Austria 2008 - Heading west to
Bavaria
|
We travelled quite quickly through Austria
as we headed homewards choosing a route avoiding the highest mountains.
After a diversion northwards to stay at a stellplatz on a campsite in Bad
Waltersdorf in an area of thermal spa complexes we drove on the autobahn
having bought a vignette for €7.70, bypassing Graz then after passing
through some industrial towns of Voitsburg and Koflach climbed slowly to
the top of Gaberl at 1550m a popular stop off for bikers but as we were
then in the clouds there were no views, and a long easy descent to the
flat valley east of Judenburg where we pulled in to the 50Plus campsite at
the small hamlet of Fisching near Weisskirchen which could have been
mistaken for a Caravan Club site with neat marked pitches and luxury
amenities.
|
The next day we continued up the Murau
valley stopping to look around the old town where the locals many in
traditional Sunday best were leaving the church. There was a mix of old
and ultramodern buildings in the town. From there we took a minor road to
Temsweg and over the Obertauern pass with a large ski resort at the
summit. The road descended through a rocky gorge to Radstatt and we
drove to another stellplatz on a farm on the edge of the village of
Altenmarkt im Pongau. Once set up alonside two German motorhomes we
strolled into the town with some lovely old wooden buildings, one a folk
museum, and a large church surrounded by a cemetery.
We walked around looking at the gravestones and intricate ironwork, one
very modern and colourful for a young person another a double headstone
with an inscription for the husband who had died recently and also his
wife's name but only her birth date!
Altenmarkt im Pongau - ornate gravestones
|
Murau modern building among many old ones
Altenmarkt im Pongau Typical decorated chalet
|
We had visited this part of Austria a few
years ago so we headed up the autobahn around Salzburg in rather grey
weather and crossed the border into Gemany where we immediately turned
north alongside the river stopping at Laufen to walk across
the ornate iron bridge to Austria then back again, obviously a lot easier
now without border controls. Further north we stopped at Tittmoning, a
town with a castle and several old buildings around a large central
square, then headed to Traunstein a busy town especially in the late
afternoon, and found the stellplatz at a caravan and motorhome dealers
premises at the village of Wolkersdorf.
|
Bridge to Austria at Laufen
low bridge (1.5metres) at Laufen
Tight fit at Tittmoning
|
Chiemsee is a popular large lake so the next morning we headed to Chieming
a pleasant small resort on the eastern side with bathing beaches and boat
trips. After a lakeside walk and lunch we continued around to the opposite
side of the lake which was busier and more parking restrictions for
motorhomes near the lake.
After a night at a difficult to find stellplatz at a farm in the middle of
nowhere north of the lake, we turned south towards the Bavarian Alps
getting lost due to diversions in the very busy industrial town of
Rosenheim. A short stretch of Autobahn packed with lorries was too much
like driving in the UK so we turned off as soon as possible to the busy
lakeside resort of Schliersee then a steep climb to the delightful lake of
Spitzingsee surrounded by mountains where parking was €5 for the day and
€9 overnight so we chose a space at the water's edge and relaxed in the
sunshine for the rest of the day.
|
steamer on Chiemsee
|
Spitzingsee
|
Spitzingsee stellplatz
|
We stopped at Schliersee the next morning a resort catering for the older
generations but with some interesting decorated buildings, then drove
around the busier Tergensee and after a couple of kilometres back in
Austria headed along a pleasant wooded valley passing a large reservoir
then on a toll road with plenty of stopping places. Continuing into
Garmish Partenkirchen we passed through a tunnel into Bavaria again and to
Oberammergau where we found the stellplatz at €7 for 24 hours, adjacent to the
campsite (€21+electricity!). The next morning we walked into the town centre with many
more decorated buildings and the large modern Passiontheater (next Passion
play is in 2010). From there we drove to Schloss Linderhof, another of mad
King Ludwig II's creations with lovely Italianate gardens and lots of
ornate golden
statues. Parking was €3.50 for motorhomes but entry to the gardens was
free and the Moorish style kiosk was amazing. (It was originally
built for the Great Exhibition in Paris in 1867).
|
Decorated shop in Schliersee
|
Typical Oberammergau house
|
The Passiontheater at Oberammergau
|
Schloss Linderhof
|
Schloss Linderhof Italianate garden
|
Moorish kiosk at Schloss Linderhof
|
kiosk interior
|
After another short drive into Austria and a top-up of diesel at Reutte,
full of bikers on a weekend afternoon we drove through another tunnel back
to Germany and Füssen. There was a new stellplatz listed at Schwangau near
the fairytale Neuschwanstein castle but it wasn't open yet so drove back
to the very busy Camperstop at Füssen next to the bus depot and discount
shops so not peaceful. This is one of the most popular stellplatz in
Bavaria with another one being built adjacent but was the most expensive
at €12 including kurtax and extra for water and hookup (but free wi-fi).
The next morning after waiting ages to fill up with water, we drove to one
of the parking areas near to the Tegelbergbahn cable car and walked to
Schloss Neuschwanstein in pleasant sunshine. (The view on most postcards is
only possible from the air).
|
Schloss Neuschwanstein
|
From there we headed back west passing through gentle hilly farmland to
Baden-Württemberg region planning to stop at Kißlegg but found a fair and
flohmarkt had taken over the town so continued to the small village of
Wolfegg where there were designated free motorhome parking areas but no
services provided. There was a small motor museum in the schloss in the
village.
|
<< Budapest and Balaton
|
Homebound through
Southern Germany>>
|