Winter hike Stage 1: From Seefeld via Reith to Leithen - Seefeld High Plateau Winter Multi-day Hike

Description

Wildsee, Bee Trail, Seefeld Sports Arena and Seekirchl. The first stage of the Seefeld High Plateau Winter Multi-day Hike takes you to the pretty mountain village of Reith and back with many natural highlights to see along the way.

The first stage starts right in the heart of Seefeld. While it's a good idea to arrive a day or two prior to beginning your 5-day adventure, you can of course simply turn up early and set off straight away on day one. The starting point is the Seefeld train station from where you head into the village centre. From Seefeld railway station, walk along Bahnhofstraße towards the village square, where the Gothic St. Oswald Parish Church is located. Once you reach the village square, turn left towards Innsbruckerstraße and follow it down to the idyllic Wildsee lake. Follow Innsbrucker Str. and the scenic lake promenade which is especially charming in winter.

Go past the Strandperle heading towards Reith. Cross the road and go over the level crossing, follow the road for a few hundred metres and turn right at the next junction. The path leads past a small lake, the ‘Loba’, and continues to the main road. After crossing the main road, turn right onto the Bienenlehrpfad (bee trail), where you can learn fascinating facts about bees. After the educational trail, continue into the centre of Reith and head towards Kalktalweg and onto Leithener Waldweg until you reach Gasthof Hirschen. Across the road, the Leithener Wiesenweg leads back into open terrain. Follow path no. 14 for about 3 km to the Auland area of Reith. At the intersection by the bus stop, turn left and take the Gstoagweg and then the Liftweg back towards Seefeld.

Following path no. 4, pass the wildlife enclosure and the picturesque Cäciliakapelle, and you're almost back in Seefeld. Follow the path to the "Waldbad Sonja" and turn left towards Sportalm after the house named “Seerose”. As the name Sportalm suggests, it’s time for some sports. Pass through the Seefeld Sports Arena, home to sports like ski jumping, cross-country skiing, and biathlon. The arena has hosted the Winter Olympics, World Championships and many other top-tier sports events and it’s here that the Nordic Combined athletes compete in the annual legendary Seefeld Triple. For a panoramic view, climb the WSC Tower. Now head back towards the centre. Turn right below the WSC Tower and follow the road for 50 metres. After the pedestrian tunnel, turn left onto the bridge and then right. As a "finale" for the first stage, you'll see Seefeld's iconic landmark, the Seekirchl. After a photo stop in front of the popular postcard motif, the route runs up to the Parish Hill, from where you can enjoy the view over Seefeld and the Wildsee lake. From the Parish hill, the route then leads back down to the church and from there back to the starting point.

Refreshment stops along the way:
• Gasthof Hirschen
• Sportalm Seefeld

Scenic highlights and viewpoints:
• Parish Hill
• Wildsee
• Bee Nature Trail in Reith by Seefeld
• WSC Tower
• Chapel Seekirchl

Option for shortening the tour with public transport:
• by bus (line 432) or train from Reith or Leithen back to Seefeld