This stage is a panoramic hike from the very first step....
This is followed by an easy ascent to the Hohe Salve, one of the best panoramic mountains in Tyrol. Austria's highest pilgrimage church is located right at the summit. The descent via Salvensee and Filzalmsee is via picturesque paths. In Hochbrixen, you can take the cable car again for the rest of the descent - or you can continue on a path down to Brixen im Thale with its imposing double-towered church.
Take the Salvenbahn cable car from Hopfgarten to the middle station (1,157m).
Here you follow the signposts in the direction of Rigi, Hohe Salve and walk to the right under the cables of the cable car directly to the Tenn inn. Above the inn, the route follows the narrow road to the third bend at the Tennerwald 1,231m junction. Here, turn right again for a short stretch on the road towards Salvenalm, Rigi, Hohe Salve. After around a hundred metres, a steeper cart track branches off to the left.
Continue uphill on this path through forest and meadows towards Hohe Salve until you reach a wider forest path. Now in three hairpin bends through the open alpine pasture area to the Kälberalm and the Alpengasthof Rigi (1,537m; 1h from the middle station).
Continue on a steeper forest path with several hairpin bends through the ski area, past the Kleine Salve reservoir viewpoint with sun loungers on the lake shore, to the summit of the Hohe Salve with the pilgrimage church and the summit restaurant (1,829m; 1h from Gasthof Rigi).
The descent towards Filzalmsee/Brixen begins on the south-eastern side of the summit via a hiking trail that descends in several hairpin bends to the clearly visible Salvensee lake. Shortly after the reservoir, turn left off the path onto a meadow path that leads over a ski slope to the Filzalmsee. Now continue downhill on this path, always orientating yourself towards Filzalmsee and Brixen.
The beautiful path soon leads into a wooded area and you walk right past the small Jordan Chapel, from which a spring emerges. Now you hike back down through the open area to a forest road that initially leads to the Filzalm farm and the lake of the same name. From here, it is only a few metres to the mountain station of the Hochbrixen gondola lift (1 ¼ h from Hohe Salve). Alternatively, you can take the mountain railway from here to the stage destination of Brixen im Thale.
On foot, orientate yourself shortly before the station at Hof, Brixen im Thale and hike further downhill on the right-hand side on trail no. 95. Shortly after the path leads into the forest, the steeper but well-maintained hiking trail to Brixen branches off to the left.
The trail descends through the forest on both sides of a ditch. At the Oberkaslach junction at 1,013 metres above sea level, there are several routes to Brixen.
The route now runs to the left through the trench (follow the Brixen signpost with the cable car symbol on it!) On the opposite side of the trench, walk downhill alongside the pasture to the tarmac access road. Continue downhill on this road until you reach the village road. Now continue left into the centre of Brixen im Thale (1 hour from the Hochbrixen mountain station).
