From
Hallstatt, take the regular ferry over
Lake Hallstatt to the Hallstatt train station. A beautiful view of the mining village! From there, hike along the lakeshore trail to the right. The wide track leads up and down, passing behind Castle Grub. One of its owners, Christoph Eyssl, decreed in 1668 that after his death, his coffin should be rowed across the lake every 50 years – this request was honoured until into the 19th century. After a 45-minute walk, you arrive in
Obertraun (513 m).
Shortly before the village, the themed trail “Durch Kalk und Karst” forks to the left. It leads beneath the train tracks and up to the “Lichtstein”. From there, the route follows Höhenweg no. 1 to the right and then a street for a short distance. Go uphill a few steps to the left to the cemetery and then just before, take a sharp right back onto the Höhenweg path. Now the route continues for about 3 kilometres above houses and through the Sarstein forest at the foot of the 1975-metre Sarstein Massif to the street. Continue along the street to the nearby Obertraun-Koppenbrüllerhöhle train station and the bridge over the Traun River. On the other side of the bridge, make a recommended rest stop at the Gasthaus Koppenrast (531 m). 1:15 h
On the other side of the street, you will find an information sign about the trail, which leads through the narrow Koppen Valley to the impressive cliffside entrance to the Koppenbrüller Caves (tours possible, https://dachstein-salzkammergut.com). In front of the cave, go downhill to the left to the Koppentraun River, which you reach view the railway bridge and a suspension bridge for pedestrians. Continue right and through an old railway tunnel (the train tracks were moved to a higher elevation due to the risk of flooding). At the following fork, stay to the left alongside the wild, foaming waters of the Koppentraun and passing a chapel, arrive at the state border to Styria. After the hospitable Koppental Hut, you pass a large avalanche protection dam, which indicates how dangerous this area can be in winter. Shortly afterwards, you reach the north side of the valley via another suspension bridge. The trail then ascends in several hairpin turns to a forest road. To the right you reach – finally on asphalt – the scattered houses of the Sarstein community (707 m). At the forks near the Sarsteinrast cider tavern, stay on Sarsteinstraße, which leads across a meadow to Sommersbergseestraße. Go left, pass the Hotel Wasnerin and then turn right onto the Roseggerweg path, which soon becomes gravelled. There you can enjoy the fantastic view – from the Totes Gebirge Mountains to the fortress-like Loser and the Trisselwand Mountain and over the Hohe Sarstein to the Hallstatt Glacier on the Hohe Dachstein. After a barn, turn right at the trail marker “Bad Aussee” and come to the carpark at the Narzissen Bad spa. Go past the adjacent hotel and then turn right onto a meadow path to the Teichwirt (permanently closed). Continue on Teichstraße and on Wilhelm-Kienzl-Straße on the left to the normally busy Pötschenpass-Straße, which is crossed near the ÖAMTC. Continue briefly on Marktleitenstraße. After the Red Cross, turn left (trail marker “Bad Aussee”) onto a stairway path, which winds downhill into the valley of the Altausseer Traun. At the bottom, head right on Rudolfstraße, pass the Parkschlössl castle and go along the Elisabeth Promenade to a bridge. Go left over the bridge to arrive in the nearby centre of Bad Aussee (659 m). The tourism office is to the right in the post office building. 3:00 h