Welcome to Transeurotrek.com - 2nd Trek: Austria
Germany Munsterland to Brandenburg
France Aveyron to Haute Provence
FROM NORTH SEA TO ADRIATIC
Austria
EIGHTH SECTION 15 to 17 October 2008 Guglwald (Upper Austria) to Freistadt (Upper Austria) by E10 & E6 - 368Km.
Crossed border at 700m at Guglwald on road built since end of Cold War in 1991. Small section of the Iron Curtain still standing alongside a small exhibition on its history. Exposed spot with a cold sw wind. Turned east to follow the Nordwaldkammweg close to the border on rollercoaster mountains across big open fields and woods, highest point Sternstein (1100m), then down to Bad Leonfelden - a rich town - and more farmland. Crossed the disused 19th century horse-drawn rail line from Linz to Budweiser 1832-72. Finished up in Freistadt, an old well preserved brewery town.
NINTH SECTION 24 APRIL to 6 MAY 2009 Freistadt (Upper Austria) to Mariazell (Styria) by E10 & E6 - 248Km.
A lovely varied undulating route between 500m and 1000m east from Freistadt. In the spring sun the meadows were full of flowers and butterflies. Stopped at Braunberg Hütte for lunch and had our first view of the snow-clad Alps looking so close away to the south but still a week's trek away. Largely dry and dusty with the occasional stream through Woods and large fields of prosperous farms. Turned south to leave the Nordwaldkammweg near the Czech border in exchange for the Austrian north-south long distance route No.5, the Nord-Süd-Weg, which will take us to the Slovene border. Series of small settlements in high wind-swept meadows. Farm animals are kept indoors here which gives the fields an empty feel. Crossed the Danube by ferry at Spitz where we saw huge trading barges as well as tourist boats. The river flows fast and deep from the Black forest to the Black Sea carrying freight both ways. It links with the canal system to the North Sea, 2000Km north, where our journey began. The next stretch south above the Danube took us through vines and apricot orchards, used to make the delicious local schnapps. A low level route now along river valleys and smaller varied field systems and woods. Pilgrim routes joined us aiming for Mariazell via Schonbühel an der Donau with its opulent basilica and ancient library. From there the valleys became deeper and the climbs steeper and we entered the alpine foothills at Plankenstein. From the alpine meadow at Hochbärneck we had a close up view of Mt Ötscher. We had planned to cross its shoulder but the snow was lying too deep (at 1500m). So we followed the river valleys around it and enjoyed spectacular close-up views of waterfalls, avalanche debris and raging snow-melt as we descended the southern slope into the pilgrim centre of Mariazell.
TENTH SECTION 8 to 24 SEPTEMBER 2009 Mariazell (Styria) to Eibiswald (Styria) by E6 - 269Km.
Left Mariazell in early morning mist as busses lined up to take home the pilgrims from celebrating the birth of Virgin Mary, past the rich Basilika and tasteless trinket stalls into the mountains with views back to Mt Ötscher. Lovely meadows and cows with bells. Drinks at an isolated almhouse in the warm sun. Gentle slopes to 1400m. Steep climb through thick woods and meadows to Hohe Veitsch 1983m and Graf Meran Haus - dark. warm and crowded with pilgrims to Mariazell - for lunch. Spent night at Goeriacher Alm and washing in the meadow then down through woods to Seewiesen before climbing to Hochswab (2100m) via Voistalerhuette. Thick mist at the top where we found a totally new scandinavian style Schiestlhaus - quite different from any other huette. The clouds parted and we had great views of the mountains on the long saddle and descent past limestone sink holes full of snow to Sonnschienhuette set in wide meadows. Saw black salamanders. Rough walking past huge cross commemmorating 20th pilgrimage from Trofaiach to Mariazell. Steep descents through meadows and slippery woods through passes into a succession of valleys to reach Präbichl where the warm sunny weather turned to rain. Opted for the valley route around Reichenstein to Gai via an ancient fortified church at St Laurenti to Gai set in rich pastureland then over the ridge to Leoben with wild apples, blackberries and plums along the way. To our surprise Leoben is supported by a huge steel works and has a lovely old centre. Steep short climb to Hans-Prosl-Haus auf der Mugl. Overnight the weather deteriorated and we set off for the long 29Km stretch to Gleinalm in light rain. This was a really tough stretch gaining and losing 1500m in the day. No views as the clouds were so low and it rained haevily for the last two hours. Shock, horror the guesthouse owner was drunk and alseep and had locked the doors, though the windows were open and lights on. Had to sleep in the emergency shelter - well-done Austrian Alpine Club, you saved us. One of our trekkers recalls this drama in the following poem: NIGHT WALKING. On across moorland ridges to Gaberl and Pack through slowly clearing weather and lovely views. Lovely wild and dead woods full of fungi - little sign of them being eaten in this area - to 1600m and rocky outcrops in moorland to the pass at weinebene. Then a steep climb to Gr Speikkogel at 2000m and a slow descent to Schwanbereger Brendlhuette set beautifully in meadows. Down through woods to pretty Eibiswald at the end of the Austrian north-south No.5 route before climbing to the Radlpass and Slovenia.
DISTANCE IN AUSTRIA – 549Km = 343 miles
DISTANCE FROM NORTH SEA – 2492Km = 1557 miles
