When I heard about the new Salzkammergut long distance hiking trail, I knew this would be a wonderful way to explore the beautiful lakes and mountains region of Austria. Hiking with a friend each September, we’d already tested ourselves on the Tour de Mont Blanc, the Dolomites and in the Austrian Tyrol. This year the Salzkammergut trail was beckoning.
Our 3 day hike started in the Alm valley, on a trail that would take us through the forest, past pretty lake Laudachsee. The trail is overshadowed by the Traunstein mountain and we’d hike up the Grünberg peak overlooking lake Traunsee, where we would end our day in the lakeside town of Gmunden.
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Setting off from Grünau
From our hotel at Hochbergerhaus Alm we got a lift down the steep winding road to the town of Grünau in the Alm valley, where we bought a few supplies. From here the trail leads along the Alm river and up the meadow slopes to the Gasthof Hochbuchegg where you can stop for refreshments.
Since it was raining we cheated a little, getting a lift to this point and shortening our walk by 2 hours so that we could start at the beginning of the forest trail.
Tip: While in this area, you may like to visit the Cumberland Wildlife Park near Grünau, a 60 acre park where you can observe ibex, deer, bison and wolves in a natural setting and learn more about the wildlife of the area.
Through the damp forest
The trail took us steadily uphill, through a forest of tall conifers with bare spikes at the bottom where their lower branches had died off for lack of light. There were patches of long grass by the trail with wildflowers and the soft white heads of cow parsley, catching the raindrops.
A black and yellow salamander walked slowly across my path and with damp fingers I just managed to pull out my camera in time to photograph him. The only building we passed was a wooden Jagdhutte hunting lodge and a few smaller wooden hunting hides raised above the ground with ladders, to scout out for game during the hunting season.
Arriving at Laudauchsee
We emerged from the forest at Laudachsee, a pretty lake overshadowed by the Katzenstein rocky peak and Traunstein mountains. I’d like to tell you that we stretched out in the sunshine beside the lake to have a picnic and take in the views, but sadly the rain was beating down and the lake shrouded in mist.
We squelched up the hill to the Ramsaualm restaurant which was technically closed due to the weather, but since the owner was expecting a group for lunch, he took pity on us and let us in for a bowl of soup.
Read about Day 2 of our hike – Fairytale Schloss Ort and hiking the Salzkammergut trail
Lunch at lake Laudachsee
What a relief it was to settle into the restaurant next to the traditional green ceramic stove. The town of Gmunden where we were heading is well known as a ceramics town and produces plenty of green and white pottery at the Gmunder factory which we later visited.
We ordered Frittatensuppe, a clear broth of vegetables and sliced pancakes which hit the spot nicely, before donning our slightly drier waterproofs to set off again towards the Grünberg cable car, about an hour’s walk away.
Tip: If you’re based in Gmunden, it’s a popular excursion to take the cable car up to the Grünberg peak then walk for an hour to Laudachsee along the easy forest trail for a nice lunch at Ramsaualm and then return the same way.
Just outside the Ramsaualm at the start of the trail, we found wooden sculpture of the mermaid of Lausachsee. Next to her is the carved wooden figure of the giant Erla. The local legend about the giant and the mermaid was written beside the sculptures and here’s the story;
The story of Giant Erla and the mermaid of Laudachsee
Once upon a time there was a giant named Erla, who lived high in the mountains of the Salzkammergut. One day Erla left his cave in the Traunstein mountain and came down to the shores of Laudachsee to enjoy the spring sunshine.
Erla noticed a beautiful young mermaid, with blonde hair, swimming in the lake and soon he came to visit her every day. They fell in love, but as winter approached, they became sad that they would not be able to see each other for a long time.
So Erla gathered some rocks and threw them down from the mountain into Lake Traunsee to make an island. Here he built a beautiful little castle called Schloss Ort.
The witch Kranawitha made a spell to shrink Erla and turn the mermaid’s fish tail into legs, so that they could live together in the castle. But after a few years the mermaid became very sad as she missed her life underwater.
So one day she disappeared into the lake, Traunsee. The giant Erla was heartbroken and turned back into a giant, leaving the castle, never to be seen again.
Read about Day 3 of our hike – Austrian lakes and mountains – hiking the Salzkammergut trail
The Grünberg cable car
The trail continued through the forest and we reached the Grünberg cable car at around 1000m. It’s at the top of the mountain that overlooks Traunsee and the town of Gmunden.
