The Kienberg (1,222 m) rises like a green island in the heart of the Puster Valley. Formed as plutonite during the Alpine orogeny, it was shaped over thousands of years by glaciers that smoothed the ancient magma masses from deep within the Earth. Today, the Kienberg appears as a broad, rounded slope, surrounded by legends and myths.
The trail begins in Casteldarne and follows the Kienberg path towards Mantana, passing the Plattnerhof farm. According to legend, a hard-hearted landowner once lived here. After cruelly driving away a starving beggar, he was cursed: all the springs of the Kienberg dried up.
The route climbs to the summit of the Kienberg (1,222 m), a panoramic point with splendid views of the valley. After a stop in the picturesque hamlet of Mantana, the walk continues along the old Way of the Cross back to Casteldarne. This path is still used today by pilgrims from Predoi in the Aurina Valley, who come to pray to the “Madonna of the Grain”, asking for good weather and blessings for fields and stables.
This is an easy yet evocative hike, perfect for those seeking peace, nature, and little-frequented trails, immersed in an atmosphere where history, faith, and legend intertwine.
