The "water paths" in Vinschgau Valley

Special hiking-tours in a special landscape

Vinschgau Valley enchants: King Ortler welcomes you from above, orchads from below. And in the middle there are many pathes on which you can discover Vinschgau Valley in South Tyrol. South-tyrol.com is telling you the story about the water pathes and presents the best ones.

The irrigation channel – an excellent story teller of the life in Vinschgau Valley many years ago. Centuries ago and even today the irrigation channels (Waale in german) irrigate the waterless earth of the "Sonnenberg" with water from the glaciers. That’s why it was possible to cultivate fruit and wine on the sunny hills.

The "Waalwege": water paths

Along the irrigation channels they built, years ago, paths to reach the channels for repairing them if necessary. Nowadays these paths are wonderful hiking-routes. From every village in Vinschgau Valley you can reach the water paths, where you have panoramic sights on Vinschgau Valley. There are many restaurants, too. They offer typical food.

The "water path" guide

South-tyrol.com presents here the most beautiful “water paths” of Vinschgau Valley:

Glurns – Mitterwaal
Start: Glurns
Finish: Rifair in the Münster Valley
Length: 10 km
Description: Start at the St, Pankratius church and walk along the town walls. You will arrive to a bridge. Cross the bridge and follow the maeked path until you reach the Mitterlwaal. The hiking trip brings you through mixed forests and Calven forests. The channels carry water from April to September.

Taufers/Chanel – Tschenölwaal
Start: Taufers
Finish: Turnauna Talus
Length: 2,5 km
Description: Choose path number 1 from the market place in Taufers to the Avinga Valles. Pass a sawmill, until you come to the marking number 2/A. You reach the water path which brings you through a young forest and a steep southern slope. The path runs along pine trees and through meadows above Taufers in the Münster Valley.

Schluderns - Gschneirer Waal
Start: Schluderns
Finish: Greinhof
Length: 8 km
Description: This water path is one of the most beautiful in Upper Vinschgau Valley. Start at the Gschneirer farmhouses on path number 19. The path runs through the forests along the sunny hills above Schluderns and ends at the Greinhof.

Prad – Frauwaal
Start: Prad
Finish: Lichtenberg
Lenght: 8 km
Description: Take the Suldenbach bridge and walk on the right side and reach the end of Prad. Turn right and walk up the hill on path number 9. The path brings you to steep slopes with pine trees and above Agums through forests, meadows and fields. Finally you reach the ruin of Lichtenberg.

Prad - Agumser Bergwaal
Start: Prad
Finish: Silfser bridge
Length: 4 km
Description:Start near the Suldenbach bridge (Gargitz – Patzleidhof) and pass the BBQ point. Turn left and reach the meadows of the Agumser farmhouses. The paths crosses through little groves until you reach to the hamlet at Stilfser bridge. We recommend to walk on to Stilfs.

Kastelbell – Schnalswaal
Start: Kastelbell
Finish: Castle Juval
Length: 5 km
Description: Start at the market place in Kastelbell on path numer 3. Walk through chestnut groves and mixed forests along the slopes of Lower Vinschgau Valley. Arriving at the Castle Juval you can visit a “Waal hut" and a well-functioning "Waalschelle" (water bell.