Lieser

The Lieser is a 50-kilometre river in the Austrian province of Kärnten. It rises in the Hafner mountain group at the back of the Pöll valley and flows through protected alpine scenery. The river passes through the Pöll valley, the Katsch valley and the Lieser valley before joining the Drau below Spittal. Along its course it collects water from the Millstätter See and several smaller streams. The Lieser has shaped local history and geography since it was first recorded in 1072. Its name may come from an ancient word meaning ‘lovely valley’ or from words meaning ‘to pour’ or ‘to fade’. The river marks the boundary between the Nock mountains and the Gurktal Alps. In 1903 a violent storm sent a torrent of water and rock down the Lieser, destroying bridges and roads and inspiring a local poet’s epic. Today the Lieser offers dramatic scenery for walkers and cyclists along its banks. The lower section through the Lieser gorge is a noted white-water run for kayakers, who have held world championships here. The river is also a productive fishing water. A road runs close to much of the river, giving easy access to its changing moods and landscapes.