Discover Gaming: Charterhouse, Waterfalls and Cycling Routes
Accommodation in Gaming
Explore Gaming through its monastic history, regional work traditions and paths through the landscape. In addition to museums and historic buildings, waterfalls, cycling routes and seasonal excursion options shape the choices available. When planning your stay, you can weigh up whether culture, outdoor activities or both should be the focus.
Charterhouse history and historic traces
Gaming Charterhouse was inaugurated in 1342 and secularized in 1782. The Gaming Charterhouse Museum presents the history of the monastery and the Carthusian monks. The Charterhouse church was built in the Gothic style. Another historic landmark in the town is the Baroque Marian column, which has stood at its current location since 1720.
The area’s cultural heritage can also be explored on foot: the Gaming circular hiking trail passes 14 Baroque Stations of the Cross on its way over Calvary Hill. Alongside the Carthusian forge in Langau, the Grabner Hammer is the only surviving forge-hammer building from the heyday of the iron industry in the municipality of Gaming. The themes of monastic life, sacred art and ironworking offer insights into different aspects of the town’s history.
Forestry, school and regional traditions
The collection at the Trübenbach Woodcutters’ Museum focuses on forestry around Ötscher. Numerous illustrations and original tools show the arduous work of the woodcutters, their way of life and family routines. Floating timber down the Erlauf is another focus of the exhibition. Visitors can also see the former one-room school in Trübenbach. Until the 1960s, it taught children of forest farmers and woodcutters.
TrĂĽbenbach therefore offers a look not only at tools and work in the forest, but also at family life and the former school. This provides a different perspective on regional history than the monastic and ecclesiastical heritage in Gaming.
Waterfalls, a cave and trails in the Ă–tscher region
The municipality of Gaming is one of the five municipalities across which the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park extends. At Trefflingfall, the Trefflingbach plunges up to 120 m into the Erlauf. From the Eibenboden entrance, it takes about an hour to reach the waterfall. As access conditions can change along with trail conditions, it is worth checking them before setting out.
Schleierfall is on the Fallbach, about 4 km south of Gaming, and is 20 m high. Near Gaming, the Kartäuserpfad starts at the Polzbergmühle car park with a short, somewhat steeper climb. This is followed by a leisurely hike of about 30 minutes to the waterfall. The approximate walking time and the climb described here help distinguish this excursion from the trip to Trefflingfall.
The Ă–tscher dripstone cave is 575 m long and 54 m deep. On a guided tour lasting about 45 minutes, you can see stalactites and stalagmites thousands of years old, sinter formations, an underground lake and the Fairy-Tale Hall. Visits are possible seasonally; check opening times before your trip. The Geological Trail offers a different perspective on the landscape: its observation points 1 to 6 provide insights into the geology of the Ă–tscher region.
Cycling and seasonal connections
The 70 km Erlauftal Cycle Route leads to Gaming, where its flat section ends at the Charterhouse. The regional Erlauftal Cycle Route and the Little Erlauftal Cycle Route also pass through the market town. This provides a specific distinction to consider when choosing a route: the flat section of the longer route ends at the Charterhouse.
The Ă–tscherland Express runs seasonally along the mountain section of the Ybbstalbahn, passing Gaming Charterhouse. On weekends in July and August, hikes around Trefflingfall can be reached by public transport on the Nature Park hiking bus. Hikes there can also be combined with the Mariazell Railway for car-free outings. Check the relevant service and operating dates when planning, as train and bus services are seasonal.
Swimming, beer and the market
The Ă–tscherland outdoor swimming pool in Gaming has a 68 m water slide. Swimmers can use the beach volleyball court, mini-golf course and table tennis facilities free of charge; there is also a bocce court in front of the pool. The 12-hole mini-golf course is next to the outdoor pool and tennis center.
At Bruckner’s Beer World, the beer tour runs year-round from Wednesday to Sunday at 11:00 and 15:00. Groups are accepted at any time by prior arrangement; the tour is accessible. Check tour times before visiting. A local product is Gaminger Kartausenbräu, brewed in accordance with the German Purity Law and without chemical additives.
The farmers’ market for regional specialties takes place in the Gaming town hall arcades every other Saturday morning from 08:30 to 11:00. Market times can change, so it is advisable to check the date before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Lackenhof, Lunz am See, Sankt Georgen an der Leys, Scheibbs, Lassing, Steinakirchen am Forst, GroĂźegg, Schliefau
Return to the main travel overview: Scheibbs.
