Earth Pyramids of the Ritten

On the sunny high plateau of the Ritten you come across a landscape that looks more like a piece of modern art than a natural phenomenon. Not far from our holiday apartment, metre-high clay towers rise up, with mighty boulders perched on their tips. In our opinion, these earth pyramids are among the most spectacular geological formations in Europe. In the narrow gorges near Lengmoos, Oberbozen and Unterinn (and in other parts of South Tyrol too) the towers reach up to 30 metres into the sky and draw visitors to walks with a Dolomite panorama.

The three main sites on the Ritten

On the Ritten there are groups of earth pyramids at three different places, though they vary somewhat in how easy they are to reach.

Finsterbachgraben near Lengmoos

The earth pyramids of Lengmoos are the best known and the easiest to reach. A ten-minute walk from a car park in Lengmoos leads to the viewing platform. Here the columns appear reddish, because the local moraine clay contains iron. The trail is suitable for families, prams and even wheelchairs. It never ceases to fascinate us that plants and mosses even settle on some of the capstones.

Map: earth pyramids in Lengmoos on the Ritten, including parking Earth pyramids in Lengmoos on the Ritten, including parking

By car it is about 10 minutes from our Birbamergut holiday apartment to the car park. As these earth pyramids are so easy to reach, we recommend adding the walk to a larger day trip in this direction. Alternatively, an hourly bus runs from Lengstein to Bolzano – simply get off at the ‘Lengmoos’ stop.

If you are looking for a good restaurant after the short walk, we recommend the Traditionsgasthof Egarter, a lovely, child-friendly restaurant with a wonderful view of South Tyrol’s mountains.

Katzenbachgraben near Oberbozen

The group near Oberbozen lies somewhat hidden and is less frequented. We recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet nature experience away from the better-known viewing platform. From Oberbozen you follow the Ritten railway towards Maria Himmelfahrt, or trail numbers 6, 23 and 26 through woods and meadows. After around 45 minutes the gorge with the reddish-brown pyramids opens up. The circular walk is family-friendly and leads to several viewpoints.

Map: earth pyramids near Oberbozen on the Ritten, including parking in the village Earth pyramids near Oberbozen on the Ritten, including parking in the village

By car it takes about 25 minutes from the Birbamergut holiday apartment to Oberbozen. By public transport, take the bus from Lengstein towards Bolzano as far as Klobenstein, then continue on the narrow-gauge Ritten railway to Oberbozen.

Gasterergraben near Unterinn

The earth pyramids of Unterinn show a different face: they gleam white because of the more calcareous clay. The way here is a little more demanding but offers an unspoilt nature experience. A 2.5 km path leads from the village of Unterinn to the formations in about 40 minutes. According to our guests, this detour is the best choice for anyone who wants to experience the pyramids in peace and almost to themselves.

Map: white earth pyramids near Unterinn on the Ritten White earth pyramids near Unterinn on the Ritten (parking in the village centre)

From the Birbamergut holiday apartment the car park is about 20 minutes away by car. If you travel by public transport, take the bus from Lengstein towards Bolzano and get off in Unterinn (journey time about 25 minutes).

More pyramids in South Tyrol

Those on the Ritten are the best known, but not the only ones. Similar erosion formations can be found, for example, in Terenten, Platten, Mölten, Jenesien, Dorf Tirol and Steinegg. Here too, moraine clay and capstones create a spectacular landscape. In our opinion, though, the longer journey isn’t necessary. The finest examples stand on the Ritten, practically on our doorstep.

Background

How the pyramids form from clay

The basis for the earth pyramids was laid around 25,000 years ago. Back then, during the last ice age, glaciers of the Eisack Valley deposited late-glacial moraine clay. When dry, this peculiar clay is rock-hard, but in the rain it turns into a soft sludge that slides down the steep slopes of the Ritten into the valley. Erosion (for example wind, water or gravity) cut ever deeper channels into the slope, so that individual cones and columns remained standing.

Crucial to the survival of the columns is the capstone: a large boulder that once lay embedded in the clay and now acts as an umbrella. It keeps the clay layer beneath dry and firm while the surrounding soil is washed away. In this way the protected areas grow into slender towers that seem to rise higher with every rainfall. As long as the capstone stays in place, an earth pyramid can last for thousands of years. Once this hat falls off, the end is near: the column erodes quickly and disappears, while a new one forms elsewhere.

Walks and access

If you only have a little time, we recommend the short walk from Lengmoos to the viewing platform. The path is wide, well surfaced and can be managed in ten minutes. A family-friendly path also leads from Klobenstein to Lengmoos. Along the way children can watch goats, cross a wooden bridge and marvel at the slowly growing towers. For more ambitious hikers we recommend a circular walk: the roughly 5.5 km route near Oberbozen climbs about 200 metres in altitude and takes around two hours.

The earth pyramids can be visited all year round. We find spring and autumn especially appealing, when heavy rainfall follows longer dry spells – the perfect mix for the growth of the columns. In autumn the play of colours in the deciduous forests heightens the contrast of the reddish-brown pyramids. In winter, snow turns the towers into a fairy-tale scene, but be careful: the paths can be slippery. In any case, we recommend sturdy footwear.

Because the columns only remain stable thanks to the capstone, they can easily be destroyed if it starts to slip. For this reason it is strictly forbidden to touch or climb the formations. The area is a protected nature reserve, so that human interference does not accelerate their decay.

For us, the Ritten earth pyramids are a prime example of how patience, erosion and chance shape spectacular landscapes. Anyone who visits the columns dives into the geological history of the Alps and experiences constant change, for every rainy period alters the formations a little.

Earth Pyramids of the Ritten Our tips for your visit, 10 minutes from the holiday apartment