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May through July 1998

Potpourri of Weekends

Summer in Austria and Bavaria

Manfred P.

Keywords: Austria and Bavaria including places like Dürrenstein, Vorderer and Hinterer Langbathsee, Ebensee, Feuerkogel, Munich, Schwabing, Tegernsee, Köningssee, Gerlospaß, Großvenediger, Krimmler waterfalls, Pregarten, Feldaist, Kriehmühle, Chiemsee, tourist, travel trip report, travel log, travelogue.

The summer started late. It is still summer and I am already thinking back with a bit of longing to a handful of weekends in the last quarter where I had the opportunity to be outdoors and see a few new spots in Austria and vicinity.

Lunz am See and Dürrenstein

The first trip to start off the season was a trip to Lunz; my second trip to Lunz in one year. Hopefully not the last. We had to scrap the idea of going by bike and took the iron horse. Sabine, our local connection to Lunz, graciously hosted Nadia, Sigi and me. The swim in the Lunz Lake was, let’s just say, stimulating. It got our heart rate going. Not because the scenery around it is so beautiful, which it is, but because of the low temperature. For dinner we had a pizza cook-off and played the "who can pile the most toppings in the most appetizing way on the home-made pizza pie" game. We washed the mouthwatering pizza down with traditional Austrian homemade juice from blossoms of a bush called Hollunder. A sure way to get stuffed. Nightlife in Lunz is non-existing, but a weekly performance on the lake was scheduled. It literally was on the lake. A flute player was standing on a small rowboat floating near the lakeshore. The boat was steered by a coworker of Sabine. It took absolute silence and good hearing to be able to catch any note that came drifting over the water. She was too far away to really hear anything. Not being such a classical music lover it was more fun to play with the ducks and joke around than to stressfully listen to the low whimsical music. Later at night Nadia and I did another round-the-lake stroll with a flashlight. The stars were bright with dozens of shooting stars spicing up the sky. As always, I didn’t see a single one. I guess I have no patience to watch the night sky.

Next day we planned to hike Dürrenstein, a peak of a guestimated 1,800m (5,500 ft). 3 more people joined us forming a whole group. Lazy as we are, or should I say well connected as Sabine is, we got access to a 4x4 and keys to the road gates. Hence we drove halfway up the mountain on a forest road not accessible by mere "mortals". (Only a few people, such as alpine researchers, have keys and are permitted to use the road.) We went by pickup truck all the way to Oberersee, the alpine lake where last winter we threw the towel and turned around. From the lake the trail leads in serpentines up to a flat meadow. Here it was reasonably flat. The grass was lush and light green. Cows with bells roamed around on these pastures. I loved that part of the walk. Soft terrain, out in the sun, music from the cow bells in the ear, great visibility of mountain peaks far away, delicate small but colorful flowers growing on the rocks and in cracks, etc. By the way, the music from the cows was more enjoyable than the flute player from the previous night. From the meadows it went up again through rocks, still partially covered by snow, to the peak of Dürrenstein. The peak was crowned with a cross. We stretched out to rest on a soft piece of grass-covered soil. Despite the sunshine it was cool. Food gave us some calories to burn to heat our bodies. It felt good to be on top; especially after the last failed attempt in winter. The round trip from and to Oberersee was at most 5 hours.

At night we played a game that dealt with robots that had to be programmed to reach a series of goals. It reminded me of our first assembly course at the university. Understanding state machines and CPU registers didn’t help me though. Lady luck was not with me, but it was a fun way to eat bags of snacks and play away half the night. We made up by sleeping half of next day. We didn’t miss much while in bed, it was raining anyway.

