On the tracks of hunters and gatherers

With the discovery of Ötzi it became clear that the area around Vent was already inhabited during the Stone Age: the “Hohler Stein” also bears witness to this.

In the Austrian Alps, some hotels are not far from a very special historical site: the “Hohler Stein” – about 20 minutes’ walk from our hotel. The short hike first takes you over the bridge of the Niedertalbach stream and on towards the Martin Busch Hut. From the first hill the path turns off to the right through a thick pine forest which leads to the “Hohler Stein” which offered shelter to shepherds and hunters from the cold, rain, and approaching thunderstorms in 8000 BC. After extensive excavation work, the camp was reconstructed true to detail. The “Hohler Stein” is not the only silent witness to the past that attentive hikers encounter when climbing mountains. In the lower valley, several male and female cult stones and menhirs line the path and illustrate a long settlement history of the upper Ötz valley. Walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and discover the mountaineering village of Vent and its history.