It’s difficult to pick which are the best places to go in Filzmoos when there are so many different walks available. With over 200 kilometres in the area and several mountains surrounding the village it was such a difficult choice picking my three favourites to personally recommend during your stay.
Unterfofalm & Almsee Lake
Every visitor to Filzmoos should visit the Unterhofalm and the Almsee at least once (if not more!) during their stay. The Unterhofalm is situated north of the village and is reachable by walking paths 30A & 30E from the village centre. I find this walk to be a gentle stroll towards the Bischofsmütze Mountain, walking alongside the river Hammerbach all the way from the village and right into the mountains. You have the choice of taking the ‘Wonderbus’ from outside the Tourist Office or alternatively you are able to walk it. On foot it takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the 220 year old Unterhofalm. Once at the Unterhofalm there is an opportunity to take a break, enjoy an ice cold Stiegl beer and try Filzmoo’s best Apple Strudel! Once refreshed you take the walking path 30E for another 10 minutes until you reach the ‘Almsee Lake’. This beautiful lake has all the water from the Bischofsmütze Mountain flowing into it and is crystal clear. On a clear sunny day you can sit on the shores of the lake and watch the brown and rainbow trout basking in the sunlight in the shallow water though you are not able to fish in the lake. Once you’ve taken in the sights you can go around the lake and head south back onto the walking path 30E via the Oberhofalm back into the village.
Schwarze Lacke
The Schwarze Lacke is a little more of a difficult find as it’s situated at the top of the Grossberg Mountain, but for keen walkers, getting there shouldn’t be a problem. I think the Schwarze Lacke is a really beautiful place to visit but it is often overlooked as people visit the more well known areas such as Almsee Lake and Grahsteg Reservoir though do not make the journey to find the ‘Black Lake’ during their visit. There are multiple places to start the walk to the Schwarze Lacke though the most common place would be in the centre of the village at the left hand side of the main entrance to the Hotel Bischofsmütze. There you will find the start to the uphill trail of 30D which is a little more challenging than the walk up the Unterhof Alm. During the assent of the Grossberg Mountain on path 30D you will see lots of pictures of Jesus Christ hanging from the trees and some shrines facing downwards onto Filzmoos. Once you’ve reached the top of 30D you will find the Kleinbergalm, which is a good place to stop for a quick break before heading onto the trail marked 36A to the north and following this for 25 minutes until you reach trail 37B. Continue onto 37B and you will find the Schwarze Lacke (Black Lake). During the high season, the Grossberg Chairlift will be operational and for a small fee you can take the 4 Man Chairlift up to the Kleinbergalm which takes 8 Minutes. If you were to walk to the Schwarze Lacke from the start of 30D this will take you roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Moosalm
The Moosalm is an alm favoured by locals, tourist and seasonal workers. Its open both during the summer and the winter and it’s a very popular place to visit. The alm sits on the Rossbrand Mountain and was built in 1953 and has taken proved incredibly popular ever since. The Moosalm is north facing offering fantastic views of the village and the Bischofsmütze Mountain, as well as some of the most beautiful views of the mighty Dachstein Mountains. There are two ways to reach the Moosalm from the village; the first being on trail 41A heading south through the forest on the Rossbrand mountain. Do bear in mind that this is a red trail though so it is a challenging uphill walk. This route takes about 1 hour to reach the Moosalm. Alternatively you can take trail 41B which is a much gentler uphill blue. From the village to the Moosalm along the 41B takes roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes. After you’ve visited the Moosalm you can then continue up 41A until you reach the peak of the mountain before heading west to the main cable car station and the Schörgi Alm. If you continue heading west on path 42B for another 1 hour you will also find the peak of the Rossbrand.
There are, of course, many other places to visit in Filzmoos and the surrounding area but these three are without doubt, my personal favourites and I do hope that you get a chance to visit them (if not all!) during your stay.