At this stopping point, you will discover the key to understanding the geological evolution of the Carnic Alps, as here the two rock units which built up the Carnic Alps are in close contact. The greyish cherty basal rocks are around 370 million years old. They have been involved in …
Small ‘holes’ in the landscape can be seen here and at other points along the Geotrail. These are mines where iron ore was once mined. The iron deposits are associated with the 360 million year old rocks from the Devonian Period which formed at depths of around 3,000 m. You …
Here you can see a large crater or bowl-shaped form in which moorland has developed. The rounded bowl is almost entirely closed. To the east of the Lake Zollnersee Hut, the brook draining the moorland has carved its way deep into a ridge of bedrock made from hard quartz. The …
This site too was once part of a continuous limestone plateau which has broken down in the past into three smaller units. Remnants of this former extensive limestone platform can be found between the Zollner and Nassfeld regions. In contrast to the last stopping point, large fossils such as sea …
In order to reach the summit of this limestone hill, you first have to climb a gentle slope composed of sandstones and shales. Although completely different, all three rocks belong to one unit – the so-called Auernig Formation. The sequence was formed around 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous …
Lake Zollnersee has the local geology to thank for its formation. The glacier of the last Ice Age carved out a hollow in the shale now underlying the lake. This impermeable black rock prevents the water from seeping away as well as forming the surrounding hills. They are among the …
Read more Lake Zollnersee – a treasure of the landscape with an uncertain future
This stopping point impressively shows in all directions just what a significant impact the rock has had on the forms of the landscape. To the south-west, the craggy peak of the Hoher Trieb is prominent and towers high above the hilly pastures. It is composed of limestone while the alpine …
This site is located on the edge of a moor – a frequently encountered landscape feature in the Zollner region. Moorland is created from an accumulation of peat or dead plants which have not fully decomposed due to constant waterlogging. The impermeable quartz rock below the moor and high levels …