Innviertler Jakobsweg

The 140-kilometre trail largely follows the old historical routes. During the hike, you pass the four St James' churches of Roßbach, Höhnhart, Schalchen and Lengau.

The Way of St James in the Innviertel region is a continuation of the Way of St James, which leads from Krumau via the upper Mühlviertel region to Passau. It connects the two episcopal cities of Passau and Salzburg. The starting point of the Way of St James in Passau is St Stefan's Cathedral, which acquired its current baroque appearance in the 17th century.
After 16 kilometres you reach Schärding. The town develops its unique baroque splendour on the main square. The Way of St James runs along the Via Nova pilgrimage route as far as Suben. In St Florian, the Gothic church stands on Roman foundations. This area was already settled in Roman times.
After crossing the Lindetwald forest, you then reach St. Marienkirchen bei Schärding with its Gothic parish church, which is well worth seeing, after a further 5 kilometres. On the stage to Antieshofen, 9 kilometres further on, you cross a very old settlement area. The route continues via Münzsteuer to Reichersberg, where you can see the only monastery on the lower Inn, the Augustinian monastery of Reichersberg.
The route continues along the Inn to nearby Obernberg, where you can visit one of the most beautiful market squares in Austria. On the way to Kirchdorf, you cycle along the Inn in the Lower Inn European nature reserve, one of the most important natural jewels and bird paradises in Central Europe.
After 5 kilometres you finally reach Kirchdorf, where you can visit the Marien pilgrimage church with its baroque high altar. In the small town of Altheim, situated in a hollow, stands the late Gothic church, a masterpiece of tuff and brick with beautiful paintings. A fragment of a painting of St James can be seen behind the high altar.
Over meadow paths and through the Gaugshammer forest, you reach Roßbach after a further 9 kilometres, where the first church dedicated to St. James is now located. The ceiling frescoes in the otherwise simple church tell the story of the life of St James.
On the way to Höhnhart, where the next church dedicated to St James can be admired, you meet the Via Nova again. After 6 kilometres you reach Maria Schmolln, undoubtedly the most important Marian pilgrimage site in the Innviertel region alongside Schardenberg.
The village of Schalchen, 7.5 kilometres from Maria Schmolln, is home to one of Austria's most beautiful St James' churches. The newly renovated church impresses with its late baroque stucco ceiling in which the life of St James is depicted in over 20 pictures.
From Schalchen, you first follow the Mattig river and then reach the centre of Mattighofen with its Protestant church. After 5.5 kilometres, you finally reach Munderfing via the Trattmansberg. From there you follow the Via Nova pilgrimage route to the last St James' church in Upper Austria, the parish church of Lengau.
Via Mattsee and the St James' parish of Obertrum, you reach the main route of the Austrian Way of St James near Eugendorf and finally via Maria Plain to Salzburg.