In better weather we would have had a fantastic view from here and seen Schloss Ort, the castle on the lake built by Giant Erla for his beloved mermaid. In the rain, everything was misty and overcast, obscuring all views.
We decided that the cable car was a much more appealing option than taking the trail down the mountain which would take another 1.5 hrs. The Grünberg cable car normally runs until 5pm daily – more information here.
We explore the old town of Gmunden
From the bottom cable car station, it was a 10 minute walk over the bridge and into the old centre of town. We quickly found the Rathaus platz and our hotel Seehotel Schwan, facing the lake and jetty for the ferry boats.
This pretty lakeside town is the regional centre of the Traunsee region within Salzkammergut. It became wealthy in the Middle Ages from the salt trade that gives the region its Salz name.
From Hallstatt and other production centres, salt passed along the river Traun to be sold in the major cities such as Vienna and Budapest. Prized for cooking and to preserve food through the long winters, the salt was so expensive that it was known as “White Gold”.
After checking into our Hotel Schwan, we spent the late afternoon in Gmunden wandering around the medieval streets. We viewed pretty pastel coloured houses and shops, admiring the old doors, paintings and plaster decoration.
Gmunden – the spa town
By the 19th century, the salt trade had become less important, but Gmunden became fashionable as a spa town. It emulated the success of nearby Bad Ischl, where Emperor Franz Josef I would spend his summers.
Pretty villas and an elegant boulevards were built facing the lake. Spa hotels offered brine baths and salt inhalations with health giving properties.
Gmunden is also known as a ceramics town, with a pottery market held every August and the Gmunder factory. You can visit to see the traditional hand-painted green ceramics being made.
The photos show you how the pretty streets and houses of Gmunden look on a sunny day. Unfortunately it was still raining when we were there.
Read about Day 2 of our hike – Fairytale Schloss Ort and hiking the Salzkammergut trail
In my next article about our hike on the Salzkammergut long distance trail, I’ll be covering some of the other things to see near Gmunden. It’s well worth visiting the fairytale castle on the lake, Schloss Ort and the Gmunder ceramics factory.
I’ll outline what we enjoyed on the next section of the hiking trail over meadows and through forests until we arrived at Landgasthaus in der Kreh.
Read Next
Read about Day 2 of our hike – Fairytale Schloss Ort and hiking the Salzkammergut trail
Read about Day 3 of our hike – Austrian lakes and mountains – hiking the Salzkammergut trail
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Where we stayed while hiking Section 23 of the Salzkammergut trail
Berggasthof Hochbergerhaus
Our first night was spent at Hochbergerhaus, which is known for its wonderful views.
This is a cosy, family run lodge set high up the mountain at 1200 metres. It’s popular for winter snow and hiking in summer, with a hunting theme in the wild boar hides decorating the walls.
The hotel had prepared us a hearty dish of different Austrian specialities. Spätzle with grilled cheese, sauerkraut with caraway seeds, roast pork and potatoes topped with a fried egg.
We received a warm welcome despite our late arrival. Our room was simple and comfortable with traditional wooden furniture and a balcony overlooking the garden area.
There are many mountain walks around this area into the Totnes Gebirge range and the Kasberg mountain. It can be used as an extension of the main Salkammergut long distance trail, which starts from nearby Grünau.
There is also a new WALDNESS package available, which includes walking, relaxing and other activities in the forest. They are designed to promote wellbeing in the natural woodland surroundings.
If you prefer to stay right on the hiking trail, there are also lots of hotel options in and around Grünau.
For more information and to book: Berggasthof Hochberghaus
Seehotel Schwan Gmunden
We stayed in Gmunden at Seehotel Schwan, an elegant, turn-of-the-century hotel. It’s very centrally located opposite the Rathaus (town hall) and facing the lake.
There has been an inn on this spot since the 16th century. After the older building was destroyed in 1898, the current hotel was rebuilt. It has been run by 6 generations of the Nöstlinger family for the last 100 years.
The restaurant and bar areas are furnished in charming traditional Austrian style. The bedroom was stylish and modern with pale wood floors, a cheerful red sofa and felt covered headboard.
Our room on the second floor had a balcony that overlooked the lake. We had beautiful views although the weather was overcast and misty while we were there.
