Walking in Gastein in Summer - to the Reedsee and Graukogel

A circular wander around the Graukogel via Reedsee

Around the Graukogel

Today I ticked off another of my ‘must do’ walks in Gastein, around the Graukogel Mountain via Reedsee and the Pafnerscharte. The walking route starts near the Gruner Baum Hotel and then goes up the back of the Graukogel to Reedsee. After Reedsee it continues up to a shoulder below the summit and then down past Pafnersee and along the flank to a Mountain Restaurant. From there it's a ride down in  a chairlift to the car park.

The alarm was set as I needed to be outside the apartment at 7am for my ride to the Graukogel with Hans. Just made it! Two Austrians joined us from the Hotel over the road.  Two Russians followed in their BMW, nothing sinister in that, Hans’s Jeep was full. Hans was concerned that the Russian Lady wasn’t fit enough for what lay ahead but she was determined to come.

In the Kotschachtal

We parked at the Graukogel lift and were joined by a German Couple for the taxi ride to Gruner Baum and the start of the trail (1070m). We set off along the Kotschachtal. I have seen the yellow sign pointing up to Reedsee, and the wooden bridge we would have to cross, countless times on my cycle rides up to Prossau.  Today, after about 40 mins on foot we crossed that bridge and headed upstream. The morning mist was still hanging in the valley as we started out on our, fairly hard, 3 hr. climb up through the trees towards Reedsee (1830m). It was pretty slow going, not least, because our Russian Lady was definitely finding it tough.  
Time for a rest when we reached the Lake (reedsee). Bit of a cool breeze coming off the water but it’s a lovely scenic spot and well worth the climb. Beside the Lake there's a  hut where you can stay overnight. Need to book and get the key before you head up there though. You also need carry your own provisions. Later on we saw a group of students struggling up from the other side of the mountain, weighed down by their rations. A tentative toe in the Lake was soon withdrawn as its pretty cold, in fact its frozen over until May. It is home to some fish though.  Apparently, they have big heads and short bodies. Does that mean they are very intelligent? Russian joke! 

Reedsee at 1830m

After our brief and chilly stop we pushed on towards the Pafnerscharte (2329m.) The Russian Lady was getting even slower and the German Lady was starting to look pale and tired. She was stopping every few steps to inhale more air.  By the way, this German couple amazed me with the volume of their food rations. They were tucking into great slabs of cheese and sausages. 
I had to make do with a banana and a couple of bread rolls, bit of a rushed departure this morning! 

Hans heading up and across the stream

Unusually for this part of the world, there are no Alms on the way so you have to carry your food or go hungry. No Alms also means no cows to meet on the way. Despite the hardships the scenery was stunning and there was a real feeling of going up a mountain all the way from a valley stream lined with trees right the way up to the barren area at the top.

Climbing into the wind

Looking back down towards Reedsee

On the way down - the Pafnersee

All told, we had been walking for 6 hrs 30 mins. by the time we reached the Pafnerscharte and we were now in very rugged country. Everything looked broken, no trees, just cracked rocks.  The desolation was accentuated by a strong, cold wind so we did not hang around very long. We still had another two hours walk to the chairlift. Anyway, we were soon out of the wind, the path improved as we descended and the trees started to grow tall again. After 8hrs 30min on our feet we arrived at the hut for a well earned beer and a strudel. The Russian Lady had a well deserved zirben schnapps and a ciggy! Hans was relieved and we were all glad that the lift was still open for the ride back down to the Car Park. 

Back in the trees - not long to wait for strudel

Great walk with stunning scenery - mobile phones don't work for much of the route so its sensible to go with a group and best to take some food! Also best to do the walk in the direction we took as there are some big steps between Graukogel and Reedsee that might be tricky if you are descending.

