Penk can be explored through several clearly distinct destinations: the village is a starting point for cycling routes, part of a historic road connection, and the destination of a hike to the parish church. There is also a mural at the district heating plant. For trip planning, it helps to distinguish first between outdoor activities and cultural connections. For the routes, the type of route and named destinations are important; at Danielsberg, the return journey to Penk is also a consideration. The cultural themes place Penk in a different context and provide another reason to include the village in your travel plans, alongside the specific routes.

Choose cycling and hiking routes by their destinations

The Alpine Club Trail 576 leads from Penk via the Zwenbergeralm to Kampleck. The “Zwenberg (RE1)” mountain bike tour runs from Penk to Haus Untergrechenig; “Teuchl (RE4)” leads from Penk into the Teuchl valley and ends at the Gasthof Alpenheim; “Danielsberg (RE2)” leads from Penk up to Danielsberg and ends at the Herkuleshof. On the Alpine Club Trail, the Zwenbergeralm is an intermediate point on the way to Kampleck, while the different destinations make it easier to compare the three cycling tours. Two return routes to Penk are also specified for RE2: via the municipal road or via the Penker Steg. The destination and return route address different planning questions: the Herkuleshof is the endpoint of the tour, while the municipal road and Penker Steg are options for returning to Penk. Check local conditions before a mountain bike tour, as they can change. When choosing, you can consider whether to focus on the destination or, for RE2, also take the expressly stated return route options into account.

Historical and artistic connections

A Roman road ran through Oberkolbnitz, Preisdorf, and Penk. This makes Penk part of a historic connection between several villages; this connection differs from today’s routes and their specific destinations. A mural was created at the district heating plant in Penk as part of the “Historical Art Walls” project. It artistically connects the past, landscape, and identity of the Mölltal valley. The three place names along the Roman road show the historical connection extending beyond Penk; the mural, by contrast, brings together the past, landscape, and identity of the Mölltal valley in a single work. Thus, two different cultural perspectives sit side by side: a historic route and an artistic connection between regional themes. If you would like to include culture in your travel plans alongside a tour, you can distinguish between these perspectives rather than treating them as the same kind of destination.

A hiking destination in Penk

The “GehSpräche” Five-Church Hike leads to the parish church of St. Nicholas in Penk. The title indicates the hike’s connection to churches; for Penk, the parish church is named as a specific destination. This makes it easy to distinguish the hike by its walking and church connections from the mountain bike tours and the Alpine Club Trail. If you would like to choose an activity by route type, the hike is a separate alternative to the cycling routes.

Discover more destinations: Emberg, Winklern, Gatschach, Stall, Baldramsdorf, Kremsbrücke, Obervellach, Döbriach

To the overarching travel overview: Spittal An Der Drau.