A new line-up of the Hundereise team heads off on their first shared short break together. Bound for a cabin up on the Präbichl are Murphy, Atlas, Tiago and Neroli. Yes, the newest addition to Martina's pack is named after the essential oil of the bitter orange blossom. The male Galgo is white — as white as the flowers of the bitter orange tree.
At 1,200 m above sea level — a cabin on the Präbichl.
Martina, my mum and I get to accompany the 4 boys to Upper Styria. Since we don't (yet) have a minivan, we travel in 2 cars. It takes us roughly an hour and forty-five minutes to drive from Baden to our cabin on the high plateau of the Präbichl.
We discovered the Almdorf Präbichl through Hüttenland — a handy platform for filtering and finding the cabin of your choice. The whole process was straightforward and uncomplicated, just like our contact with the landlord Mario.
Arriving at our home for the next few days, we first do a thorough inspection of the new "base". We're delighted: everything you could wish for is here! Already on the ground floor we find a small kitchen with all the essentials (including a bean-to-cup coffee machine), a cosy wooden seating nook beside it, 2 bedrooms with double beds, and a perfectly functional bathroom. Upstairs there are 2 more bedrooms with single beds and a separate toilet.
The view of the Eisenerzer Reichenstein from our charming little terrace promises a wonderful surrounding area.
A short hike up the Eisenerzer Reichenstein.
After a first walk around the large car park in front of the cabins, we unpack and sit down for lunch. The waffles made from the batter we brought along are ready in no time and are enjoyed with great relish.
A quick rest and off we go. The 7 of us spontaneously decide to simply explore the mountain right on our doorstep. We hike partly along forest tracks, partly climbing up green ski runs to take in the views. A woodland path leads us back towards the cabin. Unfortunately, Mum injures herself on the last stretch and has to rest her leg for the remainder of the weekend. That was definitely not the plan!
The Grüner See.
We spend the slightly rainy morning with Mum in the cabin before heading off to the Grüner See later on. I've been wanting to visit this natural gem for a long time, as so many people rave about it. Martina, our 4 furry companions and I are not disappointed. Even though the sun isn't on our side, the lake shows off all its colours and fully lives up to its name.
The GREEN of the lake and the lush, diverse flora all around, with the imposing grey Pribitz in the background, have a calming, almost magical effect. We almost feel the urge to whisper so as not to disturb anyone in this nature reserve. Even Murphy and Neroli keep quiet when other dogs pass by, even though they usually love to make themselves heard in other situations ;)
Facts about the loop around the Grüner See
- Trail length: 1.3 km
- Duration (without sniffing dogs and photographing companions): 30 minutes
- Lowest point: 768 m
- Highest point: 791 m
- Dogs must be kept on a lead; swimming is prohibited
- Background information about the Grüner See on Wikipedia
- Current photos of the water level and further information can be found here
We park in the car park and therefore walk an extra 1.6 km on top. We spend just under two hours out and about with the pooches. At the Gasthof "Grüner See" we treat ourselves to a little something to eat before heading back to Mum at the home base.
Off to the Leopoldsteiner See!
The next day the sun wakes us gently, and after a leisurely shared breakfast, Martina and I set off with the boys towards the Leopoldsteiner See. Past the imposing Erzberg, through the town of Eisenerz, and after 15 minutes we reach our destination.
We park in the upper car park, sort out the tangle of leads and set off towards the lake. We walk clockwise past the Restaurant "Leopoldsteinersee", cross a bridge and then turn right onto the forest path running along the lake.
Shady and sunny stretches alternate as we walk; the water sparkles in every conceivable shade of green and turquoise and the landscape is simply breathtaking. The flat lakeside path on this shore ends at a small bridge. Our 4 furry friends and we two-legged types bravely cross to the other side to reach the generous, white beach. At the eastern end of the lake, the Hundereise team takes a well-earned break!
After a leisurely break — cooling our feet in the water, soaking up the sun and chewing on a Stocker'l — we head on at a relaxed pace. We pass the Seestüberl and stroll back to the car park along the lakeside road. The views of the Leopoldsteiner See are so lovely that the whole circuit takes us just over 2 hours, breaks included.
Facts about the Leopoldsteiner See
- Trail length: 3.9 km
- Duration (without sniffing dogs and photo-happy travel companions): 1.5 hours
- Altitude: 600 m
- Longest point: 1,400 m
- Widest point: 370 m
- Deepest point: 31 m
- It takes its name from the nearby Leopoldstein Castle
- Dogs must be kept on a lead
Where is Radmer?
We spend a holiday-worthy lunch break with Mama at the cabin. Flammkuchen and waffles — nobody's saying no to that. After a little nap and a "Kaffetschi", the Hundereise team sets off to explore Radmer and its Habsburgmeile.
Radmer nestles in the Radmertal valley, tucked between the three mountains Lugauer, Kaiserschild and Zeiritzkampel. The municipality belongs to the district of Leoben in the Hochsteiermark. Population (Jan. 2017): 571.
We park at the pilgrimage church "Zum heiligen Antonius von Padua" and set off past a few charming houses. At the Weißenbachblick we stop for a quick photo break before joining the Elisabethsteig. The lovely forest path leads up to the Hofjagden, where we find a viewing platform offering a spectacular panorama over the valley. We take it all in before continuing on to the Elisabethruhe.
We walk a little further than the circular route would take us, but when it starts to drizzle we turn back. The changeable weather has caught up with us — we shelter under a huge tree at the level of the hunting lodge and pass the time with a biscuit break.
The rain doesn't let up, and the Galgos look less and less impressed with every passing minute. So we retrace our steps back through the forest and trot back to the car. I've rarely seen Tiago!, Atlas, Neroli and Murphy leap into a car quite so fast! Martina cranks up the heating and we head to our final evening in the cosy wooden cabin at Präbichl.
Summary
The cabin, the people and the landscape are absolutely dreamy — Mama's injury did cast a slight shadow over things, but that's no fault of the Erlebnis-Region Eisenerz, which is most definitely worth a Hundereise!
