Austria - Autumn - In and out of the Gastein Valley - on the bike to Schwarzach and back

 Views from the bike in October 2013 

Stunning views on the way to Schwarzach

Schwarzach is out of the Gastein Valley on the Salzach River. It's an easy ride down the valley on the cycle path and then through the tunnels at the end. Once out of the valley its an undulating ride through woods and past farms to the small town of Schwarzach. Luckily it has a few Bakerei so it was no trouble to find coffee and a cake. The route home is a little steeper as Schwarzach sits at around 600m Altitude and Bad Hofgastein at 850m but it is still a pleasant ride with great views. Before the tunnels were built at the mouth of the Gastein Valley, in the early seventies, the road took a perilous route high up on the edge of the river gorge. The road is not passable today because of a massive rock fall but it's possible to take a look at the narrow and steep track.

It's very good for encouraging vertigo and not much else. There is little chapel about half way, I imagine everyone got out to pray on the way round. I was quite happy to return to the Klammtunnel and the sweet smell of carbon monoxide and diesel fumes. The tunnel is about 1600m long and uphill but it has a dedicated  and safe bike lane.

Autumn views on the Farm

My four legged friend and two wheels

View near Schwarzach

Back in the Gastein Valley - the view near Unterberg

The 'bottomless' gorge at the mouth of the Valley

Before the tunnel - The old road - only for the brave

Schwarzach

Back in the Kur Park Bad Hofgastein

Austria - Autumn in the Gastein Valley - A Walk to the Poserhohe and Bad Hofgastein

A walk from Gruner Baum (1000m) to Bad Hofgastein (850m) via Poserhohe (1505m)  - 17th October 2013

A welcome sight, the flag is raised at Poserhohe - our lunch stop

Poserhohe is not a Mountain Restaurant we visit very often but we do enjoy it when we make the effort.
We had decided on one of the less arduous routes so, after a bus ride to Gruner Baum, we walked down towards the Hohenweg and followed the Yellow signpost off and up to the right. The route up is mainly in the forest and seems wild and remote. The walking path is fairly steep and winding and we alternated between this and a rough tractor trail that also zig-zagged up the mountain. Pretty sure I would not want to cycle or drive up, particularly as its currently crossed by fallen trees. It took us about 90 minutes to reach Poserhohe, our lunch stop. It is a lovely old place and it probably has some of the best views in the valley from its outside tables. The views from inside are not bad either.

Panoramic Views on the way up

On the trail to Poserhohe

Not a vast array of dishes on offer but a longer menu than in the Summer Mountain Alms. The traditional Ham and Cheese plates are supplemented by soups and stews. Restocking is tricky as provisions are taken up to this inaccessible spot on a small cable car. My plate of ham with peppers, horseradish and gherkins hit the right spot. The others enjoyed a nice hot soup.

Inside View

Empty seats in the front row outside

On the slide at Poserhohe - for kids of all ages

The head of  the  Gastein Valley with Bad Gastein in the foreground

After a very pleasant break we set off for Bad Hofgastein. We had discovered on a previous visit up here that my expensive laminated map has a big error. On that occasion we headed uphill trying to find a route on the map that did not exist. Nice walk but very frustrating and added at least an hour to our planned three hour walk. This time we made certain and headed North as soon as we left the Poserhohe on a mainly downhill route. Quite a bit of snow lay at intervals so we needed to be sure-footed as we made our way through the forest. However, apart from a couple of gullies it was easy walking. The best bit was flat section where we bounced along on a path covered in pine needles. The route then took us onto a Forest Road that descended, first through the woods and then through Deer Parkland and Farms. We were on the west facing side of the valley so we had the benefit of the late afternoon sun as we ambled along.

Flat forest walk

TW on the walk - her sneeze can fell trees

Snow capped Graukogel on the left and the Sportgastein Mountain on the right

Looking North towards Bad Hofgastein

Magnificent Stag - best stay clear I reckon

Graukogel - not a grey mountain today

Poser cow - a beautiful animal in a lovely land

At Gadauern we joined the quiet undulating back road to Bad Hofgastein.
Gruner Baum to Poserhohe took us about 90 mins. There is a quicker route that goes straight up from Gruner Baum and takes about one hour. The walk from Poserhohe to Bad Hofgastein took a fairly leisurely 3 hours. Ready for a cup of tea!

Austria - Autumn in the Gastein Valley - Early Snow Falls in the Valley

Snowfalls in October 

Bad Hofgastein - the clouds are lifting

About 6 inches of wet snow fell in the valley. The Farmers were probably ready for it but the trees were not. Many have not yet lost their leaves and could not take the weight and a good number succumbed. It put paid to our walks at the top temporarily but there are plenty of low altitude walks to keep us busy.

