Discover Salzweg: Reservoir, Hiking and History

If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Salzweg, local themes offer a first guide to choosing your destination. Oberilzmühle Reservoir and hiking along the Ilz sit alongside opportunities for cycling and water sports, as well as historical points of interest such as the Golden Trail. When planning your trip, you can decide whether nature, outdoor activities or history should take centre stage.

Oberilzmühle Reservoir and Hiking

Oberilzmühle Reservoir in the municipality of Salzweg was created when Passau Municipal Utilities dammed the Ilz. The power station was built between 1951 and 1955. The water and the history of the power station are directly connected here: the Ilz and the construction of the power station together explain how the reservoir came into being.

The Oberilzmühle hiking car park can be reached by car from Salzweg or Straßkirchen via a signposted municipal connecting road. The hike at Oberilzmühle takes about 1½ hours and covers around 3.5 kilometres; the return route follows a well-maintained hiking trail back to the car park. This gives you an approximate indication of the time and distance before you fit the hike into your day.

The municipality of Salzweg also recommends the approximately 70-kilometre Ilztal hiking trail. At around 3.5 kilometres, the route at Oberilzmühle is considerably shorter than the approximately 70-kilometre Ilztal hiking trail; the two hikes therefore differ substantially in length. Cycling and water sports on the Ilz are also among the sports activities available in Salzweg. The activities mentioned thus extend beyond hiking.

The Golden Trail and Building History

Salzweg lies on the Golden Trail, a medieval salt route to Bohemia. Cultural offerings associated with Salzweg include the Salzweg Cultural Days, “Culture on the Golden Trail.” In Straßkirchen, the choir and tower of St. Ägidius Parish Church date from the late Gothic period of the 15th century. Here, different historical perspectives sit side by side: a medieval salt route to Bohemia and late Gothic structural elements from the 15th century.

In the wider Passau destination

The wider Passau destination offers further distinct cultural and nature-related attractions. In Tittling, the Bavarian Forest Museum Village is one of the largest open-air museums in Europe. Visitors can explore more than 100 residential and agricultural buildings from the Bavarian Forest, dating from 1580 to 1890, across 20 hectares. The museum village includes farmhouses, mills, sawmills, blacksmiths’ workshops, chapels and field monuments, as well as Germany’s oldest village school, dating from 1666.

The Haus am Strom Nature Experience Centre is situated in the Bavarian-Austrian Danube valley below Untergriesbach. The Passau region is also shaped by its rivers, forests and thermal baths; well-known thermal springs are located in Bad Füssing and Bad Griesbach. The Danube Cycle Path runs through the Passau region and received a four-star rating following an assessment by the German Cyclists’ Association. Since certifications can change, check the current rating if it is important to your plans. Hikers can also follow the Granite Adventure Hiking Trail around Hauzenberg and the Smugglers’ Trail in the Danube Pearls region.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Eging Am See, Hauzenberg, Pocking, Kößlarn, Thyrnau, Haarbach, Bad Griesbach Im Rottal, Aicha Vorm Wald

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