Tscheppaschlucht

The Tscheppaschlucht is a narrow gorge carved by the Loiblbach stream in the Karawanken mountains south of Ferlach in Carinthia. It stretches for about two kilometres from the so-called Golden Spring upstream to just above where the Bodenbach joins the Loiblbach. A paid hiking trail winds through the gorge, equipped with steps, staircases and bridges. More than five hundred litres of water drop every second into the depths of the gorge. The path leads past the protected Tschauko Falls before ending in the Bodental valley. Three long-distance trails pass nearby: the Carinthian Border Trail, the South-Alps Panorama Trail and the second stage of the Julius Kugy Alpine Trail. Rare plants grow along the gorge’s walls, including the lady’s slipper orchid, the Carniolan lily and Wulfen’s primrose. Subalpine species like the white dryad mix with warmth-loving plants such as the common amelanchier. The gorge’s microclimate supports this unusual plant community.