Set off and find yourself on the 64-kilometre (40 mi) Josefweg (St Joseph's Way) trail between Lake Attersee and Lake Traunsee in the Salzkammergut region of Austria. As you make a pilgrimage through beautiful landscapes, you’ll come across the eponymous St Joseph again and again: as the patron saint of churches, on altarpieces and statues.

Chapels, churches and benches along the way invite you to pause and reflect. But even if you’re not Catholic or a believer, this three-day loop is a great way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The route runs through the varied area of the Attersee-Traunsee Nature Park, which boasts large forests, alpine pastures, and endless panoramic views of the Attersee and Traunsee lakes.

Not much is known about Joseph of Nazareth, the foster father of Jesus. When he learned that his fiancée Mary was expecting a child through the Holy Spirit, the couple travelled by donkey to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Joseph is the companion of the quiet and thoughtful – and therefore the perfect patron saint for this hiking trail. His days of remembrance are 19th March and 1st May. In Austria, he is honoured as the patron saint of Tyrol, Carinthia, Vorarlberg and Styria. Joseph is also the patron saint of woodworkers, engineers and educators. He’s often depicted with a white lily, the symbol of purity, or a carpenter's square in reference to his trade.

Your starting point is the town of Altmünster on the beautiful Traunsee, where you can enjoy a spectacular view of Traunstein. The official start of the Josefweg is the local parish church, where you’ll find an altarpiece of St Joseph. You’ll hike a symbolic figure of eight to the municipality of Weyregg am Attersee and back again along old pilgrimage paths which follow gentle alpine pastures with magnificent panoramas. The intersection point is the village of Reindlmühl with its St Joseph's Church.

Although the three stages are long and have an elevation gain of between 660 and 1,000 metres (2,165 - 3,280 ft), the paths are easy to follow even without alpine experience. You’ll find a good selection of accommodation in the first stage town of Weyregg. You’ll spend the second night at the Pension Hochalm but please book your sleeping place in good time.

You can reach the starting point in Altmünster via bus route 522 (Gmunden-Großalm), bus route 507 (Laakirchen-Traunkirchen), bus route 505 (Lambach-Altmünster) or by train. The Josefweg brochure is available from the tourist offices of the Traunsee-Almtal holiday region and the Attersee holiday region.

Treat yourself to some time out and immerse yourself in the Attersee-Traunsee Nature Park. On the Josefweg you can forget the stress of everyday life as a pilgrim or as a normal hiker.