Langbathsee and Feuerkogel

Another weekend, another mountain peak. Isabel and I drove down to Ebensee to visit a lake my uncle had told me about. My uncle was using only the highest praise when describing this place and even called this location the most beautiful lake in Austria. When I heard that I knew I had to see it. It’s actually two lakes: Vorderer and Hinterer Langbathsee. From Ebensee a dead-end road goes 10 miles into a valley. A hotel is at the end of the road and Vorderer Langbathsee starts there. It is maybe 3 quarters of a mile long. It was deserted when we were there. It was too cold and windy and intermittently it rained. One could go swimming here on a nicer day. The lake was scenically set, surrounded my steep mountains, away from roads, and for us on that day even far away from people. The water was unbelievably clean, drinking quality. That cleanness gave it a special blue color. The color also changed from spot to spot. A very nice lake. I would never go as far as saying it is the nicest lake of Austria, but it is a special place. Even Austrian Emperors knew that. Emperor Franz Josef had a hunting cabin built here. It’s a pretty posh cabin, more like a small castle. A trail goes all around Vorderer Langbathsee. Separated from it and further into the valley is the Hinterer Langbathsee. Smaller, a bit more remote, and even more beautiful. This lake is a nature preserve and no swimming is allowed. It’s a feast for the eyes. Quit, peaceful, majestic and yet humble. From here we tried to climb up one of the surrounding mountains but had to turn around because we were running out of time and didn’t have the right shoes. We were the last people in the valley. Even the ride back to Ebensee was enjoyable. The road is hugged by greenery on both sides, a creek running next to the road fills the air with noise, and we are the only car on the road. On top of that I was also happy to be in the car because I was cold and freezing despite the sweater I was wearing. Summers in Austria don’t have to be warm.

The youth hostel quoted us some outrageous price of $50 per person. On top of that the guy was rude. We opted for the campground on the Traunsee lakeshore and spent the night in the tent in the light rain. A better choice anyway. Next morning we got up bright and early, not my usual style but we wanted to climb Feuerkogel, another peak of about 1,600m (5,000ft). You could get to the top by gondola. Not us of course. I rather follow the song "These boots were made for walking and that’s what they will do." We took the standard route up that starts right behind the gondola parking lot on the bottom. The whole way up and down we met only 2 people: two joggers training for a race to the top of Feuerkogel that will take place at the end of summer. It took us 3 hours to the top. The further we got up the stronger the wind blew and the colder it got. It was freezing on top. I had to keep walking fast, otherwise I started to shiver and tremble like a leaf. On top we walked a round a bit but it was just too cold; we had to take shelter in one of the restaurants (remember there is a gondola to the top). We scrapped our last change together for a cup of hot tea. With the weather starting to look even meaner we started our descent. To make it a bit more interesting we took a different and longer trail back that leads towards Langbath Lakes. It was a great choice. This trail was taken right out of a fairy tale. The woods were mystic. You could imagine dwarfs and Rübezahl, a fairy tale figure that is tall and strong and lives in the Alps, to jump forward from behind a tree any moment. The trees are old and stately. The soil soft like a mattress. The trail winds its way downward through many turns and with every turn a new perspective of the trees became visible. The trees were hugging the steep slopes. The wind blew and whistled in the tree branches. Rain clouds and mist drifted by. The mood was sensational, awe inspiring. Soon the rain clouds turned into rain. As long as we were in the thick forest we were still protected, but on open stretches it poured down on us. The path turned into a slippery mudslide outside the forest. Within an hour I was soaked to the bone. I was wearing shorts and 2 tee-shirts and a sweater. Water was just running down my face, my cap soaked and the sweater heavy from the rain. It would not stop or ease up either. We made it down to the river that runs from the Langbath Lakes to Ebensee. From here it was another hour to the parking lot. Time passes very slowly if you are cold, soaked to the bone, every piece of clothing sticks to your skin and with every step you are squeezing water out of your mud covered sneakers. At that point I just wanted to get back to the car as fast as possible. We hurried downstream and water was running on the road. Once at the car we threw all our muddy clothing, shoes into a box in the trunk. Standing in the rain I stripped down to one piece of clothing, my shorts; then hopped into the car. The heater was put to the max and soon it was like in a steam bath in the car. All windows fogged up. While driving back to Linz we started drying our socks and tee-shirts over the heat vent in the dashboard. What a day. Terrible yet fun. And best of all I did not catch a cold.

The weekend was also of other significance. It was our last joint weekend. Isabel and I broke up in an amicable way and with a mutual understanding. It was a long thing coming, it just happened to happen this weekend.

Königssee (King’s Lake) and Krimmler Waterfalls

After all the rain in the last weeks, it was finally sunny. Partly sunny. Let’s say that after the morning shower the sun decided to come out. Nadia and I embarked on a Salzburg-to-Munich road trip with some "minor" detours to Königssee, Krimmler Waterfalls, Gerlos and Tegernsee.