Slovenia - Ljubljana - a short break with the bikes

Meeting the neighbours in the South

From Castle Hill - looking down on the old town of Ljubljana

Austria is pretty much at the centre of Europe and our village, Bad Hofgastein, is on a main North–South railway line so there are many opportunities for short breaks to neighbouring countries.  This time we opted for a short trip to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. It’s a place we did not know much about but with Mr and Mrs T ensconced there for the summer we knew we would find a willing guide with, if nothing else, a good knowledge of the local watering holes. 

Slovenia has been independent for about 20 years having formerly been part of Yugoslavia. The population is just over 2 million. They are in the EC, use the Euro and the locals speak excellent English so it’s a pretty straightforward place to spend a few days despite the difficult name - they seem to have an aversion to vowels!

So we loaded up our bikes and headed for the train. You have to pre-book bikes over here and you are given printed labels to hang on the bars for each sector. It is worth putting all the sector labels on the bike from the start, changing trains can be a little fraught! Taking a bike costs 10 Euros per person each way. There was also an added cost because we could not take advantage of the special discounted fares that are on offer for direct trains. We were going to have to change in Villach, about an hour to the south, onto a Slovenian train.  (The return trip cost 144 Euros for us, 40 Euros for the bikes). 

Getting there on the train

 Austria trains are pretty good, we had seat reservations and they have a layout of the train on the platform so we knew where to stand for our carriage. Wrong! The train was nothing like the expected layout and our carriage was at the tail of the train. Panic! Just a minute to lift the bikes into the front guards’ compartment and then get ourselves and our panniers onto the rear is mission impossible. Luckily we found some seats near the front and were on our way towards Villach via Bad Gastein, Malnitz and Spittal.

At Villach we needed to change trains but we had about twenty minutes to spare and the train was already in the station. Wonderful, no worries here then. Wrong! We loaded the bikes on the train and I suggested that TW might like to take the last opportunity to use Austrian toilet facilities before we headed south. She disappeared downstairs but returned a few minutes later saying she needed 50 cents for the toilet. No problem, still plenty of time, I gave her a bag of change and she disappeared again. With two minutes to go to departure time I started to worry, she is going to miss it! There was no way I could get the bikes and bags off in time so they were likely to end up in Belgrade! My first thought was to get down on the tracks and stand in front of the train but quickly decided that would be overkill. I opted to grab our back-packs and hold the carriage door open and hope she wasn't locked in the lav!. She arrived back with seconds to spare. Apparently my change did not include a 50 cent piece. After feeding in 10’s and 20’s that were rejected she had gone onto the concourse, hands outstretched, looking for the elusive coin and was shunned as a beggar. Then she had attempted to get change at a couple of outlets and was told to wait in the queue. Eventually she gained access to the last Austrian loo. “I didn’t really need to go” she said on her return to the train.

Kongresni Trg.

Oh well, on our way again. Across the border and a lengthy stop at a rather depressing looking Jesinice before stops at a sprightly looking Lake Bled and our final destination of Ljubljana..

Ljubljana

Mr T met us at the station with his bike which was handy and guided us to our Apartment about 10 minutes away. Ljubljana is very bike friendly but he explained that we needed to keep our wits about us! There were Cycle lanes all the way but some paths share with the pavement which makes it interesting. Mr T, who has been in the City for a while, rode like a Slovenian. That means fast and furious! We managed to keep him in sight most of the time. At least he didn’t ride with ‘no hands’ whilst texting like some locals. Accommodation is expensive in the City but we had booked an apartment in the centre for 65 Euros a night. It didn’t look much from the outside but was OK for three nights and, importantly, its location in the old town was excellent.  Just a few moments on the bike led to a Riverside lined with bars and restaurants.  TW insisted we loaded the fridge with provisions before we could go for a 'dust-buster' so it was off to the local Mercator store. Mercator was a big player in our trip! 

Riverside Dining

Mercator seems to have a food retailing monopoly and branches of various sizes are dotted about all over town. They are handy places to buy a cheap lunch to eat ‘Al Fresco’ in the parks and gardens. We had advised our guide that we did not do museums, unless it rained, so he substituted Mercators? We certainly saw the inside of a few.

