Stage 13 - The E4 through Eastern Austria

Coming up with a simple explanation for my route through the eastern half of Austria is not easy.  Firstly I have to explain that there are two E4 options through Austria, one which takes you along the Nordalpenweg 01 and one which takes you along the NordAlpenweg 04.  Secondly the route I took combined bits of both options - I took the 04 for the first six days after Salzburg and then switched south to the 01.  Thirdly I have to explain that my last two days in Austria were on an option which I made up myself designed to avoid what I considered to be an unnecessary diversion which goes north and then south again before joining up with the E4 through Hungary.

Of course I was trying to save time.  I had been walking for five months and was keen to get to Budapest and home to London.  The bad weather through Bavaria had taken its toll on my morale and the forcast was for more rain.  More important neither of the official E4 options seemed to make sense to me.  Both routes struggle to join up with the start of the Hungarian section in a direct way.  The northern variant takes you to Vienna and then south while the southern variant takes you east, close to the Hungarian border, but then heads north to Neusiedler See, before retracing its route south.

The truth of the matter is that the international long distance routes don't always make sense.  They are superimposed on national routes which vary in complexity and develop over time.  Given the huge potential for beautiful walking, the route is particularly complicated in Austria.  Not only are there two basic variants (one following 01 and other the 04) but there are variants within variants (with the 01 splitting in eastern Austria with one leg going to Vienna and the other to Rust).

Nordalpenweg 04 and 01

Saturday 6th August Habernau to Spital a.Pyhrn

So today was a transfer day from the E4 walking the Weitwanderweg 04 to the E4 walking the Weitwanderweg 01, the higher Alpine variant of the E4. Now I'm in Austria I've realised that my approach to the transfer was really clumsy and that if I had done it yesterday when the two routes got close to each other then I could have reached the alpine variant in a couple of hours or so. As it was I waited for them to diverge and then caught a train down the valley from Steyrling to Spital a.Pyhrn.

The good news is that Christine's knee is holding up. It seems to work going up, on the flat and can cope with gentle descents. Trouble is we are in the Alps and gentle descents are few and far between. We have looked at the rest of the itinerary and compared to what we have been doing I think we will be staying high longer so perhaps will have fewer descents. We are going to see how things go tomorrow, the first tough walk for a couple of days and then see - fingers crossed.

Normally, today's walk would have been pleasant but in the middle of the Alps it was just a bit dull. A 24 kilometre walk from west to east first along one valley next to a river and then, after crossing a ridge, along another valley next to river. The trees were great, the noise from the river was lovely, but it wasn't quite what you hope for when walking in Austria. One thing, after lots of rain in the night and despite forecast rain for today, the weather was good, sunny and warm.

Climbing up to Ring

Along the Steyrling

Stopped mid morning at the Almtaler Haus where Christine bought what she thought were two bars of homemade fudge/nougat which, on sampling later, turned out to be soap. She was very cross.

Didn't stop again - apart from a quick sandwich and the customary immersion of Christine's feet in icy river water - until early afternoon when we had tea and strudel at a bar in Steyrling. I was fed up because the sign said it would take an hour and half to walk to the train station (although the fact that there was a station at all was a small miracle). In the end it took only 30 minutes, and a train came just 15 minutes later.

Lovely mountains around the town but Spital a.Pyhrn itself appears to be a bit of a dump. Will be glad to get walking in the morning and get my teeth into the Alpine variant of the E4.

Friday August 5. Ebensee to Habernau

Guest blog by Christine
After days of up and downs, today was a doodle. Quite a long doodle but relatively painless.

We made the most of what the Hotel Post had to offer at breakfast and left around 8.15am hardly able to move. The trail took us up past waterfalls and then on along southerly stretch on a forest road, peaceful but a little dull. The weather was hot and humid so the shade from trees was welcome.

Going up the steep bit past the waterfall I noticed my left knee really hurt. I was behind John so he didn't see me hobbling up. It got worse as the day went on.

To the east of Ebensee

Footpaths everywhere

Anyway, we got to a beautiful unspoilt shallow lake at Offensee around 12.30 and I went for a swim. Gorgeous. We ate our lunch then set off again.

