Salzweg combines a direct connection to the Ilz with hiking and cultural attractions. The hike at Oberilzmühle covers around 3.5 kilometres and takes about 1½ hours; the municipality also recommends the approximately 70-kilometre Ilztal hiking trail for hikes. This distinction helps you tell a shorter outing apart from a much longer hiking plan. Cycling and water sports on the Ilz round out the local activity options.

Oberilzmühle Reservoir and how to get there

Oberilzmühle Reservoir is in the municipality of Salzweg. It was created when the Passau municipal utility company dammed the Ilz; the power station was built from 1951 to 1955. The reservoir’s history is therefore closely connected to the use of the Ilz for hydroelectric power.

By car, you can reach the Oberilzmühle hiking car park from Salzweg or Straßkirchen via a signposted municipal connecting road. The hike at Oberilzmühle follows a well-maintained trail back to the car park.

Hiking by time and distance

The hike at Oberilzmühle takes about 1½ hours and covers around 3.5 kilometres. The well-maintained trail leads back to the car park. The municipality of Salzweg also recommends the approximately 70-kilometre Ilztal hiking trail for hikes. The routes offer different scales: the Oberilzmühle hike is a shorter outing with a specified duration, while the Ilztal hiking trail is suited to a much more extensive hiking plan. You can choose the type of hiking day that best fits your stay based on the time you have and the distance you want to cover.

The Golden Trail and architectural history

Salzweg lies on the Golden Trail, a medieval salt route to Bohemia. In Straßkirchen, the choir and tower of the parish church of St. Aegidius date from the Late Gothic period of the 15th century. These offer two distinct historical perspectives: a medieval salt route and precisely dated parts of a parish church. Salzweg’s cultural programme also includes the “Culture on the Golden Trail” cultural days. If you would like to plan your visit around them, please check the specific dates.

More sporting activities

Cycling and water sports on the Ilz are other sporting activities in Salzweg. They offer a change from hiking and give you the option to choose between cycling, water activities and hiking.

More destinations in the wider Passau destination

In the wider Passau destination, the Bavarian Forest Museum Village is located in Tittling. Across 20 hectares, you can visit more than 100 residential and farm buildings from the Bavarian Forest dating from 1580 to 1890. The ensemble includes farmhouses, mills, sawmills, smithies, chapels and field monuments, as well as Germany’s oldest primary school, dating from 1666. The range of buildings offers a different cultural and historical focus from the church in Straßkirchen.

The Danube Cycle Path also runs through the Passau region, within the wider Passau destination. Following an assessment by the German Cyclists’ Federation, it received a four-star rating. As certification status can change, please check the current rating if it matters to your choice of route.

Another destination in the wider Passau destination is the Haus am Strom nature experience centre, in the Danube’s valley between Bavaria and Austria, downstream from Untergriesbach.

Discover more destinations: Bad Füssing, Fürstenstein, Tittling, Rotthalmünster, Aldersbach, Breitenberg, Ortenburg, Neuburg Am Inn

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Passau.