On foot to the mountain
The mine lies at around 1300 metres above Villanders. If you don’t come by car, you walk — best of all on the old paths of the miners.
Goldenschön and the blue Norgg
Five walks for familiesThe blue Norgg is the guiding figure of our hiking guide. For years he has introduced himself with the same words:
“I am the blue Norgg and I live in the mine of Villanders. What, you have never met me? Then it is high time! Do come into my underground realm. Through the dark caves my light will shine for you, and through the countless passages I will lead you safely back to the exit. Along the way I will tell you exciting stories, show you the finest stones of my realm and take you to the most mysterious places of this mine.”
| Route | Start and finish | Duration | Distance | Ascent | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norggweg | Villanders village (880) → St Anna (1133), paths 3 and 3A | 1:30 h one way, 3 h there and back | 3.5 / 7 km | 280 m | easy |
| Dreiseenweg | Gasser Hütte (1740), circular route via 6, 16B, 16 | 5:30 h | 14.3 km | 570 m | easy, panoramic |
| Kaser – Krössbrunn | Kaser (1700), circular route via path 12 | 1:20 h | 3.2 km | 80 m | easy |
| Moorweg | Gasser Hütte (1740), circular route via 24, 23, 6 | 2:10 h | 5.9 km | 170 m | easy |
| Fuchslöcherweg | Mine (1300), circular route via path 21 | 2:40 h | 3.5 km | 130 m | moderate, March to November |
What there is to see along the way
Norggweg. From the village past Gravetsch Castle to the Wolfsgrube — from there you look into the Milchrastlwand — and along the forest road to St Anna in a quarter of an hour. If you want to go further, follow path 3 for another hour and a half to Garnstein.
Kaser – Krössbrunn. In the middle of the forest near Krössbrunn you can still make out the spot where the smelting furnace once stood. The Goldbrünnl lies on the Dreiseenweg.
Fuchslöcherweg. From the mine across the scree slopes to the St Lorenz adit — at the fountain you can drink the golden water coming out of the adit. On to the Fuchslöcher viewpoint, with views from the Schwarzhorn and Weißhorn to the Rieserferner group. Past the Fundgrube to the air shaft, then along the Felsenweg to the Pfunderer Wetterkreuz at 1500 metres.
Moorweg. From the Saltnerstein car park along path 24 towards Sam to the Moarbödele, with a view of the Villnöss Geisler peaks. Past the Fuschgnlocke to the Rinderplatzhütte, with a detour to the Moar in Plun at 1860 metres.
We provide the tracks as GPX files to download. We do not embed external map services — which is why this page does not load anything from outside.
Three ways to the mine
Getting there & ascentsIf you come by car, drive to the visitor car park about 500 metres beyond the Zilderer Kehre hairpin — from there it is 300 metres on foot to the St Elisabeth adit. If you would rather walk up the mountain from below, you have three ascents to choose from; routes 2 and 3 are on foot all the way, route 1 begins with a drive to the Gasthaus Mühlele. All three meet at the church of St Anna (1133 m). From there trail no. 3 and finally a forest road lead to the adit.
By car or by bus
In Klausen turn off towards Villanders, then from the village about 7 km towards the Villanderer Alm to the Zilderer Kehre hairpin. Turn right there and after about 500 metres you reach the small visitor car park. From the car park it is another 300 metres on foot to the St Elisabeth adit.
By bus: stop “Bergwerk” at the Zilderer Kehre hairpin — from Klausen railway station and from the village square in Villanders. From the stop about ten minutes on the level.
The short, steep way
By car from Klausen through the Tinne valley towards Latzfons to the Gasthaus Mühlele, about 5 km. From there on foot.
Over the bridge and up to St Anna, following the forest road; at the Samberger-Hof sign take the footpath, which rejoins the forest road to the St Elisabeth adit.
Alternative: from the Mühlele towards Garnstein Castle, following marker 3 in bends through the forest to St Anna.
About 2½ hours to the adit · 800 m ascent · Difficulty: hard, better for experienced walkers
The historic ore trail
Start at the main square Auf der Frag, through the underpass beneath the Brenner road, past the Fragburg manor.
The ore trail (Erzweg) was the miners’ way to work: on it they brought the ore-bearing rock down from the mountain on sledges to the ore barn on the Frag. Steeply up to the Johannser (784 m), then following the white-and-blue markers to the roughly three-metre-high menhir at the Moar farm in Ums.
On to the church of St Anna (1133 m, built in its present form in 1736) and along trail 3 and the forest road to the St Elisabeth adit (1300 m).
2½ to 3 hours to the adit · about 780 m ascent · Difficulty: moderate
Via Gravetsch
From the village to Gravetsch. From there two parallel trails — no. 3 and no. 3B — lead up through the forest to St Anna; they join shortly before the clearing with the chapel.
Continue on the forest road to the Samberger-Hof footpath and along the forest road to the St Elisabeth adit.
Well marked · works just as well as the way back down to the village.
About 1½ hours to the adit each way · about 420 m ascent · Difficulty: easy to moderate
Around the mine
Before or after the guided tourFive suggestions from the path network around the mine — from a one-hour circular route to the descent to Klausen.
Circular route · approx. 1 hour
To the entrance of the St Lorenz adit and to the Fundgrube, with a good view over the Eisack Valley.
To the Samberger farm · approx. 1½ hours
The first part on R2, then a fine forest walk past the Pfunderer Wetterkreuz and the Laderstatt.
Circular route 1 · approx. 2½ hours
Worth seeing: the little church of St Anna, the ruins of the old forge, the Oberhaus, the powder tower and the Unterhaus.
To Klausen · 2½ to 3 hours
The historical path via St Anna, past the cult site with the menhir at the Moar in Ums, down to the Johannser and Gimpele and on to Klausen — around 780 metres of altitude difference.
To Villanders · approx. 1½ hours
Via St Anna and Gravetsch Castle — one of the ancestral seats of the lords of Villanders, private — to the parish church with the miners’ stained-glass window (around 1520), through the Defreggergasse to the village centre.
Archeoparcours
Traces above groundBetween 2009 and 2012 the mining landscape around Rotlahn was surveyed archaeologically. Two circular trails open up the find sites — from the little church to the powder tower.
Walking times are values from the old website based on experience — check them with the guides before the season.