We also ate in the hotel’s restaurant with a menu that features many traditional Austrian dishes. I tried the excellent trout caught from the lake, served with buttered parsley potatoes and a green salad. The hotel also has a lovely terrace which is a nice place to relax with a view of the lake in fine weather.
Seehotel Schwann is a great place to stay in style while hiking the Salzkammergut trail or as a base for exploring lake Traunsee and the surrounding region. If you can’t stay at Seehotel Schwann, check out the other options for hotels in Gmunden.
For more information and to book: Seehotel Schwan
Visitor information for hiking in Salzkammerkut
There is detailed information on the website for the Salkammerkut BergeSeen or long distance hiking trail. There are walking notes and maps that can be downloaded and printed.
Take a look at holiday offers for accommodation packages that save you money and make it easy to arrange a walking trip on different parts of the trail. There’s also the possibility to have your baggage transported each day.
For more information on holidays in the Salzkammergut region of Austria, check out the tourism websites for Salzkammergut (the whole lakes & mountains region) as well as the tourism board websites for each of the lake-regions of Traunsee-Almtal and Attersee that we visited. You can find more information on holidays in Austria on the Austria Tourism website.
This day we walked Section 23 – Grunau im Almtal to Gmunden
- Duration: 7h
- Length: 22 km
About the Salzkammergut long distance trail
The Salzkammergut BergeSeen or long distance hiking trail was inaugurated in the spring of 2017. This created a 350 km long distance route that covers the whole of the Salzkammergut region of Austria.
The long distance route brings together numerous local trails that already existed. New signage and route maps make it very easy to hike the sections individually or by combining as many stages as you wish.
Each section of the trail is planned to be a day’s hiking, and these vary in length from 4 hours to 8 hours. There are 20 sections in all, making it possible to walk for 20 days if you want to make the whole trail in one round.
Most hikers will probably do as we did and pick a section of the trail to walk for a few days as time allows. With excellent public transport in Austria it is also easy to move between the start points for each stage, if you wish to miss out a section.
There are also more advanced ‘Alpine Routes’ that can be added to the trail, that take you high into the mountains. These are for more experienced hikers and should only be undertaken in good weather.
Each stage starts/finishes at a point where there are good accommodation options. There’s at least one place to stay and normally a range of different accommodation.
The Salzkammergut long distance trail is a great way for walkers to get an overview of this beautiful region of lakes and mountains. There are interesting and historic towns to visit, stunning scenery and plenty of welcoming guesthouses and restaurants to stop for a drink or lunch on the trail.
Maps and Guides for the Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail
If you are just walking a few sections of the Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail you can download the walking instruction and maps at the trail website.
Click on the numbered section you plan to walk and at the bottom click Create PDF. This generates a document in either English or German with walking instructions and maps that can be printed.
You can also buy maps and guides listed below which is recommended if you want to have a good overview of the trail. Maps and guides of the trail are also available from tourism offices and shops along the trail.
Need a guidebook for the Salzkammergut long distance trail? We recommend the Kompass Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail guide.
This hiking guide gives instructions on each of the sections of the trail as well as including a map. This guide with map has all you need for the whole trail. Be sure to order the correct language version of the guide as it is available in both English and German.
Need a guidebook for the Salzkammergut long distance trail? We recommend the Kompass Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail guide
If the guide book is not available, you can also buy the following maps. Then, use them in combination with printed walking notes that you download from the website.
Kompass 1:50 000 map Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail – This map covers the whole of the Bergeseen Trail but in individual sections. You don’t get the overview of the region.
Kompass 1:50 000 2-map set no 229 Salkammergut – This 2 part set covers the whole of the BergeSeen Trail.
Kompass 1:50 000 map no 18 Nordlisches Salzkammergut – This map covers Traunsee, Attersee and Wolfgangsee including the sections 20, 1, 2 that we walked. The first part of section 20 from Grünau is not covered.
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Photo credits: Due to the rain we experienced, many of my photos are very grey. So I have borrowed some photos from the Traunsee tourism board. You’ll see what the area looks like in the sunny weather that is normally experienced through the summer and into September.
Thanks to the tourism boards of Traunsee, Almtal and Attersee in Salzkammergut for hosting* my hiking trip in Austria.
* More info on my policies page
This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com
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