Autumn Colours

Sheep Freeze

Out and about on a Sunday

Stag do's and dont's

Camera shy cow - Hiding in the woods

Bad Hofgastein - heading down from the Hohenweg

Geraniums - a reminder of Summer

London to Salzburg on a bicycle - the road to Salzburgerland - the prologue

Getting to the start - 6th September 2013

Eurostar - St. Pancras to Lille

You've cut it a bit fine! Not particularly what you want to hear from the gate man at High Wycombe Station. Had to pedal like fury to get to Platform 3 before the train departed, good job the underpass was not too busy so I didn't skittle too many latecomers - sorry. To travel with a bike into London you must get to Marylebone before 07:45 and my targeted departure was the last possible train to beat the 'curfew'.
My trip was all a bit last minute to be fair. My bike was only a week old, a Ridgeback Tour. My Garmin 800 was purchased at the same time. Bit of a steep learning curve to get my route input and planned and also gain some sort of understanding of how not to get lost when being told where to go by a bike gps.
The planned route was to be from Lille in Northern France to Bastogne in Belgium on the Picardie-Wallonie (RV6).
From Bastogne I would pick up a section of the Eurovelo 5 (London to Italy) which would take me South from Bastogne via Luxembourg, France and Germany to Basle in Switzerland.
From Basle I would head East to Lake Constance (Bodensee). A ferry across the Lake would get me to Friedrichshafen in Germany where I would go south on the cycle path to Lindau where I would pick up the Bodensee to Konigsee cycle route. This route would see me through to very near the Austrian border. Once across the the border I would find the Tauernradweg  which would take me around some big mountains to the plain near Salzburg and down the Salzach River towards Schwarzach/Lend. I would then be on the familiar territory of the Gastein Radweg and Bad Hofgastein. Total distance would be about 1400km, it turned out to be 1600km.

I made the train - just. It stopped once en-route to pick up work-bound commuters. Luckily the doors opened on the same side as High Wycombe so I was able to retain the space I had claimed as I tumbled on-board. I chatted to a chap from the MOD about bikes and travel and he wished me well. He was heading for the Office to do a bit of spying or something. I was off along the Marylebone Road to St. Pancras and a Eurostar to Lille, or possibly Disneyland? I booked my train on-line not realising it was a Disneyland special. I found this out when I phoned up to reserve my bike space. Sorry mate, this train is going to Disneyland and the bike space is used for food. Huh, what kind of Mickey Mouse outfit are you! So my cross-channel would be without my bike but with a trainload of Munchkins. Not a problem really, my bike would be on the next train and, as it turned out, the kids were well behaved. A Disney rep. was on-board my second train of the day and he was arranging transfers and giving information. I heard the spiel several times so am now an expert. Just leave your bags at station with these tags attached and they will be transferred to to your hotel. On your last day just leave them at the hotel with these red tags attached and go off to the Park for the day and they will be at the station waiting for you. Oh, and there are three parades each day etc, etc. "What about me I asked?" You are on your own mate! I got off  the train clutching my panniers and feeling a bit Goofy.

Bad Hofgastein in January 2012 - a richtiger winter

A proper Winter in 2012

Out on the Graukogel

TW - blue day for a blue run

TBIL - the powder hound

It’s a proper winter here in Gastein. A ‘richtiger winter’ the Austrians call it. All the runs have loads of snow. Some upper runs have closed when the weather has been bad or there has been avalanche danger but apart from that its been 100% go-go-go. Even H8 is open down to the valley. This undulating run through a farm hasn’t been open for a few years, well not during my visits anyway.

Also open is a brilliant Black run down to the bottom on the Graukogl which is a first for me. I think it's the piste where Toni Sailer won the World Championship back in 1958.

TNG - soft seat in the snow

As for cross-country, we have had some rain in the valley recently but all the Langlauf loops are open including the long trek up towards Bad Gastein along the river. 

TNG has been in town. She divided her time between marathon skating sessions on the ice rink, classic langlauf, skating langlauf and downhill skiing. Of course, she also found time for Germknodel and Kaiserschmarnn.

Bad Hofgastein - ski season opener 2011/12

Dreams do come true!

H2 in Bad Hofgastein - man on the run - again

The Maurachalm - an Austrian Chocolate Box

After a few days lifting my heels on the cross-country loop it was time to get up the mountain. There is no rocket that goes up to say the lifts are opening, its a matter of spotting an updated web page. So, I staggered out this morning with my ski's over my shoulder just a bit concerned that it was all a hoax or perhaps a dream. After all, it had been several days since the last snow. The first sign that the opening was real came when two others, ski suited and booted, arrived at the bus stop to join me. Would the ski buses be running? The appointed hour arrived, no bus! Happily it was only a few minutes late - the Austrians at the bus stop gave out a Gott sei Dank (Thank God), they obviously shared my uncertainty. The clincher was that my shiny new lift pass worked at the lift station - the game was definitely on for another season.

