Lake Weissensee in the Nassfeld-Pressegger See, Lesachtal, Weissensee region - also known as the World of Mountains & Lakes for short - is a true natural spectacle and an incredibly versatile outdoor sports arena. Here you will find a little paradise. Uncompromisingly unspoilt, as a minimum distance keeps hotels and private houses lovingly away from the turquoise-green lake shore. Only small wooden boathouses can be found on the eponymous white edges, which are formed by limestone deposits from the surrounding Gailtal Alps. Its 24° bathing temperature in summer makes the cleanest lake in Carinthia a wonderfully refreshing pleasure after a MTB tour.

(Favourite) part of the BIKEworld

the Weissenseetrail in Carinthia was opened in 2016 and expanded in 2018 with two additional MTB single trails. in 2019, the Trailworld of Mountains & Lakes was launched as part of BIKEworld: consisting of the 3 MTB single trails at Lake Weissensee, numerous flow trails at Nassfeld and the Tröpolach pump track. All of them true nature trails that were once narrow hiking or smuggling trails.

The entrance to the Weissensee trail is easily reached by lift. And yet this single trail is different to many other routes: not another flow trail, not a wide, dredged track, but a bike path that naturally follows the course of the slope. Just as the region refuses major development, so does the mountain.

The trail initially meanders relatively flat along the slope. We follow the bends and hairpin bends while catching glimpses of the shimmering turquoise-blue lake time and again. Benedikt Purner, a mountain bike veteran from Innsbruck, has built the MBH single trails on Lake Weissensee with particular sensitivity. And so our path disappears again under a dense canopy of leaves and follows further bends, twists and turns and small drops. The ground is grippy and dark brown, while the surrounding vegetation is a lush green.

In the final section, the trail becomes a little more open and our gaze wanders back towards the lake. Shortly before the valley station, there is a small but nice technical course. Bikers of all abilities will find the perfect terrain here to work on their skills. After arriving at the valley station, we head straight back up again - after all, there are two more trails in the Weissensee trio waiting for us:

• Naggl Trail: 5.1 km / 380 m / medium
• Panorama Trail: 3.2 km / 376 m / difficult
• Weissensee Trail: 2.7 km / 370 m / difficult

The first trail is named after the Naggler Alm, which is located on the plateau behind the mountain railway. A stop here is basically a must - the Carinthian specialities are so delicious. Special recommendation: the blackberry Kaiserschmarrn.

All three MTB single trails are selected natural trails and inspire with their natural course, numerous bends, waves, roots and everything the ground has to offer. However, the turquoise-green lake, which provides Caribbean vibes and a Mediterranean lifestyle, definitely makes biking on Lake Weissensee an exclusive experience.

• 13 mountain bike trails
• with a total length of 160 km
• Bike & boat connections - continue your MTB tour on the other side of the lake with a scheduled boat trip

After two more runs on the Weissensee trail, we stop for a bite to eat on the lakeshore - after all, we also want to indulge in some culinary delights. Fish is a particular speciality here. lake Weissensee is home to 22 species of fish between 5 and 99 metres deep - from rainanke and carp to perch and pike.

Above all, the lake is also a fascinating swimming and sports lake: in summer, you can take sailing and paddle boats to secluded bays or try your hand at SUP. In winter, the huge lake reliably transforms into a kilometre-long natural ice rink. And so everything that characterises the people and their landscape around the lake comes together here: Natural, sporty and always with a connection to the lake - just like the region as a whole.