Offensee

We knew we had to go up, out of the valley and over the watershed into the next one, but found ourselves following a steep bed of uphill scree which seemed to have been dumped by storm water earlier in the year. It reminded me of the high mountain valleys of Nepal. We lost the red and white signs for a bit but John managed to sniff them out and we were back on the main path, climbing steeply up (me hobbling), to cross the top and then descend a long but gentle forest road to Almsee. We stopped at the charming Deutsche Haus for tea and cake overlooking Almsee, the shallowest lake in Austria surrounded by towering mountain peaks.

Alamsee

Suitably fortified we proceeded down the road to our hotel (very posh) at Habernau.
A 32 kilometre day, but relatively civilised.

So my knee is dodgy. John is questioning whether or not it's safe for me to continue with the last 8 or 9 days of Alpine walking when I'm saying I can go up but not (fast) down. Have gone through the rest of the itinerary and it may not be as bad as what we've already done. Going to give it another day and then see.

Wednesday August 3rd Weissenbach to Riederhutte

We think we may have done a tougher walk but at the moment we can't quite remember when. For once the numbers definitely don't tell the story, although they give a clue. 2,000 plus metres of ascent and 10 hours on your feet indicate a big day but it was the non-stop grinding nature of the terrain which made today mega.

Christine woke up with one eye virtually closed, the result of the bee sting from a couple of days ago. Didn't actually slow her down but I was getting sideways looks as Austrian's assumed a domestic incident.

Actually Christine was on top form. The signs said 4 hours 30 minutes to Hochleckenhaus and she was determined to beat the time. Better still there were lots of Austrians making the early morning climb and this meant only one thing, someone to chase and overtake. Firstly a couple, then a single woman, and then the ultimate scalp, three young men.

Attersee

Up and up we went, along ridges with amazing views of Lake Attersee then up again. The first major summit was Brennerin, at 1700 metres, 1300 metres above Weissenbach. Started to get a bit worried that this was no ordinary walk when we looked at the signs after the Brennerin. Despite being the fastest people on the mountain we were only just on schedule. Still 90 minutes to Hockleckenhaus and although no longer climbing the going was really tough, two horrible gullies to cross, but it wasn't just the up and downs that made the going slow, it was the broken terrain.

Climbing up to Brennerin

Back to Attersee

On Brennerin

At last we got to the hut at Hockleckenhaus and collapsed on a bench and ate. We were on schedule but had consumed huge amounts of energy. The good news I was hoping for didn't materialise. I had hoped that at least we were half way but no, another five hours to go and that seemed subject to maintaining our mad morning pace. Reider Hutte seemed like a long way away, and we seriously considered calling it quits and staying at Hockleckenhaus.

Christine however wanted to press on, doing nothing all afternoon was too boring. We left the hutte at 2, stuffed with food and fully rehydrated. It was hot and clear but I was worried about the weather. The forecast was rain by mid afternoon.

The tough walking continued but after an initial climb, a sharp drop into a valley, and then a 600 metre pull we were at the top of Grunalmkogel which at 1821 metres was the highest point of the day. It was only 4.30 and it felt like we were making good time. Trouble was, as the forecast had predicted, the clouds were now descending and the prospect of a summer thunder storm on top of a mountain kept the pressure on.

Things then started to slow down. The climb down from Grunalmkogel was really tough. Incised limestone and the extent of drop meant we were scrambling for much of time. It took the best part of an hour to descend 300 metres.

Struggling down Grunalmkogel

Hard work

I had promised Christine that the last bit would be easier but lacked the evidence to back my theory. It couldn't be harder but in it's own way was just as bad. An exposed path set into a limestone cliff and huge drops. Not a time for looking down or even up.

Fortunately this didn't last long and we soon walking along the side of a valley and gently climbing up to what we hoped was the hutte. The signs however were still not telling us how far we had to go, the light was fading, and it looked increasingly like rain. At 6.45pm we heard a helicopter, rounded a final corner, and there was the hutte taking it's bi-monthly aerial delivery.

Special beer drop

So a really tough walk, challenging but all the time the scenery was amazing.

It's hard for people, who inevitably have not got the level of fitness I have built up over many months, to click quickly into my pace of walking and indeed the schedule I have set myself. I thought Christine was just amazing today and was very proud of her.

