Walking on the Gschwandtkopf

Description: Gschwandtkopf
Location: Reith-Seefeld-Mösern area
Time: 2½-3 hours
Difficulty: Easy

This relatively gentle introduction to the area provides good views over Seefeld and down into the Inn Valley. The Gschwandtkopf hill is used as a ski area in the winter, with ski runs and lifts leading down three sides of it. For less mobile holidaymakers, the Gschwandtkopf chairlift (open in summer) gives the opportunity to appreciate the views and then take a gentle amble back down to the plateau.

From the centre of Seefeld, take the road leading out past the Wildsee, the lake at the southern entrance to the village. (Rather than taking the path around the back of the lake, this route will take you near the Reither Moor at the end of the lake - a small and very rare example of a high alpine moor.) Just past the open air swimming pool buildings turn right onto path 4, which passes the moor.

At the end of the small moor area take the next junction on the left with signs for the Café Englhof and the hamlet of Auland. This path leads past deer-feeding areas near the base of the disused Reith chairlift.

Once you reach the road at the bottom of the trail past the Cafe Englhof turn right and follow the road up through the car park of the Hotel Alpenkönig. This turns into a trail climbing the hillside. After about 15 minutes, the trail splits. Take route 86 to the Gschwandtkopf. The path now winds and climbs up the side of the Gschwandtkopf, sometimes quite steeply, before emerging onto the former ski run down to Reith and some lovely views across to Seefeld's other main ski area in the winter - the Rosshütte.

From here it is a short walk to the top (about 1½-2 hours from the start of the walk).

The top station of the Gschwandtkopf chairlift provides views back down to Seefeld and further across to Giessenbach and Scharnitz. In good weather, paraglider training may be taking place on the slopes below you.

Cross the top of the hill on path 85 in the direction of Mösern, again winding down across ski runs, this time with views of the Hohe Munde and reach the bottom after about 2-2½ hours. Turn right onto the Sommerweg and back to Seefeld on path number 4, entering past the Casino Arena (used for winter events).