Welcome to our new blog series featuring portraits of South Tyrolean lakes! Here Sabine takes you on a journey to the legendary Totensee Lake above the Eisack Valley. Read all about what makes a visit so worthwhile here! :-)

The Totensee Lake above the Eisack Valley

With its surrounding landscape and the special atmosphere that it creates, the Totensee Lake at the foot of the Villanderer Berg massif is, when it comes to mountain lakes, one of my absolute favourite destinations in the Eisack Valley. There are not only spectacular panoramic views of the Dolomites – it also makes a perfect excursion for every member of a hiking family, whether in summer or in winter.

A truly picturesque sight
Located above the Eisack Valley at an altitude of 2,208 metres, the Totensee Lake lies on Europe’s second-largest high plateau – the Villanderer Alm in the heart of South Tyrol. From the lake you can enjoy spectacular views of the extensive Alpine pastures and, on the opposite side of the valley, of the imposing rocky peaks and massifs of the Dolomites: the Langkofel and the Plattkofel, the Rosengarten and the Sella Group. The views are particularly fine when seen from the inviting wooden loungers positioned on one side of the lake, which probably owes its somewhat eerie name – the Dead Lake – to its barren, unproductive surroundings, also known in South Tyrol as “tot” or “dead”. These surroundings have a special aura, however, which the secluded lake uses to cast a magic spell on visitors: The lake lies above the tree line, standing out between the boulders that have rolled down from the mountain behind it. It is a place where you can become completely still, turning your gaze inwards and all at once listening to the sound of the water and the chirping of the birds, while a pleasant feeling spreads through you – including gratitude for the chance to witness this quietly imposing natural spectacle.

 

On the trail of the past
There are several folk tales about the enchanted lake that, owing to its location in a hollow, often shimmers with a somewhat dark colour. One such legend tells of a goldmine that is said, long ago, to have existed in this hollow. The rich gold deposits to be found in the mountain tempted the miners to lead impious lives, causing a terrible storm to blow up over the Villanderer Alm, flooding the mine. In this way, according to tradition, a lake was created: the Dead Lake.

 

A hiker’s paradise for all the family
The ideal route to the Totensee is via the Villanderer Alm from the Eisacktal Valley. It is the perfect all-year-round destination for all the family, offering leisurely hikes with magnificent views. The vast high plateau that stretches all the way to the lake is also ideal for wonderful snowy hikes or fun toboggan expeditions in winter. :-)

Over the Villanderer Alm to the Totensee Lake
The starting point for a hike to the Totensee is the Saltnerstein car park near the Gasser Hut, easily reached by car via the village of Villanders in the Eisack Valley. From the starting point, trail no. 6 leads along wide forest paths and across the Villanderer Alm, past several huts, where you can take a break should you like. After following the trail for around two hours, you finally reach the picturesque yet bleak mountain lake – unless you have been unable to resist the many South Tyrolean specialities served up in one of the various huts on the plateau that invite you to take a culinary breather, in which case you should definitely allow for a little more time en route! ;-) Not far from the lake, by the way, is another sight worthy of a visit: the historic chapel “Am Toten [At the Dead (Lake)”] – better known as the “Totenkirchl”, or Chapel of the Dead, which dates back to 1899. If you take the same way back you should allow a total walking time of some three hours for the panoramic hike to the Totensee, with a difference in elevation of 475 metres.

 

So it’s onto the trail, get set, go! The Totensee Lake on the Villanderer Alm is ready and waiting for you to discover. And, should you fancy a holiday in the area, you can find out more about the private hosts of the Eisack Valley here!

Yours from the heart, Sabine.