Mountain hikes Cultural Hiking Trail Reith

Easy circular hike from Reith, following the ancient Roman road to 14  historical monuments and sites, including the parish church of St. Nicholas and the music pavilion.

Description

The educational cultural hiking trail starts in Reith and leads through the two neighboring villages of the community, via Leithen and Auland, and then back to the starting point. Along the trail, you pass 14 historical landmarks that tell stories about the history and culture of Reith. This trail is a great way to explore the beautiful and historic mountain village of Reith bei Seefeld and is perfect for a family walk.

A fun quiz is also part of the trail. Each of the 14 information boards hides a specific letter. If you manage to guess the solution word, you can pick up a small surprise at the Citizen and Tourism Service Reith or the Seefeld Information and Mobility Center.

Station 1: The Coat of Arms & Ichthyol
Reith's coat of arms reminds us of a medieval legend. It tells the story of a duel between the giants Thyrsus and Haymon. According to local belief, the oil shale found in the Reith-Scharnitz area is linked to this tale. In 1576, a healing thick oil was first made from it. People called it "Thyrsus’ Blood," and it is still known today as "Ichthyol" or "Tyrolean Stone Oil."

Station 2: Aerial Bomb
From 1914 to 1918, all able men had to go to war. Thirteen men from Reith didn’t return from World War I. In World War II, fifteen more were lost. The war brought major destruction—Reith was bombed six times. The goal was to destroy the railway bridge over the Gurgelbach stream. 22 houses were completely destroyed, and 12 more, including the church and school, were badly damaged. The village only changed its appearance significantly after the rebuilding.

Station 3: Sunnroan Trail
This trail rewards you with a beautiful view of the Inn Valley. The signpost for the Sunnroan Trail was carved by the local artist Johannes Obleitner.

Station 4: The Parish Church
The church's patron saint, St. Nicholas, was deeply honored by the villagers. A statue of him used to stand along the road.

Station 5: The Milestone
In 1703, Bavarian soldiers looted the village and knocked down the statue of St. Nicholas. Since then, a milestone stands there as a reminder. You can find it on the old Roman road towards Leithen.

Station 6: Our Lady
On the border between Zirl and Leithen stood a wayside shrine with a carved image of the Madonna. After 1900, the wooden shrine started to decay, so young farmers from Leithen built a stone column. When one of them tried to cut into the wood, blood flowed from it, and he stopped. Sadly, the Madonna and Child statue was stolen in 1972.

Station 7: Chapel of St. Magnus
The St. Magnus Chapel in Leithen stood in the village next to a milestone and is said to be older than Reith's church. In 1980, it was moved 50 meters to a hill and rebuilt in its original form. St. Magnus Day, on September 6, has always been the church festival day for Leithen.

Station 8: The Giant’s House
During the time of the plague, the giant Thyrsus became very sick. To avoid infecting others, he hid in the cellar of his house. (The cellar was removed during roadwork after World War II.) He had food passed to him through a window, recovered, and Leithen was spared from the disease.

Station 9: Restaurant Hirschen
Reith has inns with tradition. One of them is the Hirschen Inn in Leithen—a real Tyrolean inn that serves food from its own farm.

Station 10: The Plague Column
At the edge of Leithen heading toward Reith, there’s a column from 1637 showing the crucifixion and plague saints. It reminds us of the Thirty Years’ War, when soldiers brought the plague, which raged for three years. A rich businessman from Innsbruck fled to Leithen with his family, fell ill, and feared he had the plague. He promised to build a shrine if he recovered—and he did.

Station 11: Inn Valley View
The beauty of this landscape was praised by the famous writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In his travel book Italian Journey, he described the small village as “indescribably beautiful!”

Station 12: Wayside Shrine
A chapel once stood here, but it was removed in 1963 for a bypass road. The chapel had the year 1708 carved into it. A new shrine was built in 1984 to remember it.

Station 13: Maria Hilf Chapel
The church in Auland was built in 1856 by the local community. After 1892 and 1945, during hard times, most church services were held here. In 1995/96, the chapel was completely renovated.

Station 14: The Karwendel Railway
The Karwendel Railway was designed by Innsbruck architect Josef Riehl and is still seen as a masterpiece of engineering, thanks to its tunnels and bridges. The route runs along the “Sunnroan” (sunny slope) and offers amazing views over the Inn Valley.