KulTour - Breitenbach chapels tour

 The tour starts at the Antonius chapel (Haus 29a, 6252 Breitenbach directly on the L211 below Pension Edelweis).

The chapel dedicated to St. Anthony in the Straßmühl hamlet was first mentioned in the 17th century. The miller Peter Kurz had the Antonius Chapel built around 1675. Today, the chapel is owned by the Breitenbach parish.

After visiting the chapel, the tour continues towards the Pension Edelweiß. Turn left at Pension Edelweiss and follow the path towards the Sapl farm up on a hill. Walk past the Sapl farm and continue for approx. 1,5 km along the road through the forest without turning off towards the Mahd farm. In front of the Mahd farm, which stands alone in a clearing, is the "Mahd chapel", the second stop. The chapel's wooden altar is a rarity.

Walk past the farm and follow the signs for "Haus" (it might be necessary to push the bike for a short stretch). At the end of the forest track, you will reach a dirt track immediately opposite the Haus hamlet. Continue towards the small white chapel that can already be seen on the other side of the valley. Cross the L 211 main road and walk towards the Mariahilf or - as it is called in Breitenbach - the "Heiserer chapel".

Right next to the chapel, a road leads further uphill along trail no. 10. Follow this route until you reach the first crossroads. At this junction, turn right onto trail no. 11 leading towards the Rechenleit hamlet. Walk past the farm towards the Zipfl hamlet. Walk past the house and follow the footpath in a north-easterly direction. The path leads over a small bridge and through the forest until it joins a road (please note: this short connecting path through the forest is very narrow and relatively steep at the end! You will need to push your bike!). Once there, turn left and walk uphill until you reach the "Antner chapel", at a crossroads. The Antner chapel, a Lourdes chapel, was built in 1910. It has a shingle-tiled gable roof. Above the chapel's round arch portal is a beautiful round medallion. Inside the chapel is a flat arch niche with a Lourdes grotto (partly made of tuff).

And on you go.  When you are in front of the Antner chapel, follow the hiking trail no. 10 to your left to the next crossroads and take the right-hand path towards the Specka farm (solitary farm on the hill). Walk past the farm and follow the gravel path eastwards for approx. 1 km without turning until you reach the sign Jocher Kapelle hiking trail no. 19 A. A relatively steep footpath (approx. 10 minutes) leads through the forest (if possible, it is best to leave your bike at the bottom of the footpath) to the "Jocher Kapelle".  Interesting note: If you follow the very steep path upwards from the Jocher chapel, you will reach the Pumphaus hamlet in the Brandenberg Valley after approx. 45 minutes. This ancient path "over the Jocher", as it is called in the Brandenberg valley, was used by the people of Brandenberg as the fastest connection to Breitenbach. Sheep farmers would sell their sheep's wool to the Jordan weaving mill in Breitenbach. 

Return:

Option 1:

From the Jocher chapel, follow the footpath back down to the gravel path. Leave hiking trail no. 19A to the left at a fork in the road and continue along hiking trail no. 10 towards Berau. Immediately after Berau you will reach hiking trail no. 9, which you follow until you meet hiking trail no. 8 (Berauweg). This route leads directly back to the Antonius chapel. 

Option 2:

From the Jocherkapelle follow the gravelled track to the crossing and follow the signs for trail 19 Breitenbach/Ramsau. In Ramsau take the trail no. 8 (Berauweg). Continue through the Bichl hamlet and past the Bichl farms to the L 211 main road and back to the Antonius chapel.

Please note:

Due to electrical power line relocations and thus relating logging work this coming spring/summer 2021 the footpath towards Ramsau needs to be bypassed.  Please follow option 1!

Once logging work is completed, you can take option 2.

If you arrived by bus, you will find the next bus stop near the chapel (bus no. 4113).