Vellach Riverside Cycle Path – Sonnegger Lake loop from St. Michael ob Bleiburg/Šmihel pri Pliberku

Bike touring routes & trails

Austria

Carinthia

Bezirk Völkermarkt

Feistritz ob Bleiburg

Vellach Riverside Cycle Path – Sonnegger Lake loop from St. Michael ob Bleiburg/Šmihel pri Pliberku

Hard

4.9

(21)

245

riders

Vellach Riverside Cycle Path – Sonnegger Lake loop from St. Michael ob Bleiburg/Šmihel pri Pliberku

03:48

51.5km

1,000m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 5, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Karawanken-Karavanke UNESCO Global Geopark

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

15.3 km

Luschasattel

Mountain Pass

16.2 km

Church of Peace at Luschasattel

Highlight • Religious Site

After a number of hairpin bends there is a descent but then there is a steep climb to the church at the top (1285 m)

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31.1 km

Vellach River

Highlight • River

It rises in the Steiner Alps and flows, always heading north, first through the mountainous Vellachtal, which covers the municipality of Eisenkappel-Vellach, between the Steiner Alps, the Petzen and Obir massifs. After the town of Rechberg, it leaves its narrow valley and enters the Jauntal, only to merge into the Drau after a short distance near Gallizien.

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33.5 km

Jakobsquelle on Seebergweg

Highlight • Natural Monument

The Jakobsquelle is part of a group of springs that emerge in the Vellachtal between Rechberg and Miklauzhof. The total flow of this spring is between 350 and 400 liters per second. The Jakobsquelle was captured in 1993 and is of great importance for the drinking water supply of the surrounding communities.

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33.6 km

Jakobsquelle (Jakobov Izvir)

Highlight • Natural Monument

34.6 km

Vellach Riverside Cycle Path

Highlight • Cycleway

The paved road along the Vellach River has very little traffic, as only local residents are permitted to use it. Be aware of cross traffic, driveways, etc., in places! The scenery is mostly shaded, and you'll be accompanied by the rushing sound of the Vellach as it winds its way through the scree. There are playgrounds and rest areas along the way, but also a short, very rockfall-prone section that you should drive through quickly.

I like this route with its rushing water and diverse rock formations. The path climbs gently but steadily towards Eisenkappel. There are no places to stop for refreshments, but you can refill your water bottles at the Jakobsquelle spring.

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39.5 km

Sonnegger Lake

Highlight • Lake

daily ticket
Children € 1.10
Adults € 2.20
Fishing license € 12 (we saw big fish)

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44.3 km

Devil's Stone near Globasnitz

Highlight • Natural Monument

The Teufelsstein in the Jaun Valley near Globasnitz in Carinthia. According to a legend, the rock was broken by the devil in anger over a lost soul of the Petzen (a 2126 meter high mountain summit a little further south) and thrown into Jauntal. On the front you can still see the thumbprint of the devil today.

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