From salt to brine - in the footsteps of the miners

The Traun, on its way between Totes Gebirge and Höllengebirge, flows into the Traunsee in the attractively situated town. Ebensee is closely linked to salt production; here ends the more than 400-year-old brine pipeline and the saltworks of the salt mining company is still active here today. The multi-layered and lived customs in the little town forms the basis for the cultural life. In this context a visit to the Ebensee local history museum is recommended (admission to be paid in cash on site), and the historical themed trail also starts here. You will receive your detailed travel documents at the hotel. (1 night)

From Ebensee you follow the historic brine pipeline route to the imperial city of Bad Ischl and at the same time overcome the longest stage of the journey. In the beginning, the cliffs of the Höllengebirge dominate the landscape, as the Traun River does, which is crossed several times today. Before you reach Langwies, the path leads through a piece of forest and invites you to rest and cool off with several streams. It continues on level roads and forest roads. A few kilometers before you reach the spa town, the mighty local mountain of Bad Ischl, the Katrin, comes into view. Since the middle of the 19th century, when Emperor Franz Joseph began to spend his holidays in his summer residence in Ischl, it became a holiday home of European standing. You can redeem the voucher for a souvenir in the Salzkammergut Touristik shop! (1 night)

Hiking: approx. 6-7 hours (19 km, ascent 542 m in height / descent 503 m in height)

The pretty spa town is not on a lake, but at the turquoise-green waters of the Traun, on whose esplanade today's stage begins. Past the valley station of the Katrin cable car and the bronze statue of the hunter Emperor Franz Josef, you hike along the popular hiking trail to the small town of Lauffen. The name derives from the rapids that the boatmen delivering the salt once had to overcome and asked the Madonna to protect them from misfortune. Incidentally, this is also where the comedy “Weißes Rössl” was created. Once you have left Lauffen behind you, the valley widens and the Kalmberg and then the mighty Dachstein Mountains arise one after the other. Following the hamlet of Weißenbach, the mountain panorama is particularly impressive due to the "Eternal Wall" on the left, the mighty ridge of the Hoher Sarstein and the more than 2000-meter high Krippenstein in the distance. You will now reach the former woodworkers' settlement of Bad Goisern. It extends over several kilometers to the northern end of Lake Hallstatt. The place was founded because the local rich wood deposits were needed for heating the brine boiling pans in Hallstatt. (1 night)

Hiking: approx. 3 hours (9 km, ascent 235 m in height / descent 224 m in height)

From Bad Goisern follow the brine line path to Steeg. The following section on the eastern shore of Lake Hallstatt is panoramic, the view of the Dachstein Mountains is fantastic and the route is spectacular. The flank of the Sarstein falls almost vertically into the lake and the partly on hanging bridges running path gives the impression of walking over the water. You continue hiking to Obertraun and to Hallstatt for the night. If you want to take a shortcut, you can take one of the snow-white ships of the local shipping company from Hallstatt train station to Hallstatt market and save about eight kilometers on foot (ferry to be paid on site). (1 night in Hallstatt)

Hiking: approx. 5 hours (19 km, ascent 127 m in height / descent 102 m in height)

With its shingle-roofed, picturesque, half-timbered houses and pastel facades, church towers and market square, Hallstatt nestles perfectly in the setting between the mountains and the lake. For all those who want to spend even more time in the Salzkammergut area, additional nights can be booked. One of many extension options is Hallstatt itself; you may visit the oldest salt mine in the world and enter a fascinating underground world.

Otherwise, look forward to a morning boat ride from Hallstatt market to Hallstatt station. The journey back to Ebensee on the Salzkammergut Railway is truly a special treat for railway enthusiasts, as the landscape experienced during the journey is overwhelming. (Please bring your own luggage)