Quelltuffpfad Lingenau (Spring Tufa Trail) EarthCache
Quelltuffpfad Lingenau (Spring Tufa Trail)
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Quelltuffpfad Lingenau (Spring Tufa Trail)
The Subersach valley is a deep gorge cut into the wide plain around Lingenau. The Quelltuffpfad (Spring Tufa Trail) is a unique geologic trail, a series of wooden paths, bridges and stairs, which allows a stroll through a unique deposit of tufa and travertine.
The water from the plains around Lingenau flows underground to the gorge. The rock it flows through is conglomerate, which consits of mostly crystalline gravel with a limestone rich cement. It was created during the late Ice Age. This limestone is soluted by the water and reaches the various springs right below the rim of the Subersach valley. When flowing downhill from the spring to the river, the water loses its carbon dioxide, loses the ability to dissolve limestone, and starts to deposit it where it flows - on moss, algae, ferns and leaves. The slope is 30 meters wide and 40 meters high, covered by several meters of tufa. The overhanging cliffs are covered by stalactites and curtains. The brooks are all flowing in yellow limestone beds. There are even some stone channels and rimstone pools.
The tufa from the Subersach valley was used for the construction of buildings. The Baroque chapel of St. Anna from 1722 and the church in Lingenau were both built using the tufa from here. It is estimated that 250 cubical meters of tufa were removed for those two buildings.
To log this Earthcache you have to:
1. Describe and geologically characterize the structure of tufa.
2. Look for a building outside (!) of Lingenau which has been built using tufa and take name and building date. (the above mentioned chapel St. Anna is therefore NOT the right answer)
Send your answers together with a short summary of your impressions of the trail via my GC-profile and wait for log approval.
After logging, attach a photo of you with the spring tufa trail visible in the background.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)