Anyway, with breakfast in the fridge it was off to the Riverside for a beer and a meal and some 'people watching.'

For the next two days we toured the town and saw the sights on our bikes, taking plenty of coffee stops and very necessary beer breaks. We were lucky with the weather, apparently it normally rains quite a bit. The riverside was like a mini Venice with bars and restaurants on either side but without the droves of tourists.

Anyway, we enjoyed our short stay, the drivers were very courteous to cyclists, waving us across at zebra crossings and giving us plenty of room. Prices were reasonable for meals, beer and coffee. Beer was either Union or Lasko. When you ask which is best you normally get a smile, the bar staff all seem to have a favourite.

A place to relax by the river

Tivoli Gardens - nice coffee stop

Presernog Trg

Heading up to the castle

Mr T taking us for a ride, this is a memorial trail around the city
following the line of a barbed wire barricade built by the Nazi's

Kongresni Trg.

Cheers - Ljubljana lubrication! - Union
this time.

Wheels on fire - even night cycling was safe

Birdie on a bike

Saw this Catalpa tree

All too soon it was time to head back North on the train. The previous evening we sat under a strange tree by the river with heart shaped leaves hanging with French beans. We did not know what kind of tree it was until we met an American student in our train compartment. It's a Catalpa! You always meet people on trains.
I did not permit TW any toilet stops this time so things went relatively smoothly! Bit of a rush at Villach to change trains and I ended up sitting in a Ladies Only compartment. I crossed my legs and sat quietly and they let me stay.


Reasons to visit Ljubljana
Most bike friendly town ever!
Attractive central pedestrianised area.
Nice parks and gardens
Mercator Supermarkets - have to include this otherwise Mr T might be upset after all his efforts..
Plenty of bars and restaurants that were not too expensive and were great for people watching. (told off for commenting on the lovely legs of the Slovenian Ladies).
We had a good guide staying there (when we could keep up anyway).
Nice ride on the train,  it took about 3.5 hours each way.
Efficient bus services in town although we did not need them..
We did not feel like tourists, seemed like mainly locals around; apart from at the castle above the city.
The locals speak very good English.
Everything very easy, nobody checked our passports and they use the Euro.


Reasons to think twice
Lot of graffiti - surprising really because otherwise the place was clean and tidy
Accommodation in the city is relatively expensive, particularly pricey hotels.
Not so great for pedestrians, scooters also use the bike lanes!.

Austria - Summer Walking - in the footsteps of the Romans

Over the Tauern Mountains from Salzburgerland to Carinthia

Nearing the top and the Hagener Hutte

We are not very good at Museums. Viewing ancient artefacts in glass cabinets has limited appeal. We still have plenty of interest in History though, particularly when you can actively put yourself in the shoes of ‘the ancestors’ and it involves fresh air, exercise and brilliant scenery.

The Gastein Valley is on an ancient trade route across the Alps. The Romans used it to carry their booty South, and of course, they built a road! On this occasion it wasn’t one of those straight as a die highways that we are familiar with at home. This is a mountain road, built two thousand years ago, that wends its way up and across the Tauern Mountains to over 8000feet (2445m).  Today, this area is a National Park and there is an organised walk guided by a Park Ranger that starts in Sportgastein and goes up, over the top, and down towards Mallnitz Station for the Train and the 20^th Century tunnel through the mountains back to the Gastein valley.

