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Last week, my favourite person, Murphy, Archy and I visited the Almtal. In Grünau, we found accommodation from Thursday to Sunday, even though we had only decided on this little getaway on Monday.
My favourite person has a knack for beautiful places, and so we were able to fully enjoy our few days off. Honestly, this natural gem wasn't even on my radar, but I'm so glad my darling always keeps his eyes open.
And now let yourselves be enchanted!
Arrival and Accommodation in the Almtal
We decided on this trip at very short notice, which isn't usually the case for us at all. That made the search a bit tricky. We had our eye on the JUFA Hotel and the Forellenhof Wieselmühle, but both were fully booked for the dates we wanted. As luck would have it, we stumbled upon Pension Grünauhof, which, in hindsight, was absolutely perfect for us.
The drive on that super muggy Thursday barely felt hot at all in our air-conditioned car, and after just under 2½ hours we arrived at our destination. We were pleasantly surprised by a spacious room with a corner balcony accessible through 2 doors. The two doors allowed for perfect cross-ventilation and were worth their weight in gold on those warm nights.
The renovated bathroom met every requirement, and we used the generous seating area with its table for our camera equipment and the like. We could watch the TV from the seating area or, swivelled out, from the very comfortable bed too. The two-seater sofa we barely used — more as a clothes rack ;)
Breakfast was included in the price and had everything you need for a great start to the day. Since the terrace of the guesthouse was so wonderfully cosy, we decided to be "lazy" this weekend and take dinner on-site as well. We just had to let them know at breakfast.
Dog-Friendliness at Pension Grünauhof
On the topic of dog-friendliness, I'm happy to say that we never received any disapproving looks when the rascals Murphy & Archy made themselves heard rather loudly. The peace and quiet of the Almtal was occasionally disrupted by our two self-appointed caretakers :)
On the topic of peace and quiet, I don't want to leave out the fact that the train into the Almtal announces its approach with a whistle signal whenever it crosses a level crossing. Worth mentioning for anyone seeking 100% absolute silence ;)
One big plus point for me was that we only had to turn the corner (4 minutes on foot) and could walk directly along the Alm (river). Morning and evening dog walks were guaranteed — shaded and cool!
The Alm → the River
Arrived, unpacked and off we go! Turn left at the guesthouse and head straight ahead — and we find ourselves right at the VERY refreshing, crystal-clear water. Gravel banks with white pebbles and stones of all sizes appear here and there. But a little further upstream we discover a small sandy beach. The muggy heat doesn't leave me deliberating for long: shoes off and into the water! Wow, it's cold. But it feels wonderful.
Murphy and Archy follow my lead and cool their paws first. After the cool-down, we head towards Grünau village. The shaded gravel path runs flat alongside the Alm and we barely break a sweat. If we do, there are plenty of opportunities to cool off again. Bridges also let you switch banks whenever you feel like it.
Food & Drink
D'Einkehr is the traditional inn by the River Alm, where we would have loved to stop in. Unfortunately, the sign on the board indicated that Thursday was their day off. So after the walk we simply grabbed something from the local supermarket. Now, doing some research, I've actually found out that Monday and Tuesday are the days off. What a shame…
A little further upstream, near the village centre, we find another large gravel bank with shade from the surrounding trees. There I change into my bikini and throw myself completely into the water — which, surprisingly, is easier than standing in it with just my feet for longer. Because those start to sting pretty quickly in the brisk 14° Celsius. Essentially a free Kneipp treatment.
The refreshment is great fun. For me at least — Archy and Murphy feel safer when I'm back on dry land ;) Luckily neither of them is too bold and they stay close to the bank, as the current is very strong in certain spots. My favourite man finds the Alm too cold for his liking. Cooling down his legs and face is quite enough for him.
Interesting Facts About the Alm
- The Alm has its source in the Almsee, flows northward and joins the Traun after 48 km.
- The mountain river carries relatively cold water even in summer — approximately 14° – 15° Celsius.
- The name "Alm" derives from Indo-European and roughly means "clear water."
- For long-distance hikers, there is a 58 km trail called "Genuss am Almfluss" from Bad Wimsbach-Neydharting to the Almsee in Grünau im Almtal.
The Almsee
The Almsee lies majestically at the northern edge of the Totes Gebirge. The breathtaking scenery invites you to linger and unwind. Turquoise, blue and green are the dominant colours in all their shades.
We arrive at 10:00 am at the large (free) car park on the south shore and set off straight away. The path to the lake leads past enchanted streams and their mystical landscape. At the end of June, a fair amount of glacial meltwater also crosses our path.
At first we're naturally not alone, but as time goes on the small crowd thins out and we get to enjoy this gem of the Almtal all to ourselves.
The nature and landscape conservation area has plenty of flora and fauna to offer. The swans and ducks are curious — though visitors are advised not to feed them. Fish of all sizes can be spotted easily through the crystal-clear water. Paddling and rowing are permitted; diving, surfing, sailing and motorboats are not.
The path along the east shore is very well suited to both pushchairs and dogs, though you should be aware that the water is cold. Even in summer the mountain lake rarely exceeds 18°C, staying closer to 15/16°C.
I still plucked up the courage to jump in. I simply can't resist water like that.
