Haflinger Adventure Trail in Hafling
The Haflinger Adventure Trail near Merano is all about South Tyrol’s famous Haflinger horses. With twelve interactive play stations along the way, there’s plenty for kids to discover. The trail is also stroller-friendly.
- Region: Burgraviato
- Categories: Adventure hiking trail, stroller-friendly, with playground, spring hike, autumn hike
- Seasons: Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Duration: 40 minutes one way, 40 minutes return
- Elevation: 100 m ascent, 100 m descent
- Distance: 4.5 km
- Difficulty: Easy
- Starting point: Hafling (Avelengo), paid parking lot in the village near the Despar supermarket
Route Description
Foly the foal guides you along the trail from Hafling to St. Kathrein. At twelve interactive stations, you’ll learn more about Haflinger horses and their way of life through games and hands-on activities.
You can jump over hurdles, try your hand at making horseshoes, climb a giant wooden horse or even take the reins of a carriage. Ever wondered how much horsepower you’ve got? Here’s your chance to find out! There are also swings, balancing challenges and plenty of opportunities to climb and play. The trail is suitable for strollers, too.
From Hafling to St. Kathrein
Start at the village parking lot in Hafling and follow trail sign no. 2, marked “Haflinger Erlebnisweg”. From there, simply follow the small signs with a horse symbol and arrows pointing the way.
The first section leads through a shady forest. Just before a bridge, a short path branches off to the right towards the fourth play station. Here you’ll find a giant horse-shaped swing, which we almost missed!
Head back to the main trail and cross the bridge. From here, the path becomes sunnier, with more play stations along the way. Our kids especially loved the climbing section, where you balance along a rock face using large horseshoes as footholds. You’ll also pass a small waterfall.
Eventually, you’ll reach a road. Take care when crossing! The trail then continues along a narrow paved road towards St. Kathrein, with more play stations to explore along the way.
St. Kathrein: Horses, a Little Church and a Place to Eat
Once you reach St. Kathrein, you might be lucky enough to spot real Haflinger horses grazing in the meadows. You’ll also find the small St. Kathrein Church, with lovely views of the surrounding mountains.
For a break, you can find a spot for a picnic or stop for a meal at Restaurant Sulfner, which also has a large playground.
Return to Hafling along the same route. Of course, you can stop at your favourite play stations again on the way back. Allow around 40 minutes of actual walking time each way, but with all the stops to play, the outing will naturally take longer.
This hike is particularly lovely in spring and autumn.
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