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Austria

Ten Lakes Tour

Self-Guided Leisure Cycling Holiday

Grade

1
2
3
4
5

Duration

8 days

Prices from

£930 P.P.
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This cycling holiday in Austria takes place in the foothills of the Alps.
 
The soft countryside around Salzburg provided the inspiration for the classic film The Sound of Music, and what could be more enjoyable than biking along the shoreline paths of clear lakes in such wonderfully unspoilt countryside?
 
Our trip explores the region of Salzkammergut and the Trumer Lakes and you'll be cycling through emerald green pastures and mighty forests, with the dramatic backdrop of Alpine peaks.
 
The beautiful, cultural city of Salzburg, Mozart's home town, is your start and finish point for this cycling holiday. The route takes you through the ‘Silent Night’ town of Oberndorf and the Austrian Emperor's summer residence in Bad Ischl. The region's historical wealth comes from its salt mines and trading, this is reflected in the picture postcard towns and villages on the lakes through which you'll pass.
 
This gentle to moderate route follows mainly dedicated cycle paths, lakeside routes and country lanes. There are some short climbs, a train ride, and even a short section on foot whilst your bike is transferred to the top of the hill; this provides a stunning downhill ride through a picturesque gorge back to Salzburg.
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Holiday Highlights

  • Starting and finishing in the beautiful and cultural Salzburg
  • Oberndorf – the home of the Silent Night memorial chapel
  • Staying overnight where the ‘The Sound of Music’ wedding scene was filmed
  • The turquoise-green Lake Attersee
  • The panoramic view from Schafberg over Lake Wolfgangsee
  • Hellbrunn’s fabulous gardens, with its elaborate trick fountain

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This was the best holiday I’ve ever had! Saddle Skedaddle were just a phone call away when we had some trouble with directions. The best part was biking through the gorgeous countryside of Austria.

Julie, USA

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival in Salzburg
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Depending on your arrival time into Salzburg you may have time take a look around and explore the winding streets of the old part of town before returning to your hotel to meet your local representative.

You will be fitted to your rental bikes, should you be renting, and you will have the chance to discuss your upcoming ride, as well as receiving all your route notes and maps for the week ahead.

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Day 2
Salzburg to Trumer Seen Lakes / Lake Wallersee
28 - 34 Miles / 45 - 55 Kms
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  • Meals: Breakfast

You’ll begin today’s ride by following the river Salzach to Oberndorf, home to the memorial chapel where Silent Night was first performed. In Arnsdorf, your next port of call, you can learn more about the carol and its composer in the Silent Night Museum, which explores the area’s connection with the song.

Further along the route you’ll come across the striking Benedictine Michaelbeuern Abbey which may have been founded as far back as the 8th century. You spend the night in the picturesque Trumer Lakes area or on Lake Wallersee.

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Day 3
Trumer Seen Lakes / Lake Wallersee to Lake Mondsee
31 Miles / 50 Kms
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  • Meals: Breakfast

Today’s ride begins by winding through the nature reserve and network of small lakes of Egelseen to Schleedorf, a village which showcases traditional local crafts, and onwards to Lake Irrsee.

You’ll continue riding towards Mondsee, home to a striking Monastery which encompasses the church where the wedding scene from The Sound of Music was filmed. Even without this claim to fame the church is well worth a visit due to its beautiful interior.

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Day 4
Lake Mondsee to Lake Traunsee
31 - 50 Miles / 50 - 80 Kms
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  • Meals: Breakfast

We hope you packed your sea legs, as today you’ll cross Lake Attersee by boat to reach Weyregg, where a wide range of activities are accessible, from golf to paragliding. (Please note, tickets for the boat are only included if you‘re travelling between 01/07 and 31/08. At other times of the year the ferry is not available and the alternative route adds 20 kms of relatively easy riding.)

You will continue on through the lovely Aurachtal valley to Gmunden, a charming town on the north shore of Lake Traunsee. Close by is Castle Orth, situated on a small island in the lake.

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Day 5
Lake Traunsee to Bad Goisern / Surrounding Area
12 - 22 Miles / 20 - 35 Kms
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  • Meals: Breakfast

The legs get a bit of a rest today as you transfer by train from Traunsee to Obertraun on Lake Hallstätter See, home to a large network of ice caves.

Following the lake shore, you’ll reach the town of Hallstatt which really is stunningly beautiful. Hallstatt is known for the Beinhaus (bone house) where the skulls of the town’s former residents are decorated and displayed as a mark of respect. The area became wealthy through the nearby salt mines and this is reflected in the houses perched delicately over the lake. From here it is a short ride to the Market town of Bad Goisern; tonight you’ll stay either in Bad Goisern or a nearby town.

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Day 6
Bad Goisern / Surrounding Area to Lake Wolfgangsee
22 Miles / 35 Kms
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  • Meals: Breakfast

Back on the bike for the short ride to Bad Ischl and the summer residence of the former emperor of the Austro-Hungarian empire Franz Joseph, who described the palace as “Heaven on Earth“.

You’ll follow the course of the river Ischler Ache to Lake Wolfgangsee and St. Wolfgang, with its cog railway, to the summit of nearby Schafberg, which you may want to visit before heading to your accommodation for the evening.

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Day 7
Lake Wolfgangsee to Salzburg
25 - 31 Miles / 40 - 50 Kms
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  • Meals: Breakfast

Today is your final day’s cycling but with the views on offer you might wish you had another week to explore!

St. Gilgen, known as the Mozart village, is today’s first port of call. The ride will take you through the picturesque Glasenbachklamm gorge, a favourite destination for locals because of its diverse geographical features.

Before returning to Salzburg a visit to Hellbrunn is worthwhile for a look around its fabulous gardens, with an elaborate trick fountain, and a final dose of Sound of Music nostalgia with locations from the film. Your final night is back in Salzburg.

