Halltal. Karwendel Nature Park
The untouched nature of the Halltal valley lies in the immediate vicinity of Absam and Hall: rugged vertical limestone walls, fascinating flora and fauna, emerald green streams and all this away from civilization. The Karwendel immediately casts a spell over its visitors. As Emperor Maximilian's hunting ground, it was spared from development and has been preserved as a natural jewel to this day. The Karwendel Nature Park is the largest contiguous protected area in the Northern Limestone Alps, covering a total of 920 square kilometers and extending into Bavaria. In 2020, it was even named Nature Park of the Year.
The Karwendel reaches up to an altitude of 2,749 meters above sea level. The first regulations to protect this primeval alpine landscape, which is unique in Europe, were issued back in 1928. In 1995, the Karwendel Nature Park was registered as a Natura 2000 site by the European Commission.
Due to its climatic and topographical conditions, the Karwendel has an above-average proportion of natural habitats such as primeval forests and wild rivers and is home to an exceptionally high diversity of species.
The tourism association organizes exciting nature tours in the Halltal valley as part of the weekly summer programme as well as the weekly winter programme. The offer ranges from Nature Watch tours to themed hikes around this special valley, which was so important for salt mining in the past and therefore for the wealth of the town of Hall.
At the entrance there is a great nature playground with Kneipp basin, insect hotel, informative display boards and public toilet facilities. Long-distance hiking trails and themed trails such as the historic brine hiking trail lead through the Halltal valley.
Further information about the Halltal
Take your time on your long-distance hike to linger in the Hall-Wattens region in the heart of Tyrol. There are special destinations to discover! The village of Absam in particular, where the Halltal valley is located, offers exciting and impressive experiences:
The village of Absam, picturesquely situated at the foot of the Karwendel, is characterized by folk culture, violin making and a living tradition of faith. The apparition house - where 18-year-old Rosina Bucher was the first to see the image of the Virgin Mary in a window pane in 1797, which could no longer be removed - and the pilgrimage church, which was elevated to a basilica in 2000, form the spiritual center of the famous pilgrimage site.
Anyone walking the Way of St. James in Tyrol will pass through this beautiful village. It is not only pilgrims from near and far who like to come to the sun-drenched village: the famous violin maker Jakob Stainer (1617 to 1683) lived and worked in the pretty village. The Absam Museum is dedicated to his life and his great craftsmanship, making it a true "pilgrimage site" for all violin connoisseurs.
The carnival season is particularly exuberant when the Absam "Matschgerer" are out and about. Every 4 years they invite you to the big parade. But you can also watch their performances in the village or in the inns in the years in between. If you want to find out more about the history of the Absam carnival and its interesting characters such as the Spiegeltuxer and Zottler, the Matschgerer Museum is the place to go.
Sport is in the blood of the locals: no fewer than seven Olympic champions come from this community of less than 7,000 inhabitants. The double Olympic luge champions Wolfgang and Adreas Linger are among them, as are ski jumping legends Ernst Vettori and Andreas Felder, Nordic combined athlete Christoph Bieler and Olympic champions Olga Pahl and Josef Feistmantl.