Christine adds: what a tough day. Am exhausted and feet and knees are killing me. The best thing about the last 11 hours was hearing the helicopter and knowing we must be getting near the Reider Hutte. Tomorrow is supposed to be a lot easier and we're hoping we don't get rain; there was a sharp shower this evening just after we arrived here and it's still cloudy.

Tuesday August 2nd Schafberg to Weisbenbach

What goes up must come down and after yesterday's huge ascent up to the top of Schafberg today's walk was all about the long descent down to Weisbenbach. Completely different sort of walk as well, particularly at the beginning, which was all ropes, ladders, slippery limestone and absolutely amazing views.

Above the clouds from Schafberg

Christine continues....
After sleeping nearly 10 hours, John woke me up by insisting I look out of the window. It was breathtaking. We were up in heaven with distant peaks from the earth below poking through the cloud blanket. What a place. Far better to stay the night and enjoy the early morning views before the crowds of earthlings came up on the little hobbit train from below.

From the viewing platform at Schafberg

We breakfasted with a crowd of enthusiastic Germans who quickly demolished the bread rolls and ham. Good job we got down to breakfast first.

How to get down from this huge peak? My instinct was completely wrong. Instead of going east (which would have taken me off the edge of a cliff) we went west and then an old sign through a small rock arch pointed into space and invited us down a steep zig zag path down the cliff face. Fortunately we were able to grab the wire ropes. I decided to let John go first. I had Prince's 'Controversy' on my brain and kept singing it out of nerves, much to John's annoyance. Once we got past the worst bit we could stride out but the limestone was slippery and you had to concentrate.

From Schafberg with Mondsee below

Underneath the Schafberg cliff

After a bit we got into trees and continued down through mixed beech and conifers until opening out onto a grassy plain hosting a well appointed hut. Time for coffee and strudel.

We then continued walking east, the sun now beating down and hot, following the side of a steep mountain stream before going up and onto a forest trail. Then down down down, feet hurting by now, lycra clad cyclists passing us but them struggling uphill in the blazing sun.

We got to the shore of Attersee around 1.30 pm then walked along a hot road to Weissenbach, a small nonentity of a place. Trouble then, as the Gasthaus Goldenlamm booked from England turned out to be in a Weissenbach in a totally different region of Austria.

Attersee

Luckily found somewhere else, and decamped to the lakeshore for the rest of the afternoon enjoying swimming in the lake.

Monday August 1st Faistenau to Schafberg

It's 10 past 8 and Christine is claiming that it's time to go to bed. Maybe we have overdone it a bit, particularly if the sighs, groans and moans are anything to go by. Suspect that the last three hours of the walk may have something to do with it as we climbed a straight 1400 metres up to Schafberg having already walked 20 kilometres from Faistenau. Poor Christine, just before we started what was one of the toughest climbs of the whole E4 walk, she managed to get stung by a bee in Winkl.

Tonight we're staying in the Hotel Schafbergspitz, not exactly a boutique hotel but a haus with an amazing location. It's right on top of a sharp ridge at nearly 1800 metres. I keep having to dash out onto the balcony to catch yet another amazing view as the sun, clouds and mist reconfigure to present new views of lakes below and mountains in the distance. One of the lessons learnt from this walk is to be more careful about choosing the precise location of the accommodation. Tonight we struck gold.

The weather has been OK today, good but far from perfect as still too humid.

Leaving Faistenau just after 8, onto the right route almost immediately, the first part of the day involved a 300 metre climb up over the ridge into the next valley and down to Fuschl. Stopped at a little lake on the way down before a more serious stop for mid morning strudel at Fuschl overlooking the lake.

Lake to the east of Faistenau

Fuschl

Took us ages to find the right route out of Fuschl but eventually we were walking along the valley which links to the next lake and St Gilgen. The walk gets a bit complex at this point as it struggles to keep you high above the town and avoid the drop down to the lake. Some interesting cliffs and lots of very young climbers were practicing their techniques high above us.

Looking down to St Gilgen

After all the ins and outs through the cliffs and the trees you still end up dropping down to Winkl. Perhaps just as well for us the top of the Schalberg was in the clouds but Christine's bee sting already meant that she had something else to think about other than the climb.

