The Austrian region to the East of the city of Salzburg is known as Salzkammergut. It's an area of many lakes, some of which originated in the last Ice age, a few of them a bit reminiscent of fjords within mountains lining its sides. Nearly all of these lakes are popular destinations on hot summer days for people to enjoy swimming, boating or just sightseeing on its shores. Many of these shores also have roads and sometimes even nice bike paths along them, making them a natural target of extended bike rides.
In the summer of 2022, while visiting my parents in Salzburg, I had had the opportunity to do a long ride on a hot summer day in July. I started from the city of Salzburg somewhat late in the morning around 9:30am, without having a detailed route planned or being prepared in any way for a long ride. I mostly just wanted to ride around the Attersee, which is located about 50km East of Salzburg and stretches about 25 km North to South. I managed to string together four lakes on that route (Fuschlsee, Wolfgangsee, Mondsee, Attersee), as well as a detour to the town of Bad Ischl in the neighboring federal state of Upper Austria. By late afternoon that day I made the decision to considerably extend the loop and return via the Postalm mountain road instead of the more direct route back via Wolfgangsee and Fuschlsee. While this brought beautiful additional scenery over the Postalm and then along the Salzach river back to the starting point, the additional vertical elevation gain of about 700m slowed me down a lot so that I almost ran out of daylight (and had brought no front or rear lights). It was 9:30pm by the time I got back home.
The following year of 2023 I was again spending some summertime in Austria. I did a bit more planning to see what loop would be possible given an early morning start, given the up to 15 daylight hours. Without the lengthy circumnavigation of the Attersee the loop could be extended further East while staying roughly around the 200km size. This brought three additional lakes in reach (Altausseer See, Grundlsee, Hallstättersee) as well as a third federal state (Styria). Here is the route I settled on:
Start and finish is the city of Salzburg in the top left. The 8 indicated laps are 25km each - for instance 1 at Fuschlsee, 2 at Attersee, or 5 at Hallstaettersee. Colors indicate speed, with green being average, red faster (downhill) and blue slower (uphill) speeds. (Here is a high-resolution map of this route.)
Today I'm better prepared, with the Garmin bike computer, rear and headlights, and ready to start early in the morning to maximize daylight. Unfortunately the weather was rainy overnight and it is still cloudy and fairly cold in the morning, so I start about an hour after sunrise. It's 7:30am when I cross the Salzach river, but I still need a wind jacket for the first hour or so.
The first part of the route follows the main road B158 headed East. It climbs about 200m vertical just past the Gaisberg (which is also visible in the above photo). Thankfully most sections of this road have a separate bike path, which is very welcome due to the considerable traffic on this road. After about 25km you reach the little town of Fuschl, giving name to the (first) lake Fuschlsee.
I stop for a quick photo at the lake around 9am. It's still overcast and relatively cool, so I decide not to linger but instead keep going. Right after this town the road swings up steeply, albeit only for about 50m vertical gain over a small saddle, then down towards the (second) lake Wolfgangsee. So just 20 minutes later I stop for another photo.
I spend the next half hour rolling around the town of St. Gilgen. Among other things I buy some drinks and food at a small supermarket, and get a quick cup of coffee at a small cafe in the town center. The Northernmost point of the lake is called Brunnwinkl, and it is a scenic place - but for the lack of direct sunshine another good photo op.
The road leads North to reach the next (third) lake called Mondsee. Technically there is even another small lake called Krotensee right along this road, but it's barely 200m across so I excluded it for size. After a few km and a negligibly small vertical gain (maybe 30m) the road hits the shore of Mondsee, which is also the boundary between the federal states of Salzburg and Upper Austria. I follow it East along a small road, which soon leads to a cascade of tunnels, where thankfully pedestrians and cyclists have a separate lane.
There are still some clouds bunched up against the Northern slopes and along this stretch I even get a few raindrops. I sure hope the weather will soon clear out and improve as per the forecast. Just isn't the same when the sun isn't shining!
After just a few more km I reach the Southernmost end of the next (fourth) big lake Attersee at the village called Unterau. This stretch very much reminds me of last year's ride, where I spent probably about 2 hours rolling along the shores of this lake. I pause at a small park for one of several photos along the lake shore.