Not far from Salzburg in Bavaria is the recreation and health resort area of Berchtesgaden. The rich and old come here during summer to relax in the Bavarian sun and fill up on good alpine air. Fresh-air resort hotels are available in abundance offering everything from tennis, hiking, biking to golf. Anything that’s healthy is welcome here. In the middle of it all is Königssee. The German "see" means "lake". So, any name with "see" at the end is either a lake or a town on a lake. Königssee (King’s Lake) is, as the name suggests, of royal beauty. It is nestled within mountains, of which the Watzmann peak is the highest. Hordes of tourists make the souvenir stand owners wealthy. It always amazes me what kind of junk people buy. Why would one buy an ugly plastic object that says "Königssee" on it? Must be shopping addiction or maybe really poor taste.

Königssee is also famous for being the place where Hitler had a house high up in the Bavarian Alps. From the lake the successor of the building is visible with binoculars. The original building was completely razed in the 50s. On the same place they built a new restaurant which seems to do good business as a gondola goes up to the top. To attract tourists it is still called Hitler’s residence. Königssee is reasonably large. On the other side of the lake is St. Bartholomä, a tiny village that is only reachable by boat or by 5-hour walk. On one side the lake is surrounded by a hilly forest on the other for a short stretch by vertical cliffs falling straight into the lake. It’s a nature reserve, hence bathing is forbidden. By now it was really hot. The sun was beating down as we watched the tourist boats go by and the sparkle of the sun be reflected by the tiny gentle waves. The forest stroll was shady and a cooling refreshment.

Further into a neighboring valley and not far from Königssee is Hintersee. A smaller lake geared for summer fun. Bathing, boat rides, short forest walks, etc. We didn’t spend much time there, but I want to see it anyway. From here we put some more miles on the rental car by driving to Kitzbühel, Austria, home of one of the world’s most famous downhill races. The Hahnenkamm race on the Streif. This is as much Austria as the New Year’s concert in the opera in Vienna. A big international event. In summer the mountains look rather boring around here. But they still have events as we found out the hard way, through a major traffic jam.

The scenery got a lot more exciting as we came close to the Großvenediger, a set of 5 peaks covered in permanent snow and ice. The view of these 3674m (11,000ft) peaks is special. The shape of the peaks is symmetric in a way, basic and simple and yet unique. It was an inviting sight. I hope that the peaks in the Andes I want to climb at Christmas are as nice. From here it wasn’t far anymore to our real destination, Krimmler Waterfalls. I was puzzled that one has to pay entrance fee for the trail. That’s something new. Modern robbery. The falls are separated into 3 steps, put together the falls are a few hundred yards and as such the tallest falls in Austria. Quite forceful too. We hiked to the top getting dozens of views from every angle, as there is a lookout point at about every turn. People got smaller and smaller and finally after an hour we had reached the top. The sun was setting behind the mountains and a quick rain shower had a cold shiver run down my spine. I got drenched not too long ago, I didn’t need that again. Someone had mercy with me and the rain stopped as surprisingly as it started.

With the sun gone, it quickly turned cool in the valley. It was a clean-feeling kind of coolness. Time to move on. Two roads lead to Gerlos pass (Gerlospaß), an old poorly maintained road running across the mountains and a freeway-like multi-lane road. We took the old one. A wise choice. This was a great road. It would have been even nicer with a car with more horsepower. Great road though. Sometimes narrow, lots of turns, but great fresh air, good scenery, nobody around, a thrill ride. I love it if I am the only one on the road with all windows rolled down and the air feels like you walk through a virgin forest. We got some more, and final, views of the Großvenediger peaks.

When we drove north in Ziller valley the fun was over. Traffic and rain changed the mood. We added a few more lakes to our sightseeing list. It got dark as we sped along the lakeshore of Achensee. On Lake Tegernsee we had a brief dinner stop and we ended the trip in Munich where we arrived not much before midnight.

Munich

Even in Munich I try to get away from the city. The best escape here is the English Garden. A free Indian martial art performance was a feast for the senses. I had never seen anything like this before. A heavily stylized no-contact fight with repeating motions performed to the fast rhythm of a drum and chants. Half a fight, half a dance. Sweaty muscles, gracious moves, music that stirs the soul. The contrast to that was Schwabing, the in-zone of Munich. The Bavarian Sunset Boulevard. Ferraris and BMW convertibles carry their proud owners up and down. A Harley Davidson with appropriate leather will do as well. Most people, however, just slowly stroll between before-mentioned traffic and the line of restaurants, bars and ice-cream parlors. "Watch and be watched" is the theme. Dinner in one of the old traditional restaurants there was just ok, nothing to write home about, and I was upset about the poor service from the waitress.

