Discover Mauls: Roman Finds and Hiking Trails

Mauls brings together historical themes and a range of ways to spend time outdoors. Its historical connections include the parish church of St. Oswald the King and two Roman finds from Mules. The trails range from a short forest walk to a hike with two named high-altitude destinations reached in succession. The natural ice rink in the Mauls Valley adds a seasonal winter activity to the picture. When planning your trip, it is therefore worth considering both the themes you choose and the character of each activity: a historical connection, a trail that loops back, a tour to high-altitude points, or a winter activity.

Historical Connections

The parish church of St. Oswald the King in Mules (Mauls) was first mentioned in 1329. This year provides a clear date in the church’s history; the Roman finds offer a connection to a much earlier era. The Mithras Stone from Mules is a Roman votive stone dedicated to Mithras, the god of light. The tombstone of Aurelia Ruffina, also known as the “Quartinus Stone,” is another Roman find from Mules. The votive stone and tombstone represent different forms of remembrance: the Mithras Stone is dedicated to the god of light, while the Quartinus Stone bears the name Aurelia Ruffina. The history of Welfenstein Castle adds its own sequence of events to this historical perspective: the castle was renovated in the 19th century, destroyed in 1918, and later restored.

Hiking: A Loop or High-Altitude Destinations

The Romedisteig is a short forest walk on the southern slope of Mules (Mauls). It passes the Geluege geological fault, reaches the hamlet of Flans, and returns to the starting point. The loop thus includes two distinct waypoints: Geluege, the named geological fault, and Flans, the hamlet the trail reaches. Trail conditions can vary by season; check them before setting out.

A differently structured tour is the hike “From Mauls to Valler Jöchl”: it leads to Valler Jöchl at 1,933 m and continues to the Jochtal mountain restaurant at 2,007 m. The route connects two consecutive destinations, each with its own elevation. Unlike the Romedisteig, this hike focuses on two high-altitude destinations reached one after the other. You can distinguish between the trails by their described routes: a loop with waypoints on one hand, and a sequence of named high-altitude destinations on the other.

Natural Ice in the Mauls Valley

The Mauls Ice Rink is a natural ice skating rink in a peaceful location in the Mauls Valley, in the municipality of Freienfeld. It adds a seasonal activity to your trip planning. Unlike the hiking trails, conditions here depend on the natural ice and seasonal operations. Before visiting, check the ice conditions and seasonal operating schedule.

Discover more destinations: Pfitsch, Freienfeld, Franzensfeste, Brenner, Mareit, Ratschings, Sterzing

Return to the main travel overview: Wipptal.