Cycling in Austria - up and down on the Gastein Radweg

Blue Sky Riding - October 2011

The wide and sunny Gastein Valley

We were walking up the Stubnerkogel the other day and somehow managed to find ourselves in two feet of snow on the steepest piste on the mountain. My companion thought it appropriate to mention the old song, ‘mad dogs and Englishmen’. “Oh well, as you are Welsh you must be the mad dog then”. Today there was nobody else to point the finger at but the song somehow came into my head again.

Circular Tour in Gastein 44km

Turn Right on the Gastein Radweg

It was a beautiful sunny day again and ideal for a spin on the bike. The morning frost was being burned off by the sun on the Western side of the Gastein Valley. I headed for that sunshine and cycled through Anger and joined the cycle route. After cycling past farms and pastures this eventually took me back to the Riverside to continue a gentle ride upstream. The locals were out in force clearing the trees brought down by the recent storm and sawing them up for fire wood. There is definite order to the resulting stacks. Each limb is cut to a standard length and they are not just piled, they are positioned into a neat honeycomb patterns. The wood-cutters are certainly more precise than the golfers on the adjoining course; a sign warns of wild balls crossing the path. Thankfully there were not too many golfers in view as I passed. No doubt the sun will  soon bring them out to pace the fairways.  At the horse riding stables they were already busy and the horses were pacing in the ring. I cut through their yard to where the Gastein Radweg heads up a steep forest track to the Kotschachtal and its cold rushing stream. At the top I was warm as toast from the climb despite the ice on the bridge. I crossed and took a sharp right towards Bad Gastein.  

Looking up to Bad Gastein

Altitude was lost initially but it wasn't long before the uphill grind started again. Our Welsh contingent would tell you that Bad Gasteins claim to fame is that it’s the same altitude as the top of Snowdon, 1085m. I kidded  myself that the slow uphill pace was an advantage as there are some interesting old buildings to see along the way.  St Nicholas Church is a favourite attraction and there are several traditional Kurhouses and Spas. Sadly, the buildings around the waterfall are dilapidated and waiting for a developer. I dawdled through town, past the Casino and then the attractive Hotel Solitude. What a wonderful name to give to a Hotel next to a gambling establishment.  I imagine heavy losers can check in there to think up the excuses to give their wives for the loss of their housekeeping money.  From Mozartsplatz there is a short ride on the main road before it's time to rejoin the River and the Elisabeth Promenade, named after Sissi the wife of Emperor Franz Josef and a regular visitor in Bad Gastein’s heyday.

Elisabeth Promenade

Autumn Shades in Gastein

Bockstein Church

The most Southerly village in the valley is Bockstein. It has some fine old buildings dating from the time this was a rich mining area. The domed Church is worth a visit. Bockstein is not a place to hang around on a cold day though. The valley is narrow at this point and doesn't get a great deal of sun.

House and Fountain in Bockstein

Smooth cycling to Bad Gastein

Coffee and Cake - cycling essentials

On the Archduke Johann Promenade

Climbing up to Angertal

Cue a quick exit, downstream for the first time, on the other bank of the river, back to Bad Gastein.  The coffee houses of Bad Gastein were too much of a temptation so I pulled up for a coffee and cake before taking another Royal route, the Archduke Johann Promenade. This is a favourite route that is initially both flat and quiet. After crossing the Railway Line it joins up with a stiff climbing route, through farmland and forest, to the Angertal Ski Centre. 

Heading for Bad Hofgastein with the
Gamskarkogel in the background

Angertal Ski Centre

 In about six weeks time this place will be alive with skiers but today just the wood choppers were in evidence. After a short distance on the road down to Bad Hofgastein I took the turning off to the left towards the Ski Middle Station. Stunning views of the valley made me forget the fact I was climbing and, although the Tarmac ran out, it was fairly easy going up to the Baerstein Alm and then the lifts at the Middle station. The snow on the ground started to be a concern but, like the ‘Mad Dog’ I pushed on. Narrow wheels and summer tyres were not ideal but I was pretty happy in my winter wonderland and pushed on past the Aeroplanstadl, a skiers watering hole.

A little house on the hillside

Gastein view from the little house on the hillside!

Is this winter?

Mad Dog! I think I climbed too high!

I reached my highest point at 1400m, and started to descend. I decided to walk which was a bit of a contradiction as I had stayed in the saddle all day and for the previous 1542m of climbing. Going downhill and having to apply rim brakes on ice and snow was a bit too risky, for me anyway. My excuse is that it gave me time to savour the scenery and the fresh air as I passed the Fundner Alm and slithered on down in a foot of snow.

On the way back down to Autumn

Dancing for joy in Bad Hofgastein

The Gastein Ache
The river that flows from Bockstein down to Bad Hofgastein

Anyway, the road down soon cleared and I could climb back on and bomb down the zig-zag road towards the sunshine of Bad Hofgastein and that river again. What a day and what a ride!

The Dog Track?

It’s great being a Mad Dog!

Route profile - gradually heading up