At the eastern end of Lake Ossiach lies Bleistätter Moor; the Ossiacher See Trail runs through the nature reserve to Alt-Ossiach. When planning your trip, it is worth treating the moor experience, cycling, and hiking as distinct priorities—each route has its own profile and rules.
Bleistätter Moor and Birdwatching
The Tiebelmündung–Bleistätter Moor European protected area was flooded in 2017 as part of a major renaturation project. The landscape is therefore not only a natural environment but also one shaped by a specific process of change. Anyone interested in this context can explore it through the birdwatching nature experience tour, which takes visitors through Bleistätter Moor and provides information about the renaturation project, the different habitats, and the flora and fauna of the European protected area. Its rich birdlife is a particular focus.
Another landmark in the moor is the Ossiacher Moorturm, an observation tower in Bleistätter Moor in Alt-Ossiach. Together, the tour and the tower offer two different ways to experience the natural environment: the tour specifically focuses on the habitats and their flora and fauna, while the tower is identified as a viewpoint. It is advisable to check the tour dates, as seasonal information may change.
Cycling: Routes and Trail Rules
The Ossiacher See Cycle Route—R2 and R2A—passes through Heiligen Gestade, Ostriach, Ossiach, and Alt-Ossiach, and is also suitable for beginners. This makes it a good option if you are looking for a cycling route explicitly described as beginner-friendly. The place names also give an overview of the settlements along the route.
The Ossiacher See Trail is different: it follows the embankment path through the Bleistätter Moor nature reserve to Alt-Ossiach. On this trail, the Waldpromenade leads to the Schluchtweg, which forms part of the Alpe-Adria-Trail. This describes a route through the moor and a named connection between the Schluchtweg and the long-distance trail, not the same route as the R2 and R2A cycle route.
Trail rules are especially important on the Toghy Trail T02. This moderately difficult trail is shared and can be used for both cycling and hiking; hikers have priority. So when comparing the options, the information differs considerably: the Ossiacher See Cycle Route is described as suitable for beginners, while the T02 is described as moderately difficult and shared, with hikers having priority.
Hiking and Navigation
The Slow Trail Bleistätter Moor offers two different options. Option A is an easy circular route through the biodiverse Tiebelmündung nature, landscape, and European protected area. Option B connects the Steinhaus Domenig with Ossiach Abbey. The two descriptions therefore emphasize different things: option A focuses on the circular route, difficulty level, and protected area; option B links two named destinations. You can choose based on whether you prefer an easy circular route or a connection between the places mentioned.
Specific route sequences are also provided to help with navigation. Ossiacher-Tauern Tour No. 12 follows the cycle route from the town center toward Alt-Ossiach as far as the primary school, where it turns onto Ossiacher-Tauern-Straße. Stage 20 of the Alpe-Adria-Trail leads from the historic Ossiach Abbey back toward Alt-Ossiach and then along the Ossiacher Schluchtweg to Tauernteich. For these routes, it helps to review the route description and the sequence of sections before setting out; signage and road and trail conditions may change.
If you are considering Alt-Ossiach as a place to stay, you can start your search by focusing on what you have planned: birdwatching and the moor, cycling, or one of the differently described hiking routes. The route information allows you to compare specific trail profiles and rules, without needing to choose a single route that suits every interest.
Discover more destinations: Simonhöhe, Briefelsdorf, Agsdorf, Albeck, Hochrindl-Alpl, Turracherhöhe, Oberboden, Gnesau.
For the broader travel overview: Feldkirchen.
