Faaker See- Finkenstein- Kopein - T23

Beginning in the town of Faak am See, the route starts by taking you to the “Faaker See“ (Lake Faak) outlet where you follow the pedestrian/bike path to the right along the edge of the reeds on the lake.  After crossing a small bridge over the stream, ride along the lake until getting to “Nivea Bad.” Take a left here and ride on the pedestrian/bike path parallel to the main road until just before “Campingplatz Arneitz.”  Cross over the main road here and follow a dirt path through a mixture of reeds and forest until you get to the edge of a huge meadow.  You now find yourself on a paved road cutting through the prairie to the B84 road which will take you to the town center of Ledenitzen.  After the village, you follow a small street next to the railroad tracks through the small village of Unterferlach, and then past a few houses in Mallenitzen where you meet up with the B85 road.  Cross the main road and follow the narrow paved road a few meters until taking right at the “Zyklamenweg.”  Shortly after another train crossing, the path goes to the left onto a forest path. Follow this path through the forest until reaching the first obvious fork in the road.  Take a left there and go uphill on a narrow path to a small paved street.  Don’t get too comfortable on the road because you turn right into the forest after only a few meters- follow the forest path until reaching the next paved road.  Ride on this road for a while upwards until arriving at a marked intersection- take a right and ride slightly downhill until you reach a dry river bed. Crossing the riverbed is not easy, but once you get across you will be a short ride from the “Buschenschenke Ischnighof” restaurant/tavern.  From there, ride on the paved road, through a beautiful meadow to the houses of Ouschena, where you will have reached the highest point of the ride.  Now you will ride slightly downhill past an intersection to “Baumgartnerhof” in the direction of “Ruine Finkenstein.”  Right before getting to the ruins, the route goes to the right past “Altfinkenstein” down to “Latschach.”  Right before the B85 road, take a left and shortly thereafter take a right- you are now on a narrow path by the B85.  After crossing the main road, you go in the same direction as the railroad tracks.  Go through the train underpass and take a left at the end to get back to the starting point. 

Helmet, water bottle, small snack. 

Watch out for oncoming traffic on the small paved roads!!

Take the bus to Faak am See

Click here for timetable information.

Click here for the Carinthia train station shuttle.

 Region Villach Tourism

 +43 4242 42000

 www.visitvillach.at/en

Near the intersection that leads to Altfinkenstein, you can keep straight and go to the "Burgruine Finkenstein" (Finkenstein Castle Ruins).  There is a gorgeous view from here!  Then ride straight back to the route, bike past Altfinkenstein and back to the Faaker See.