Marlinger Waalweg from Töll to Lana

With the best hiking weather, we start again in Partschins through the apple orchards in the direction of Töll. The first tentative blossoms delight the hikers and we start in Töll on the Marlinger Waalweg. Waale have nothing to do with marine mammals, they are irrigation systems artificially created by humans and are used to irrigate the orchards and vineyards in South Tyrol. They have been around since the 12th century and can mostly be found in Vinschgau and around Meran. The irrigation channels are varied and easy to walk. Especially now they are not overcrowded, while hiking caravans are traveling along these paths in the high season. A stop at a wine tavern is actually a must in South Tyrol. There is the traditional Marende, that is bacon, smoked sausages and cheese with Venosta Valley bread and red wine, mostly from our own cultivation. After our arrival in Marlengo, we took the opportunity to take the bus to Meran. With the guest card you have free travel by bus and train, save yourself the hassle of looking for a parking space and you can enjoy the wine of the region.

On the right, the water canal ripples next to you, on the left you are rewarded with a permanent panoramic view - on the approximately 12-kilometer-long Marlinger Waalweg. Frequent long shady areas along the rocky escarpments make the tour a pleasant walk while the sun scorches the vineyards and apple slopes. In between there are a few opportunities to stop off. On a special recommendation, we chose the "Leitenschenke" - fantastic view, fantastic ambience, fantastic apricot dumplings! The flat path laid out more than 250 years ago is a very beautiful and easy path for all "difficulty". And you learn something about the irrigation system of the clever monks.

After the many meters of altitude yesterday, today a very relaxed walk on the beautiful Marlinger Waalweg 😊

Today we set off from Partchins on the Marlinger Waalweg. At 12 km, it is the longest and "perhaps" also the most beautiful Waalweg in the Merano region. A varied path along the Waal and the vineyards. The Panorama Restaurant Leitenschenke is also recommended. You can't sit and eat something delicious any better 😂👍. The staff are friendly, the food is delicious and the view is great. A really great path that gets busier towards lunchtime. So⚠️ get going early and you'll have the great path to yourself. Oh yes, and Garmin says 290 m up and down and 24.8 km.

We took the bus to Meran and changed trains there to continue to Töll. That's where we started. The Waalweg is an easy path with many beautiful views and places to stop for refreshments. The Waale were formerly used for irrigation in agriculture. After our arrival in Lana we took the bus to Meran and changed trains there to return to Hafling.

Beautiful route ... flat and at ground level, suitable for all ages, as there are hardly any inclines. We took the bus to Algund and got straight into the hiking trail. In Lana, the bus goes back to Meran every 20 minutes.

At almost 12km in length, the Marlinger Waalweg is the longest and at the same time one of the most popular irrigation channels near Meran. From the Lana bus station it is a steep climb to the Raffeiner Weg junction, where the curves descend to the start of the footpath. At the time of recording, this first part was unfortunately closed due to renovation work, hence the detour. The Waal ends in Töll at the power station. From there you can easily take the bus back.

The Marlinger Waal had no water that day. It is fed by the Etsch near Töll. Looking at the water in the Etsch, I could imagine that the water supply had been temporarily paused. The heavy rains before made the water concrete grey! Really murky. The mud would silt up the Waal so quickly. You wouldn't even be able to see that quickly...