Zwischen Nebelmorgen und Herbstlicht.
Vier perfekte Oktobertage
The nights are getting cooler in Lunz, and in the morning a blanket of mist rests on the water – only after breakfast does it slowly reveal the lake again. Outside, the forest glows red and gold before the leaves begin to fall. Four days to be right in the middle of it all.
SUNDAY: ARRIVING
Leave your luggage where it is. There will be time for that later. First, take a short walk through the village to Yvonne and Hannes Hochrieser’s Bild- und Projektwerkstatt in Hochleiten. Among restored furniture, colours and fabrics, you can see how something new emerges from the old. A quiet beginning to four days that follow much the same principle: take your time, look closely, don’t rush.
MONDAY: BETWEEN TWO LAKES
From the lakeside car park, follow the southern shore towards Seehof, past the castle and into the Seebachtal valley. The forest is showing its warmest colours as the path begins to climb gently. After about an hour, Mittersee appears between the slopes, quiet and still.
Continue past Ludwigsfall to Rainerquelle, where it’s worth stopping for a moment: through small openings in the rock, you can hear the roar of an underground waterfall – known to locals as the “Brüllender Stier”, or “Roaring Bull”. At the end of the trail, Obersee awaits at 1,114 metres above sea level. 9.4 kilometres, around three hours and 626 metres of ascent – a moderately challenging hike and, in the October light, one of the season’s most beautiful.
TUESDAY: BEHIND RENAISSANCE WALLS
Right in the centre of the village stands the Amonhaus – one of Austria’s finest Renaissance buildings. Above the entrance, an inscription still tells us that it was built by hammer mill owner Martin Ofner in 1551, probably according to the plans of an Italian master builder. Hearts and lilies decorate the window baskets, while dolphins adorn the façade in sgraffito.
Today, exhibitions and concerts take place in the arcaded courtyard, where the year 1605 is carved into the stone. The building owes its name to Johann Franz von Amon, who owned it from 1784 to 1825. In 1810, even Emperor Francis I stayed here overnight. Today it is home to the town hall, the Hammerherrenmuseum and the Handarbeitsmuseum – a remarkable amount of history under one roof.
WEDNESDAY: BOW AND ARROW THROUGH THE AUTUMN
For your last full day, head to Lackenhof at the foot of the Ötscher and its 3D archery course. There are 52 targets spread across two routes through the forest. The “Eibenkogel” route follows a gentle, fairly level path through beech woodland – ideal if you’re holding a bow for the first time or exploring with children. For more of a challenge, switch to the “Fuchswald” route through open, undulating terrain.
Equipment can be hired on site, and the Bogenschenke offers a welcome place for a break. Then it’s already time to turn back towards Refugium Lunz.
In the evening, you’re back at Refugium Lunz. One Table. One Meal. Your final evening belongs to the shared table. Over many courses, we serve whatever the region and season have to offer – sometimes with a quick glimpse into the kitchen before the next dish arrives. Everything is shared: the food, the conversation, the time.
