St Wolfgang to Schafberg - Austria 3 Sept 2009

St Wolfgang to Schafberg and return
Austria
Thursday 3 September 2009

Following my walk alone the previous week in Fuschl I now had an opportunity to go on my own again in St Wolfgang.  Leaving my wife who planned a trip across the lake on the steamer Franz Josef to St Gilgen.  I left the hotel and walked past the cog and wheel station to start walking up the Schafberg.

It was a bright, sunny and clear day.  After passing the cog and wheel station you cross the line and travel through the streets on the edge of town.  The route was easy to follow, just like last week you followed the numbered yellow signs and you start climbing straight away.  After the houses the path leads you up through woodland, climbing, crossing streams and following small rivers.  Looking behind you could see Lake Wolfgang falling behind.

Looking back at Lake Wolfgang

Monichsee

Near Monichsee the path splits and it was a little difficult to see one path however the other was clearly marked.

It took you behind the Schafberg on the east side, and left the trees behind.  You were now out in the open walking along thin steep gravel paths climbing on the side of the hill, sometimes scrambling but still climbing in sunshine and feeling the heat.

East side of Schafberg

As you travel around to the northern side you could see across to the hills to near Fuschl and Mondsee.  

Then further round the track it moved into shadow,  it was also getting cooler.  The path brings you face to face to a steep cliff rising up to the front, not for the first time I thought to myself I had made a mistake coming this route.

I could see another walker well ahead of me and as I turned the corner he was out of sight.  I headed round the track toward the cliff and there he was just in front of me, struggling up the path.  I had no need to worry the path up the cliff although it had a metal cable fastened to the side it and steep was a good path to walk up.  At the top I caught up with the other walker under the arch.  We used each others cameras to take each others photos showing we were at the top.

Stepping through the arch it was like stepping into a different world.  After the shadow of the Schafberg I was now out into the open sunshine where it was full of people with children screaming and running about.  People who had travelled up on the cog and wheel.  After a quick drink of water I headed down hill on the path that travelled part of the way down next to the cog and wheel track. Then moves away from the cog and wheel travelling down.

Looking back up the cog and wheel track

The path then moved steeply down hill in brilliant bright sunlight, it was a relief when the path took me down into the deep shade of the trees.  Finally it came back towards the cog and wheel track before turning back to my start.  It was a long walk and took me longer than I thought but it was good, really good.

More to follow


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Austria or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to another walk in this part of Austria Fuschl am See
Follow link to my next walk in Austria Kitzbuhel