Easy to moderately difficult hike along pleasant hiking trails, through brushwood and past vineyards to the Messner Mountain Museum Firmian.
From the village car park, hiking trail No. 2/A leads eastwards ascending slightly along the road, passing by the large Jesuheim building complex towards Schreckbichl (a small hamlet near Girlan | Eppan). Before reaching Schreckbichl, signpost No. 1 near a wayside shrine points the way to Sigmundskron Castle. With a beautiful view over the Etschtal valley and the Texel Group of mountains in the background, this leisurely hiking trail leads past Marklhof farm, which is no longer worked. On the edge of the deciduous forest, the trail descends slightly to the splendid fortifications of Sigmundskron Castle, which since 2006 has been home to the headquarters of the five Messner Mountain Museums run by the highly popular extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner. A tour of the pictures, sculptures, symbolic objects and historical relics shows the importance of the mountains to mankind.
After visiting the museum or taking a short break, the route continues along trail No. 1 into the bottom of the valley, passes underneath the cycle path on the old railway line, finally reaching the main road near the bridge over the river Etsch. Heading southwards along the roadside pavement, the route now follows hiking trail No. 2 as far as the village of Frangart | Eppan. First it passes the church, then leads gently uphill through brushwood and large vineyards to Girlan | Eppan hill. Before the trail leaves the fertile vineyards and reaches the village centre, there is an excellent spot for taking a rest under a large hackberry tree, for which the sun-kissed Überetsch provides excellent growing conditions.
TIP: Girlan | Eppan is easy to reach by public transport, which can be used to return to the starting point (bus stop on the main street right by the entrance to Sigmundskron Castle).
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