Hallstatt

We had a great hike today. We left the hotel at 8:30 to walk over to the bus station to take the bus to Hallstatt. It doesn't go directly but the change to another bus was easy. The bus goes down one side of the lake and through a couple of tunnels before we arrived at the small town of Hallstatt, a UNESCO world heritage site. Designated because of the people who lived there between 400 - 800 BC and their 5000 graves on the site. Hallstatt has been a town since before Roman times. Because of its status, bus loads of tourists arrive every hour I am sure. We were the only ones on the public bus but once we arrived the place was crowded. Think of Banff or Mount St Michel in France.

We had already decided we would not go on the salt mine tour at the top of the funicular, mainly because of the cost. We did go up the funicular so we could check out the view of the lake and Hallstatt town from above. 

We had coffee at the Rodolfsturm House which use to be the home of the chief of the mining company. Now there is a lovely bridge to get to the restaurant from the funicular station instead of the old stairs.

View of Hallstatt Lake from the top. 

After we came back down the funicular we wandered through the old part of the town before making our way to the little ferry over to the other side of the lake. The town is very touristy and even though it has great views and neat houses, we could hardly wait to get over to the other side and start our hike back towards Bad Ischl. 

Note waterfall above the houses. 

There were lots of people on the ferry but they just walked up the path to the train station and waited for the train. We walked from the train station to a path right along the edge of the lake. At the beginning, the path was a suspended walkway covered in a rubber pad. Really quite comfortable for hiking. 

Then a suspension bridge - underneath the railway bridge

The trail turned into a gravelly path for the next 3km to a gasthof. It is at the end of a paved path coming in the opposite direction and so seems popular with cyclists. We stopped there for a cold drink but were carrying our own picnic lunch so carried on after using their facilities and having our drinks.

Great views in all directions.

Our lunch stop, a picnic table right at water's edge.

After the end of the lake we walked through a few towns: Au (pronounced ow as in ouch) where we stopped for a caffeine break, hot chocolate for me, coke for Wendy,) Gorb and finally to Bad Goisern where we caught the train back to Bad Ischl, 3 stops, then walk back to our room. 6pm, 12 km but felt like a long day. Moving on tomorrow.

Was very excited to finish a blog and have it ready to upload the same day but then the Internet would not work with this iPad. It was sketchy in the room the whole time we have been in this hotel. So now you will be getting this a day later.