Alpine pilgrim trail "Hoch und Heilig" - Stage 8: Obermauern - Kals a. G.

From Obermauern, we follow the Way of the Cross towards Göriach and Virgen. This romantic dirt road, which connects the pilgrimage site of Maria Schnee with Virgen, is considered the most popular pilgrimage route in Tyrol. We continue along the ‘Path of the Senses’ (starting at the Virgen drag lift) through the hedge-rich fields of Virgen and along the ‘Iselweg’ to the bridge over the Isel below Mitteldorf. From here, we hike along the orographic right bank of the Isel on trail no. 91 towards Ganz and from there on a detour up to the Romanesque church of St. Nikolaus. After visiting and resting, we leave this culturally and historically significant place and reach the centre of Matrei via Bichl. We cross the village with its large ‘Landdom’ St. Alban, stock up on provisions in the regional ‘Talladen’ and begin the ascent along the Bretterwandbach stream to the Klaunzer Berg via trail no. 515, where we also pass St. Veit Stöckl. Finally, we reach the highest point of the stage at the Kals-Matreier-Törl (2,207 m). The refuge of the same name at the pass offers a place to rest, good food and a magnificent view of the many surrounding three-thousand-metre peaks.
For the descent to Kals a. G., we choose the direct, steeper route no. 502B to Temblerhof. From here, our route leads across the village fields to the valley station of the gondola lift. We continue from Großdorf to Unterburg along the footpath. In Unterburg, we pass the famous Romanesque St. George's Church, which stands freely in the village fields. After the bridge, we turn right onto path no. 31 and walk on the left side of the stream to the lower Ködnitz, reaching the parish church of St. Rupert directly via path 39.