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Day 8
Departure from Salzburg
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  • Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast you might have the time for a last look around Salzburg before catching your return flight home.

Please note; The distance you ride each day will be determined by the location of your hotel each night. The two options stated on some of the days are not optional shorter or longer routes, but more an indication of the distances to each of the possible accommodations. Please ensure you are comfortable with all of the distances stated above.

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The Cycling

Terrain

The majority of this easy to follow route is on mixed use cycle paths, (you’ll be riding on tarmac 85% of the time). The other 15% sees you riding on hard packed gravel / dirt tracks, along forest paths and rural roads. Only some short sections will be shared with traffic.

On the banks of the lakes and alongside the Salzach river, the routes are completely flat, but the in between sections are hilly. (A train transfer on day 5 helps with one of the more difficult climbs though!).

There are some relatively long distances, (the first ride of the week will pose the biggest challenge in terms of distance and hills) and so the route may not be suitable for inexperienced cyclists or for younger children cycling independently.

We recommend a hybrid bike for this tour.

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Leisure Cycling Grade

1
2
3
4
5
Grade 3 : Moderate

Distances generally between 20-45 miles / 32-72 kms per day

For the leisure cyclist with a good level of physical fitness

May include some steeper, cheeky climbs and possibly sections of varying terrain (eg. forest tracks, gravel paths etc)

Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!

For more information about our grading system click here.

Is this suitable for you?

Although you may not cycle everyday, you do keep yourself relatively fit and maybe enjoy an afternoon out on your bike at the weekend. Your preference is perhaps for flatter terrain but you don’t mind tackling some hills, and the occasional steep climb if you can take it at your own pace. For those happy to tackle some ups and downs, and possibly some sections of varying terrain (eg. forest tracks, gravel paths etc) we’d recommend our grade 3 trips. We’d generally expect those on a Grade 3 holiday to have a decent level of physical fitness and be comfortable with some longer days in the saddle.

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Dates & Prices

2021 and 2022 Daily departures available from 03 Apr to the 09 Oct.

Season 1 For trips starting between (and inclusive of) the 03 Apr and the 23 Apr or the 02 Oct and the 09 Oct: £930 pp.

Season 2 For trips starting between (and inclusive of) the 24 Apr and the 11 Jun or the 04 Sep and the 01 Oct: £970 pp.

Season 3 For trips starting between (and inclusive of) the 12 Jun and the 03 Sep: £1070 pp.

Choose your date
Start Date
End Date
Duration
Price p.p.
Start Date
Return Date
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Duration
8 days
Price
£930.00
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Whats Included Tick

A) Accommodation (shared twin / double en suite rooms) in 4* or good quality 3* hotels

B) Meals as per the itinerary (B-Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)

C) Local representative (with welcome meeting)

D) Detailed route notes and maps

E) Luggage transfers

F) (Day 4) Boat trip on Lake Attersee (if starting your trip between 01/07 and 31/08)

G) (Day 5) Train tickets from Lake Traunsee to Lake Hallstättersee

What's not Included Cross

A) Bike rental (available if required)

B) Flights and charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)

C) Meals not stated in the itinerary

D) Single room (available if required)

E) Travel insurance

F) Personal clothing and equipment

G) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)

H) Entrance fees to museums and other attractions en route

I) Tourist tax (to be paid locally, amount varies / couple of € per night)

J) Travel to first hotel on arrival day

K) Travel from final hotel on departure day

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The Essentials

Travel Options

We ask that you make your own way to your hotel in Salzburg on arrival and onwards from Salzburg at the end of the trip. Please aim to arrive before 17.30 if possible.

Salzburg is well connected to several European cities via rail. You can check rail options at www.raileurope.com/en-gb. From the UK, you will usually have to travel via Paris and Munich and it is around a 10 hour journey.

If you choose to drive, we can provide parking at the first night’s hotel for the duration of the trip (approx. 10 Euros per day, payable locally).

The most convenient airport is Salzburg (SZG). Ryanair, TUI and British Airways operate services in and out of Salzburg from London airports (Gatwick and Stansted). Other airlines, non-direct, and regional options may be available, please chat to our team.

It’s approx 8 Kms from Salzburg airport to the starting hotels. We recommend taking a taxi, the fare is approx. €10-€15.

Please check with Skedaddle before making any travel arrangements so we can ensure they fit in with the holiday schedule.

Accommodation

Accommodation (shared double rooms) will usually be 4 star or high quality 3 star hotels.

Please note that a twin bedded room may be a typical Austrian Twin, which comprises two mattresses and two sets of bedding in the same large bed frame; it may not be possible to separate the mattresses. If you are opting for a twin room, we will pass your request for separate beds onto the hotels, but this cannot always be guaranteed.

Bike Hire

If you don’t own a suitable bike or would prefer to avoid bringing your own we have a choice of bikes available to rent. Our standard bikes are hybrids (red photo above) with semi slick tyres and a relaxed riding position. These bikes are typically unisex frames, although frames with a cross bar are often available on request.

We also have premium hybrid bikes (black photo above) which are lighter than our standard bikes and offer a more dynamic riding position.

E-bikes are also available to rent. These are limited in availability so are on request. Please note, e-bikes will have pedal brakes as well as hand brakes.

Bikes come equipped with a saddle and handlebar bag, tool kit, puncture repair kit, cycle computer, pump and combination lock. You will need to bring along your own helmets. It is possible to bring along your own saddle or pedals, but we ask that you bring along your own tools as you will need to fit them yourselves. If you bring your own saddle, we also recommend you bring an adapter, due to differing saddle diameters.

We also have child bikes, trailers, tag-alongs and child seats available to rent if required.

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Reviews

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