The climb itself was on a good path even if it was a bit unrelenting. Seemed to be the only people going up as everyone else had caught the steam train to the top and was walking down. Once you break through the tree line the top is still a 400 metre climb and the last bit, as usual was the steepest.

Climbing up to Schafberg

Started the climb at 2.45 and were drinking beer at 5.30 in the hotel. My GPS measured the climb at just over 1400 metres from Winkl to the top and we had a 15 minute stop for boot removal half way up. I suspect that for the day as a whole we climbed over 2,000 metres and walked about 25 kilometres. Much shorter downhill walk tomorrow and should have enough time for a swim in the lake.

Sun set from Schafberg

PS from Christine
I was standing under a tree in Winkl minding my own business when a bee dropped onto my eye. Unable to prevent the reflex action to brush it off, I goaded the thing into stinging me.

Sunday July the 31st Salzburg to Faistenau

Today feels like the beginning of the pen-ultimate stage of my E4 marathon. In two and a half weeks if all goes to plan Christine, who joined me yesterday in Salzburg, will be on her way to Vienna, the Alpine walking will be over, and I'll be walking across flatlands to Budapest.

My itinerary is a bit messier than a straight forward walk across the eastern Austrian Alps and I have come up with my own version of the E4 to avoid a long walk to and from Vienna. Since Bregenz and Lake Constance I have been following the northern variant of the E4 which essentially follows the Weitwanderweg 04 (and the Maximillianweg which finishes just to the east of Salzburg). The 04 clings to the northern edge of the Alps and I'll stick with that route until it gets to Klauser See which should be in four or five days time. I'm then going to switch variants and join the higher Alpine variant at Spital am Pyhrn walking along that until it descends from the mountains at the Wax Riegal Haus. Then instead of walking to Vienna and back I'm going to cut across country and rejoin the E4 as it enters Hungary.

We knocked off the first day of the penultimate stage today. Said goodbye to my cousin Chris Dickinson this morning and got straight onto the E4 as it leaves Salzburg on the eastern side. Weather was cloudy this morning and gradually got better throughout the day. Looks like Christine's arrival may have signalled a break in the run of poor weather I have suffered for the last fortnight or so.

Although today was a bit dull it was the right length for Christine's first day and by the time we got to Faistenau we had walked 23 kilometres and climbed 1200 metres. After all the rain Christine opted to wear proper walking boots and her feet were getting sore by the middle of the day.

The first target was Gaisberg which was today's highest point. We broke the climb at Zistelalm and had coffee and strudel. It was only 10.30 but beer was already being consumed and the restaurant was gearing up for some serious music making. Half expecting Julie Andrews to burst in; it was hard to distinguish between restaurant staff, musicians and customers as everyone, apart from us, was in national costume. ( note from Christine: the men were particularly fine in elaborate 3 ply hand knitted hose, leather shorts and tailored felt jackets; one sported an impeccable heavily waxed handlebar moustache).

Still a bit misty but on a clear day the views of Salzburg from the top of Gaisberg would have been amazing. Some nice walking through birch trees on the way to the top.

From Gaisberg looking back to Salzburg

Through trees to the east of Gaisberg

The long walk down hammered Christine's feet and by the time she got to the bottom she was having to apply her patent anti-blister treatment which involves removing socks and boots and standing in ice cold water, provided there's a convenient stream.

Down to Ebanau

The walk to Ebanau and the final stretch to Faistenau was just a bit dull and involved a lot of walking on hard surfaces. After booking a hotel so close to the E4 leaving Salzburg Christine's second gasthof was not so well placed, in fact it was 10 kilometres to the north. No harm done as local alternatives were plentiful, so we cancelled and dug in at a nice old gasthaus in the main square.

Christine adds
John is looking like the mad monk with wild longish curly grey hair and a hungry resigned look on his face. It was very good to see him after all this time. He is incredibly strong and fit and has the stamina of an ox. Am regretting bringing my big heavy boots and need to toughen my feet up before we hit John's special 40k a day routine. The landscape here is a bit too twee and manicured. Looking forward to getting into the Alps proper.