By now, it's almost 11am and I have cycled about 50km, about 1/4 of the distance. The road hugs the Southern shore in a semi-circle around to the village of Weißenbach on the other side of the lake. This lake is very popular with divers. Last year I witnessed several divers right next to a lakeside restaurant. Today I only see a few signs on small parking lots along the lake shore with information for divers.
The next section of the route leads SouthEast over a small pass called Pfaffenberg (~80m vertical) to the valley of the Traun, a small river which also feeds another big lake called Traunsee about 15km North. I decide against adding a roundtrip of 30km and skip the Traunsee. Along the way I first draft behind an elderly couple who ride along at a good clip on their eBikes, then a few km into the town of Bad Ischl I draft behind a young couple on their road bikes. So it takes me only about 40 minutes to cover the 19km from Weißenbach to Bad Ischl.
I take a 20 minute break at the town center of Bad Ischl and enjoy a small lunch snack. The weather is starting to clear up and the sun occasionally breaks through the clouds, which makes it much nicer to sit and relax for a bit. From Bad Ischl one could return directly back to Salzburg, which would significantly shorten the loop. However, my legs still feel pretty good and it's just past noon, with at least another 8 hours of daylight remaining, so let's go for a few more lakes!
On this next stretch I leave the paved road and ride East into the valley of the Rettenbachalm. At first it is a broad gravel road. Past the Rettenbachalm the valley and road narrows to a single lane gravel road hugging a little creek and climbing at times steeply between the surrounding slopes. This is definitely off the beaten path, and I wouldn't want to ride here with a road bike, but the scenery is quite nice. Here I'm crossing from the federal state of Upper Austria into Styria. I don't think I ever cycled to Styria from Salzburg - or even anywhere in Styria for that matter!
I'm also starting to tire a bit and feel the at times steep gradient slowing me down. At one point I just dismount and walk as it is hardly slower but a lot less strenuous than pedaling steeply uphill. In total there are 400m vertical gain up to the Blaa-Alm, where a paved road connects from the other side. Dozens of bikes (most of them eBikes) line the bike racks at this nice little restaurant. There is even a vending machine for bike tubes as well as some tools to fix flat tires or adjust bike frames. I didn't expect that much bike traffic here, but I don't mind.
A quick descent of some 200m vertical past a tree climbing park and the large parking lot of the Loser Skiarena leads down to the village of Altaussee. It's a sleepy little place, with a few homes lining the steep shores of the (fifth) lake Altausseer See. I sit down for a 10 minute rest and have another Clif Bar snack and sports drink while enjoying the quiet atmosphere. So quiet in fact, that I can overhear a conversation of two ladies swimming nearby in the lake.
I don't know how many pictures I'm taking of my dad's old mountain bike today, but here is another one for the collection from the Western end of the Altausseer See:
I continue on to the nearby town of Bad Aussee, and from there to a short detour to the (sixth) lake Grundlsee. This marks the Easternmost point of my route today. It is a beautiful spot here.
And finally the clouds clear and the sun comes out a bit more, painting everything in vibrant colors. I roll back down to Bad Aussee and take a coffee break. It is a very scenic place, and just nice to sit and enjoy the break.
It is now 3pm in the afternoon, I have covered only about half of the distance and there are another 100km plus at least one significant pass still ahead of me. Time to move on! At first there is a bit of a scare. Just as I get rolling there is a short stretch of oneway traffic for maybe 50m in between the narrow streets of the town center. I roll through the red light and think I can stay on the sidewalk like a pedestrian. Just as I turn around the next corner, a police car comes the other way and sees me riding against oneway traffic. Bad timing in Bad Aussee! I stop at the next bridge to take a photo, hoping the police would have more urgent business than to turn around and ticket me. But no, they turn on their siren, turn around and quickly stop me. I politely talk to them and admit the error of my ways... We get into talking and I show them what little I have brought in cash or identifying papers. Essentially just a few Euro in cash, a credit card and my iPhone. I tell them about the bike being my dad's old Mountainbike and the story of my entire trip today. Thankfully one of the police officers seems to take an interest in my cycling adventure and remarks that I still have quite a ways to go if I want to reach Salzburg tonight. Eventually they let me go with just a warning and wish me good luck and safe passage as I head off. So good luck in the end!