At a leisurely pace, with plenty of photo and discovery breaks, we hiked all the way to the north shore. From there you could carry on and do a complete loop around the Almsee. However, since the west shore has fewer spots to access the water, tends to be more exposed to the sun, and runs very close to the access road, we decided to simply turn back and return the same way.
The view and the surroundings will definitely never get boring!!
See the Almsee in moving pictures:
Places to Eat
Right by the large car park on the south shore you can stop in at Gasthaus Seehaus for a bite to eat with a view of the lake.
Jagersimmerl is also a well-known name in the area, though since early 2018 it has only offered meals to hotel guests.
If you're travelling by car, just before you enter Grünau on the right-hand side you can treat yourself to some freshly grilled fish on a stick.
Facts About the Almsee
- The Almsee is located in Upper Austria's Salzkammergut region, more specifically in the Almtal.
- The mountain lake is approximately 2 km long, 700 m wide and 9 m deep.
- The inflow is the ice-cold Aggbach, which is why the lake reaches a maximum of just 18° Celsius even in summer.
- From the Almsee, the Alm flows all the way to the Traun.
- The Almsee is designated as a nature and landscape conservation area.
Hiking the East Shore of the Almsee | Upper Austria
Tour Details
- Pace: slow
- Walking time: approx. 1:45 hours
- Total duration: approximately 3:30 hours — we took quite a few swimming and splashing breaks
- Distance: 6.7 km
- Ascent: 22 hm
- Descent: 22 hm
- Highest point: 599 hm
- Lowest point: 588 hm
Dog Facts
- Trail on a simple, flat gravel path with the occasional short wooden bridge to cross.
- Frequent access points to the lake for drinking/swimming, plus the odd cool little stream crossing the path.
- A very popular day-trip destination on weekends with and without dogs — quieter during the week.
- No wildlife sightings, but plenty of interesting scents.
- Several water birds, ducks and swans to observe in the Almsee nature conservation area.
The Large & the Small Ödsee
The Large Ödsee
On Saturday we head out to the two Ödseen. We take the road as far as the Almtalerhaus but park at the large car park near the large Ödsee. The forest road climbs steadily uphill until we reach the idyllic lake.
On the north side of the shore we discover a small waterfall and then turn right onto the forest path. A little sure-footedness is called for here, as the trail is narrow, rooted and goes up and down.
Before too long, my favourite man finds a little cove just for the two of us. Since the large Ödsee is noticeably warmer than the Almsee, I'm in the water in no time, enjoying the cool refreshment. The little fish here have absolutely no fear of contact, are pretty curious and nibble at my toes — oi, that tickles :)
After our peaceful break, we hike along an adventurous stretch around the bend and spot a large swimming cove that's already quite busy. The signpost directs us to take a forest road once again to make it to the small Ödsee.
The Small Ödsee
We hike along the south shore and once again drink in the wonderful, soothing colours that nature has to offer. Green and turquoise in all their facets help us shed the stress of everyday life and allow us to simply be in the here & now.
Murphy & Archy keep cooling off in the crystal-clear water here too. At the last cove along the southern shore, we bear slightly left and make our way through the forest towards the access road to the Almtalerhaus.
A Place to Refuel
At the crossroads, though, we turn right, since we already wolfed down our snack back at the swimming cove. Turning left would take us to the Almtalerhaus. The road follows the ice-cold Straneggbach. Since it's just past noon, we also encounter a few cars coming the other way, but we can easily get out of their path.
The final stretch is mostly in the sun, so Murphy & Archy keep dipping their paws in the stream to cool off until we reach the car. And while the human cools it down to a dog-friendly temperature, we carry on relaxing by the bank.
Good to Know About the Almsee
- The Großer & Kleiner Ödsee are located in the Hetzau, a side valley of the Almtal.
- The Hetzau is fed by the Straneggbach.
- The Große natural lake is approximately 500m long and 27m deep.
- The Kleine natural lake is approximately 300m long and 17m deep.
- The inflows are all underground, as is the outflow to the Straneggbach.
- The Großer & Kleiner Ödsee are designated nature conservation areas.
- From early May to mid-September, the access road to the Almtalerhaus is open.
Hike: Großer & Kleiner Ödsee + Straneggbach | Upper Austria
Tour Details
- Pace: slow
- Walking time: approx. 1:10 hours
- Duration: approximately 2:20 hours – including photo and swimming breaks Route length: 3.8 km
- Ascent: 69 hm Descent: 68 hm Highest point: 737 hm Lowest point: 668 hm
Dog Facts
- The hike starts on a forest road with an uphill section. Around the Großer Ödsee, the path is narrow and rooty with plenty of ups and downs – sure-footedness required! The two lakes are connected by another forest road with an ascent. The path along the southern side of the Kleiner Ödsee is again somewhat narrow and rooty, but fairly flat. On the access road to the Almtalerhaus, we follow the Straneggbach downstream.
- Access points to the lakes are available at regular intervals.
- Also a popular day-trip destination with and without dogs, but less well known than the Almsee.
- No wildlife sightings, but plenty of forest all around.
Conclusion
** The Almtal has completely won us over, and there is so much more to explore here.
The Zuckerhut, the Kasberg and the further ridges of the Totes Gebirge still have plenty in store for mountain lovers.
We will definitely be back! **
*** The review of the guesthouse is a purely personal assessment and impression.
I was neither asked nor paid to write this. The stay was simply very relaxing and dog-friendly, and I didn't want to keep it to myself. ***
