BergeSeen Trail 02: Windlegern/Hochsteinalm - Steinbach
4810 Gmunden
Varied hike on forest roads and woodland paths.
Recommended season:
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- Multi-stage route
- Scenic
- Refreshment stops available
The second stage of the Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail is dominated by the Höllengebirge. The route leads directly below the rocky northern cliffs of this mighty mountain range, about 17 km long and rising up to 1,862 m. Along the way, you will pass by three enchanting, but very different scenic mountain lakes and finally arrive at the eastern shore of the largest of all Salzkammergut waters: the 19.7 km long Attersee.
Directions:From the alpine guesthouse Windlegern (816 m), walk along a road southwards to a chapel and the edge of the forest, then ascend to the left to a forest road, which you follow left for about 1 km until you reach a signpost. Turn right towards “Kreh, Langbathsee” onto hiking trail no. 839. This leads over a forest saddle and then winds down steep forest slopes into the Langbath valley. Through a side ditch, you reach the former guesthouse In der Kreh (647 m). 1:00 h. At the Kreh parking lot, cross the road. The path branching off there leads over a bridge crossing the Langbathbach and past a small house to a nearby forest road. Follow this about 2 km right into the wooded Langbath valley until you come to the Kaltenbach where you turn right back onto the street. Left leads to the nearby parking lot at the front Langbathsee (664 m), in which the Brunnkogel and the rock walls of the Spielberg are reflected.
Now head right to the Langbathsee-Stüberl, along the lake road on the north shore and then continue through the flat forest valley to the rear Langbathsee. From the lake, go back a short distance, then turn left onto a path leading you to a forest road. Now either continue on the road or on the path (trail no. 13) uphill to the Lueg saddle (830 m).
There stay left on the forest road which continues to ascend. At the next junction, turn right onto the main route uphill. At the next fork, turn left to soon cross the saddle (875 m) between the wooded hill of the Hohe Lueg and the 1,538 m high rocky rear Spielberg. Behind it the road ends and you continue on the Jägersteig. This marked forest path leads steeply downhill in places until you reach another forest road in the Mudelgraben. This leads down to the Großalm road, where you go a few steps left to the Taferlklause (780 m). Behind the bridge is the small, romantic Taferlklaussee, which was once created for timber rafting at the foot of the Höllengebirge. 3:00 h
From the parking lot right beside the bridge, walk left to a rest area by the lake (wooden hut), to a nearby ski slope and right next to it up to the parking lot of the Hochlecken ski lifts. Left across the area to the (summer-closed) lift hut and a little further to the upper ski lift, behind which the signposted Valerieweg branches off left. This historic path, named in honor of the daughter of Empress Elisabeth, leads without major elevation changes under the Höllengebirge towards Weißenbach am Attersee. Originally, only foresters were allowed to use it to supervise their timber workers.
You now follow this route about 2 km through forest slopes and over some debris fields until you reach the Hochleckenhaus hut path below the Adlerspitzen. Continue straight on the Valerieweg towards “Forstamt, Weißenbach.” Now follows the most beautiful section of this path, which finally merges above the Auboden hunting hut (831 m) into path no. 822 (“Stieg”). Turn right downhill to a forest road crossing and follow it a few meters left. Then turn right following the sign “Steinbach” and walk through forest down to the upper houses. There you reach a road leading through the hamlet Kaisigen to Steinbach am Attersee (509 m), the ÖAV mountaineering village in the Attersee-Traunsee Nature Park.
Tourist office in the community house (Steinbach no. 5) right of Großalmstraße, opposite the parish church, bus stop and ship landing stage down at the lake. 3:00 h
Tip:The second stage of the Salzkammergut BergeSeen Trail is entirely under the spell of the Höllengebirge Mountains. The route leads directly underneath the rocky northern precipices of this mighty mountain range, which is approximately 17 kilometres long and up to 1862 metres high. During the journey, you will pass three magical, but scenically quite different, mountain lakes and finally reach the eastern shore of the largest of all of the Salzkammergut waters: the 19.7-kilometre-long Lake Attersee.
Safety guidelines:- In alpine terrain, be aware of the danger of falling rocks.
- Until early summer, you may encounter steep snowfields or firn gullies there – especially when icy, there is acute risk of falling and thus danger to life!
