen Moor Experience Trail, by contrast, is a short loop through the nature reserve with little surprises and puzzles.

Both trails remain rooted in the Kendlmühlfilzen, but focus on different features, with an observation tower on one and puzzles on the other.

The Rottau Bee Trail is also a short themed trail. Information boards and a bee observation hive with its own colony make bees the specific subject of the trail. The short route is therefore focused on bees as a standalone theme.

Cycling Route and Alpine Pastures

For cyclists, the Achental Cycling Trail leads along the edge of the Kendlmühlfilzen to the historic Rottau Peat Railway Station; there, the Molly locomotive runs across the former industrial site.

The Grassau & Rottau Alpine Pasture Tour connects the Rottau Moieralm and Hefteralm as two stops on the same route. At the Moieralm, you can stop for refreshments and enjoy views of the Kampenwand. At the Hefteralm, snacks and fresh drinks are available, including cheese, bread, cake, Kaiserschmarrn and buttermilk made on site.

The two alpine pastures represent different stops: at the Moieralm, views of the Kampenwand accompany the refreshments, while at the Hefteralm, the focus is on the selection of food and drinks.

Field Railway and Peat History

The Peat Railway Museum offers rides on the historic field railway. A guided tour with a field railway ride at the peat railway station takes about 90 minutes and combines a museum visit with a ride across the site.

Rottau Peat Railway Station is a former peat works and an industrial monument dating from 1920. The complex includes the only functioning peat-bale press in Europe, dating from 1933. The Salz & Moor Museum also houses the original Reichenbach water-column engine, which was in operation for 150 years.

Historic Sites in Rottau

St. Michael in Rottau is historically documented as early as 1195. The Klaushäusl, dating from 1810, is the only fully preserved pumping station on the 107-kilometre brine pipeline.

For the higher-level travel overview: Grassau.