Marmot on the rocks

Our guide, Hans, lives in Bad Hofgastein so he picked me up on his way to the meeting point in Bad Gastein. I was ready and waiting at 07:10, bit of an early start for me these days. At Bad Gastein we all jumped in a Taxi to Sportgastein (also known as Nassfeld – damp field). My six fellow hikers were from Denmark, Austria and Germany.  Hans forecast a 6.5 hour walk so I set out with a certain amount of trepidation. I needn’t have worried. It was soon clear that the pace would be steady and below my normal uphill pace.  The first section was pretty flat, across the area where we cross-country ski in the winter. This was an old gold mining area and relics of the workings are still visible. To the left Hans spotted some young marmots playing so that was the first of many ‘natural breaks’ to view the local wildlife and examine the flora and fauna.  Then we started to climb up a fairly steep track. There was no sign of the Roman Road yet, we joined that about an hour later.  Over to the right Chamois were grazing, would never have spotted them on my own. We made quite a few stops on the way up, though these were welcome, they did have a potential downside. They meant that our intrepid guide had spotted a ‘delicious, nutritious or health enhancing’ plant that we would have to sample. The fresh cress from the mountain stream was to my taste but some of the roots were not. Enzian Schnapps is particularly bitter after being flavoured by the root of the Enzian. We had to sample the root which, we were assured, is very good for the stomach! One of my Danish co-walkers was a girl about fourteen. After her first tasting she ran on ahead whenever Hans started his gardening. The stem of a peculiar thistle-like plant tasted OK. The lemon thyme had a lovely scent.

Hans is gathering!

We started to see the outline of the Roman Road so it was time to turn off the walking path. The road was designed to have an incline not greater than 12% and was originally three metres wide so it made for easy walking. It still must have been a huge relief for the original travellers when their carts reached the top of the pass (2445 metres).  Massive natural paving stones had been laid down and stone crash barriers to stop carts going over the edge. It’s not used anymore of course. The Taurern Train Tunnel put it out of business a mere 100 hundred years ago.
Over the years the extremes of temperature have caused the rocks to crack and slide so some sections are missing but the overall route is still clearly evident. 

Spotting Chamois

Austrian co-walkers

Over to the left, more Chamois were spotted  in the Weissenbachtal and Eagles soared overhead. Wonder how many animals were here 2000 years ago?
We had to cross the last of the winter snow before we reached the top and the Hagener Hutte, our eagerly awaited lunch stop. Sadly it was building site. They can get a four wheel drive up a rocky road on the south side to bring up building supplies which they seemed to have scattered everywhere. The Restaurant was still open despite the chaos and I enjoyed my Goulash Soup and Apple Strudel. You almost felt they should have issued us with hard hats but I don’t think Health and Safety is a strong point in this part of the world! The work should all be finished by the end of July?

The Tauernhaus

It was time to carry on and we had a headwind as we set off down the Carinthian side of the mountain. Saw Edelweiss for the first time near the top.
We stopped at the Tauernhaus which was built as a refuge in 1836 for people making the crossing. It fell into disrepair after 1945 when British soldiers stationed at the Hagener Hutte 'borrowed' the wooden roof tiles and burned them for heating. Can’t blame them, even today in mid-summer there’s a chilly wind. Happily, the roof has been replaced.

Not sure about these Fresians

The locals have a different dialect on this side of the mountain but did not expect there to be different cows! The lovely Austrian cows in Salzburgerland  were replaced by Fresians. Apparently they produce more milk? Don’t approve at all but, anyway, came across some of my brown and white friends lower down. Hopefully the Dutch immigrants will not take over.

Time for a coffee at the Jamnigalm

 We walked on down through alpine pastures for a couple of hours to a hut, the Jamnigalm, at 1,745 metres for a coffee break. Some couldn’t resist a Krapfen, a delicious Austrian doughnut.  Then it was just a short walk down to the bus stop and the ride down to Mallnitz where we picked up the train to carry us through the tunnel to Bad Gastein.

All in all, it was a brilliant day out.  Learned a bit, saw a lot. Would have been hard work if I had just arrived but after a month in the mountains it wasn’t too bad. Bit tired but goes with the territory. Carrying a heavy load of salt or gold over the trade route or coaxing a cart up the slope would have been far more arduous!

Thanks Hans, looking forward to the next tour  What was the name of that flower again?