- Due to storm damage, forestry work or construction measures, some sections of the path may be temporarily difficult or impossible to pass.
- Cows on the alp are often curious. Because of mother cow husbandry, they develop a strong drive to protect their calves. So move calmly on cow pastures, keep at least 20 m distance from the animals and never pet calves! In case of threatening gestures (scraping, stamping), slowly step backwards (do not turn your back). Dogs must be on a leash; they must not bark at or chase cows. In case of an attack, the dog must be released from the leash.
For all stages, you need hiking or mountain shoes with profiled rubber soles as well as windproof and waterproof clothing.
Spare clothes for changing and a small first aid kit should also be in your backpack. How much provision you pack depends on the number of places to stop for refreshments. In any case, you should take enough to drink. Telescopic poles are especially helpful when going downhill.
Additional information:With kind permission of the text provided by the KOMPASS publishing house and Wolfgang Heitzmann.
Further information at trail.salzkammergut.at
Paths covering:
further information:
- Multi-day tour
- Board possible
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
Please get in touch for more information.
Toscanapark 1
4810 Gmunden
Phone +43 7612 74451
E-Mail info@traunsee-almtal.at
Web traunsee-almtal.salzkammergut.at/
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1. The tours presented for hiking, walking, biking and road biking, mountain biking, motorbiking, horseback riding, climbing, cross-country skiing, and going on skiing and snowshoe tours etc. are to be considered non-paid tour recommendations and only serve as non-binding information. We have no intention of concluding a contract with the users of this website. The utilisation of the data does not lead to the establishment of a contract with us.
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We recommend that you conclude an accident and liability insurance policy. Use an onboard computer that displays the respective kilometres travelled per day and is calibrated for the front wheel.
4.Special for mountain bikers – Fair-play rules:
Mountain biking is one of the most wonderful outdoor leisure-time activities. Whilst biking or on a mountain biking tour, mountains and lakes, meadows and cabins are re-discovered in new ways. A couple of rules for fair play in the forest help to avoid conflicts whilst mountain biking.
a.Pedestrians have the right of way: We are accommodating and friendly to pedestrians and hikers. Upon encountering these fellow travellers, we alert them by using the bicycle bell and slowly overtake them. We avoid paths with heavy pedestrian traffic altogether. Take nature into account: We do not leave refuse behind.
b.The braking distance should be half of the total distance visible: We ride at a controlled pace, are ready to brake and maintain a braking distance half as long as the total distance visible, especially in curves, because we always have to count on obstacles on the path. Damage to the path, stones, branches, wood piles, grazing livestock, cattle grids, barriers, tractor-type forestry machines and authorised vehicles pose dangers that we need to be ready for.
c.Don’t drink and drive!: Do not drink alcohol when mountain biking. Take care at stop-off points (dealing with bike racks, dirty shoes or clothing).
It is obligatory to provide first aid!
d.Marked routes, closed paths and blockades: Keep to the marked routes, observe the blockades and accept that these roads are primarily for agricultural and forestry use!
Blockades can often not be avoided and are in your own interest. Biking beyond the intended path and outside of opening times is punishable and turns us into illegal bikers.
e.We are guests in the forest and behave accordingly, including vis-à-vis forestry and hunting staff. Whilst mountain biking, mobile telephones and music players are forbidden! Biking requires your full attention.
f.Avoid unnecessary noise. Out of consideration to the animals living in the wild, we only bike during full daylight. As a principle, we always wear our helmet (even when riding uphill)! Don’t forget emergency supplies: We always have a repair set and bandages along.
g.Don’t overestimate your skills: We should not overdo it when it comes to biking technique and physical fitness. Take the level of difficulty posed by the route into consideration and make a precise estimate of your experience and skills as a biker (braking, bell, lights)!
h.Close gates: We approach grazing livestock at a walking pace and close every gate behind us. We should avoid causing escape and panic reactions in the animals. Nothing stands in the way of the fun and athletic challenge in the mountains and forests!
i.Traffic rules: The general traffic rules (StVO) apply for all the mountain biking routes and we adhere to them. Our bike therefore needs to be in perfect technical condition and equipped in line with the traffic rules, including brakes, a bell and lights. We inspect and service our mountain bikes regularly anyway.
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