Over the next days the weather really changed to sunshine. Where do you go if the sun is out? You got it, lakes. I was again in Bavaria. Not many lakes left is this neck of the woods. Chiemsee Lake is the largest in Bavaria. A pedestrian and bike path runs all around it. Must be a challenge on foot. I’d guess it is 60 miles around. Even on bike this would be a long ride. There are plenty of spots to get close to the lake by car. Sailboats are out on the lake and wherever there are many people they built a small wooden pier. Not sure why, but people seem to use it primarily as a flat spot to stretch and work on that tan or as a place to jump into the water. To me it’s a big lake, but nothing special about it. We visited another lake west of Chiemsee near Stephanskirchen. Finding the lake by car was the hardest part. No road seemed to lead to it. We tried a few times unsuccessfully to get to it and just ended up on the same road where we started. After enough tries and a big enough detour to the south we eventually found it. It was a hot day and jam-packed. People were like sardines in the can: as oily and as close to each other.

Feldaist

Amazing how many people you can get into a subcompact smaller than a Geo Metro. 5 people pulled by a 1-liter engine. Two of my brothers, niece, nephew and I all squeezed into the car to follow a recommendation one of my brothers got. At the Kriehmühle is a nice hiking and swimming spot. Kriehmühle is a former mill powered by the Feldaist river, hidden from the hustle and bustle of today’s world. Only a tiny regular street sign with the name "Kriehmühle" somewhere on the road between Pregarten and Mauthausen gives away its existence. Should you really go and look for it, the sign is on the left-hand side, just a few miles south of Pregarten, when you go from Pregarten southbound towards Mauthausen in Upper Austria.

The mill is the home to a farming family that also runs a country-style restaurant. The restaurant has a large roofed outdoor seating area and another one right above the Feldaist River overlooking the stream. It was a slow day. Not many guests, just a handful of cars parked at the end of the dead-end street. At the mill a nature reserve starts that covers the area on both sides of the stream. Occasional pedestrian bridges cross the small river and a trail leads from here to Pregarten and other destinations. The one to one-and-a-half hour (on foot of course) stretch from the mill upstream is most scenic. The trail runs along the water in the shady forest. The landscape changes slightly from mile to mile. The countryside alters from plain forest, to a few open glades, to moss-covered vertical rock walls rising 15 yards from the water, from whitewater to gentle pools in the water, etc. Every couple of miles the ruin of another mill reminds of the past. One of the cliff areas is used by rock climbers as a training ground. It has a few climbs. Another one of the rock walls is named after an unhappy woman who preferred suicide by jumping from the cliffs to being separated from her beloved boyfriend. Love hurts.

At one of the shallow river areas we all went for a dip. The water was clean and expectedly invigorating. We explored the stream and searched for gold. We didn’t find any but the kids were as happy to find some glittering worthless particles. Looking under the rocks we found lots of creepy critters, from tiny leeches to other multi-legged moving animals. After a while the feet got numb and the water temperature felt comfortable. Lots of things to explore in these pools. Like the Neanderthals we created tools by smashing rocks and creating sharp edged blades. Survival skills 101. With some vines we were ready to make a stone-aged ax.

History is all around us. Maybe not as old as the Stone Age, but across the river from the Kriehmühle are the ruins of a century-old fortress. The way up was steep and slippery, no real trail. We had to use both legs and hands to actually make it to the top. One or two basic rock walls can still be imagined. There is little to see and nature has taken over again. Thorny bushes cover everything. The fortress must have been difficult to build but easy to defend. It was small as there was little space. Getting rocks up here must have been manual labor and even getting the food into the fortress from the river after a trip to the local 15th-century "supermarket" must have been rather uncomfortable and tedious. The way we came up was very steep. The other side was a vertical fall to the river that bends around to encircle the fortress from three sides.

The summer started late in Austria this year. Hence, I have hope that it will last into fall and that I will have a few more opportunities to spend weekends in the Austrian Alps in 1998.

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