A unique adventure- a ride along the Enns Cycle Path
From the Radstädter Tauern to the Danube
The youngest of Austria's great river routes - the Enns Cycle Path - boasts some of the most beautiful countryside of all our region's bike paths. Nature-lovers rave over this route, which passes through the three Austrian provinces of Salzburg, Styria and Upper Austria, and their five tourism regions (Salzburger Sportwelt, Dachstein-Tauern, Grimming Mountain Region, Gesäuse Nature Region and the Kalkalpen National Park). Imposing mountain personalities, wild and romantic valleys, rushing wildwater streams, idyllic villages and the historic towns serve as milestones through the impressive alpine landscapes and unique natural scenery between the Dachstein and Niedere Tauern, Salzkammergut, Gesäuse und Reichraminger Hintergebirge.
A unique journey of adventure....
With a series of challenging climbs along the way, this hilly tour presents interesting challanges for every cyclist. Those looking to push their sporting limits, will want to embark on any one of a number of attractive detours int the picturesque side valleys. Along the way, friendly, high-quality inns serve up nutritious Styrian specialities that are guarenteed to keep bikers in high gear. It goes without saying, that secure bike garages are always available; and those inside tips for other beautiful, fascinating excursions, are yet another aspect of your host's genuine hospitality. And if you still haven't had your fill of beautifulcountryside, the Enns Cycle Path also intersects with a number of other bike trals, including the Danube Bike Path, the most famous in all of Europe, and the Mur Cycle Path, taking bikers all the way to Radkersburg in Southern Styria.
Through a world of mountains and water
The Enns Cycle Path starts out at an elevation of 1,200 metres above sea level, in Salzburg'S Flachau-Winkel at the foot of the Niedere Tauern mountains. The impressive alpine world, romantic swimming lakes and the Enns River itself, which, at least initially, flows gently on its way, are the features of this first stage. The subsequent contrasts between the rugged and airy Dachstein Massif to the left, and the dark, crystalline rock faces of the Niedere Tauern to the right, are particularly apealing. Now via Altenmarkt and Radstadt, bikers make their way to the small medieval mountain town of Schladming, the cycling "hub" of the Dachstien-Tauern region. Initially quite narrow, the bike path becomes visibly broader. passing the imposing Grimming, the route leads via romantic Trautenfels Castle to Benedictine Admont Abbey at the entrance to the "Gesäuse" - the most spectacular stretch of the Enns River. Here, the river cuts its thunderous way through the Gesäuse National Park.
An especially attractive alternate route - from Admont to Hieflau, Altenmarkt and Weyer-Reichraming, takes cyclists over the Buchauer Sattel, through the less rugged and thus more heavily forested Reichraminger Hintergebirge - an area of untamed romance. When in St. Gallen, you should definitely set some time aside for a visit to the water park!
Between Altenmarkt and Grossraming, a side trip into the Kalkalpen National Park is a definite enticement - a route with little traffic and landscapes that are quite magical. Between the enchanting old trading community of Steyr and the oldest town in Upper Austria, Enns, the broad and stately river forms the border between Upper and Lower Austria.
Source: www.ennsradweg.at