The warm and sunny weather further lifts my spirits. The road back West first leads over a short saddle called Koppenpaß, and then down steeply some 170m vertical to the village of Obertraun back in Upper Austria. This has got to be one of the nicest areas of the Salzkammergut region. The high mountains of the Dachstein are just to the South, with some lifts going up there (Dachstein Krippenstein) which makes it an ideal area in the summer for hiking as well as in the winter for skiing. Large meadows with grasses and flowers surround the little village. Everyone is out to enjoy the summer weather. Soon I reach the (seventh) lake Hallstätter See.
This is the first time I've visited this place and it is just as scenic as I expected it from the various photos on Google Maps and elsewhere. The town of Hallstatt is quite famous and is super busy with tourists. I'm glad I'm moving about by bicycle, as cars are backed up in traffic and parking is a nightmare. There is just not enough space with the town being squeezed along the lake shore by the steep mountain sides. In the town's pedestrian zone even the foot traffic is so dense that I can't ride, just walk and roll the bicycle along. Soon I reach the famous spot for the photo of the lake and the church of Hallstatt.
This is probably one of the most photographed spots in all of Austria; I recognize this scene from various posters, puzzles and even the title of an iPhone photo book. I wish I had more time to linger, but I need to move on. The afternoon shadows are getting longer, it's a serene mood with beautiful colors. After a few km North along the lake I need to turn West. The street sign says Golling 45km, and there is a significant pass to climb (about 400m vertical). For a brief stretch the road is narrow with no shoulders, making me nervous due to the increased traffic in both directions. After a few km the valley widens around the village of Gosau, with sweeping views of the Dachstein mountain.
I remember texting a few photos to my daughter in the US. She replies that these parts of Austria are so scenic, it feels almost like in a simulation! I stop at a bike shop of all places and ask them to refill my bottle with some cold water. With more daylight time and more energy one could detour a few km (and 200m vertical gain) to the South for another lake (Vorderer Gosausee). I have some fond memories of hiking there with my parents and both kids from back in 2010!
Back to the present. This next section is quite steep and the late afternoon sun makes me sweat up to the Pass Gschütt at almost 1,000m NN. I'm happy to top out at the pass.
It's already 6:15pm, but the weather cleared out nicely, from here it's quite a bit downhill and this time I am not worried about darkness as I came prepared with lights. The next 15 km or so are the fastest of the entire route, barreling downhill on a wide smooth road with shoulder towards the town of Abtenau. Here the route joins with that from last year over the Postalm to the North. It is nice to ride into the evening sun along the Rußbach and then the Lammer creek.
For a few minutes I watch several kayaks playing in the Lammer river below. I am now somewhere around 160km into the loop, and just wish time would slow down a bit for me to enjoy the warm evening mood. Traffic subsides as we approach 7pm. Good times!
After a brief final climb through the Lammerklamm I reach the town of Golling in the Salzachtal. I need to refuel my water bottle and find some fountain right in the center of town. There is also a bench next to a restaurant which just happens around 7:30pm to catch the last rays of sun for the day, painting everything in warm colors.
What a blessing to be able to ride here and see all these sights! Feeling a bit rushed I get moving again. The rest of the route mostly follows along the Salzach river, first on roads via Kuchl to the town of Hallein, from there on a gravel path for pedestrians and cyclists directly along the river. While the valley is already in the shade of the large Hoher Göll mountain to the West, it is still another 45 minutes or so until sunset.
I'm following the bike path which crosses the river a few times, offering some last photo motives of the Tennengebirge to the South in the setting sun.
As I get closer to the city, I become more familiar with the surroundings and remember many spots from previous bike rides with my kids during various summer vacations of years past. I stop for one more photo from a pedestrian bridge over the Salzach at 8:45pm.
After a few more km I'm back in the city center and can close the 200 km loop. Very happy with how it all came together, especially with the sunny weather since mid afternoon, despite the time pressure towards the end. I stop at the famous Mozartplatz in the city center for a final photo around 9pm.
From here, it is only a few minutes back to my parents home where I started some 14 hours ago... I smile into the camera for a final, flash-assisted selfie.
Here are some more stats and the elevation profile from the ride.
This ride was much slower average speed than most of my Florida road bike rides. The main speed determinant is the vertical elevation gain. With over 2000m this is also much more vertical gain (easily 5 times more) than a similarly long ride in Florida. That's why it is so important to know the elevation profile when planning longer rides like this - and why I seriously underestimated the time required to cross the Postalm the previous year.
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