FROM WOLFGANGSEE TO HALSTATTSEE⁸

3 buses and we are there

29.07.2019 33 °C

The second heatwave of the summer was hitting Europe. We were expecting the third day of 33 degree temperatures. As we had quite a complex set of bus connections we were concerned to get away as early as possible. The best bus to start was 10.15am from the bus stop at the Michael Pacher haus just at the edge of the East tunnel. It cost 11 euros for both of us on bus No. 150 from St Wolfgang to Bad Ishcl. The bus followed the lake (as too did a bike path) to the Strobl turnoff and then turned inland to service mountain villages along the way. The vast meadow land was lush green. Some farmers were out working their fenceless properties. We noted the huge stone and timber barns which would house their cattle throughout the winter. There was a notable absence of cattle.

Bad Ishcl was only 15 kms away from St Wolfgang and is a transport hub of the area. It was a former Roman town and the main park in front of the Town Hall has a large statute of Caesar. We were caught by surprise by the increase in the volume of traffic. We have gotten use to sleepy little villages. The bus pulled up at the train station and we took the opportunity to buy our train tickets for next Tuesday from Salzburg to Vienna (120 euros on an express Railjet train). We just had time to do this before bus No 542 pulled up at 11.05 am and we were on our way to Goisemuhl. The bus headed down the cute little main street of Bad Ischl with multi coloured flags strewn across it. Only 10 minutes up the road we had to change buses again to No 543 to our final destination of Hallstatt, noted to be the prettiest village in Austria. This part of the journey cost 12 euros for both of us. The road was dwarfed by massive grey streaked mountain peaks and we were deep in the valley.

We had lunch on the Hallstatt Lahn stop. As this is a popular viewing point of the lake we were joined by hundreds of mainly Asian visitors on tour buses. Unfortunately for them they didn't have time to walk into the main part of town, only a half hour photo opportunity.

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We walked across the main road and 200m up the laneway to the Bergfried B&B which is situated right underneath the Salt mountain of Hallstatt. Our room doesn't have a view of the lake but is near the cable car which runs up to the top of the mountain. We escaped the heat in the afternoon by having a well earned 'nap' and then when the sun had gone down and the tourist buses had gone home we walked into the main street which from north to south is just over a kilometre long to do a self guided walk.

You can be fooled to think there is not much to do in a tiny, tiny village like this but after reading up about it I realise that would be false and even with 4 days here we will have to prioritise what we do, particularly as Phil is not up for much incline walking.

However let me take you on a tour of Hallstatt as. much as I know it. I will add a brief bit of history that I have read as I found it very interesting and makes this place unique. From the moment you stand at the Lahn ferry station Hallstatt looks like an alpine village in a story book. Dozens of white swans swim along the lakeside edge. They were actually imported during the 1860's when the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Sisi started to visit on annual retreats here. Sisi, like me - had a borderline obsession with white swans. As too her cousin Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria (he was the one who had the Neuschwanstein built - the castle graphic that Disney uses) - it means New Stone Swan Castle after his beloved birds. The people here also have made giant swan pedaloes to engage tourists in this theme.

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Along the road which was built around 1869, tightly stacked dark timber houses cling to the cliffside of the Salt Mountain. The houses are built like that not only because of the lack of space but more residents have access to the lake.

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A great many of the timber houses were burnt out in the fire of 1750 and coloured stone buildings were built in their place. The timber houses are the oldest and the most authentic.

Keep walking passed numerous tourist souvenir stalls and knick knack shops and you will come to the flat boat station. These boats which in former times were used to take refined salt to trade further along the Inn River where it was transferred to other boats on the Rhine. Today they take tourists over the lake to Obertraun another village on the other side of the lake (10 euros) or on a round trip around the Hallstattsee for photo opportunities (12 euros for 50 minute round trip.)

Hallstatt has a remarkable history and was here before Rome was found. In fact since some excavations in 1990 under the Juno Sports shop they found archeological finds dating back to the Stone Age, such as pieces of ceramics, coins and jewellery, plus part of a Roman thermal pool and the outer wall of the Habsburg castle. This has excavation has been secured by volunteers who have labelled everything and is open to the public to freely walk down the stairs to inspect.

The Braugasthof restaurant was first documented in 1472 originally served as a salt manufacturing centre where salt brine from the mine up the hill was turned into pure salt. There is a shop completely dedicated to all things 'salt' as well.

The lane narrows with some coloured stone buildings. This indicates thet were reconstructed by the fire in the bakery when the baker's wife didn't take the necessary precautions with her fire and 36 houses were burnt down. Fortunately the residents were compensated and their houses rebuilt quickily.

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The Markt Square looks like it has just jumped off a postcard. One of the brewery shops is there selling local beer. It was Maximillan I, who originally granted the village the right to brew beer.

The Salt shop sells all things salt.

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Continuing upward you pass the Catholic church, many coloured stone houses with their espaliered apricotctrees til you reach the next vantage point to photograph the Lutheran church from the other end of the village.

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