A walk in Steinhaus
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This leisurely walk takes us from the centre of Steinhaus an der Ahr, past the Klausberg Ski Arena, to Bistro Stochas and back again.
The village centre of Steinhaus is dominated by the copper-red houses of the "Ahrner Handel", the former operating company of the Prettau mine. Steinhaus has been the seat of the mine administration since at least the end of the 15th century.
Accessibility
By public transport: From Brunico, take bus 450 towards the Ahrntal valley to the Steinhaus bus stop (not accessible as there is no raised kerb) or Wenger (bus stop without a shelter but with a raised kerb).
By car: Steinhaus in the Ahrntal valley can be reached from the A22 Brenner motorway (Brixen/Pustertal exit) via the Pustertal state road to Bruneck, where you turn off into the Ahrntal valley. After a further 25 km you reach Steinhaus, where the starting point of the hike is located on the right-hand side of the road.
Description
This leisurely walk begins at the Steinhaus bus stop, where there is also a free car park with a designated parking space for people with disabilities. From the car park, a ramp with a 15% gradient leads to the pedestrian gallery (passageway), which also houses the Steinhaus Tourist Office. Behind the pedestrian gallery, we follow the paved pavement ramp (10 m with a 5% gradient) past a drinking fountain and continue along the adjoining pavement.
After a few metres, we cross the Ahr via a wooden bridge (the gaps between the floorboards are 3.5 cm wide). On the left bank of the river, we follow the gravel cycle path down the valley to the Klausberg cable car car park. There is a public toilet here: the ladies’ toilet has a spacious cubicle (toilet without grab rails) with a nappy-changing table. The cable car car park also has reserved parking spaces and several charging points for electric cars.
We then cross the Ahr again and follow the pavement on the left-hand side of Klausbergstraße towards the Wenger bus stop (after the bridge, there is a 3-metre stretch with an 8% cross-slope). After the bus stop, we cross another wooden bridge to return to the left bank of the stream. From here, the Bistro STOCHAS food & drinks is already visible; it has an accessible toilet (lift).
For the return journey, we first stay on the orographically left bank of the river for several hundred metres. From here, the path leads back to the Klausberg Ski Arena car park, with gentle ups and downs at a gradient of 5–8% and past several benches. We follow the same path back, but continue along the maize fields to Unterberg, where we cross a wooden bridge to return to the right bank of the river.
There, we cross the main road at a zebra crossing, turn left onto the pavement and walk past the Hotel Neuwirt (no accessible toilet). From the pavement, we turn right onto the footpath through “Maurerplatz” and follow it to the Provincial Mining Museum – Steinhaus (10 m with a 10–12% gradient on cobblestones). The Enzenberg family’s mining collection is on display in the local “Kornkasten”, the mine’s former food store. Wooden models of furnishings, paintings and artistically decorated mine maps, as well as books, documents and artefacts from the mine, bring the history of mining in the Ahrntal valley to life. From the museum, a ramp leads back to the main road and on to the starting point. Along the way, benches by the side of the path invite you to stop and rest.
Alternative starting point: the car park at the Klausberg Ski Arena.
Information about the walk
Suitable for:
Everyone
Road surface:
Asphalt, gravel surfacing and compacted earth
Bars/Restaurants:
Bistro STOCHAS food & drinks
Public transport:
Bus 450, Steinhaus or Wenger stop
WC:
Bistro STOCHAS food & drinks: accessible toilet
Klausberg cable car: accessible public toilet
Provincial Mining Museum – Steinhaus: accessible toilet
Klausberg cable car: accessible public toilet
Provincial Mining Museum – Steinhaus: accessible toilet
Sun/Shade:
Very sunny
