"Carinthia - Lakes - Biking" - the idea of combining biking and swimming on one big tour is an obvious one in Carinthia. The Austrian province south-east of the Grossglockner is blessed with a total of 200 bathing lakes. In the north of the state, the glacier peaks of the Hohe Tauern and the comparatively gentle Nockberge mountains tower into the sky. In the south, the Carnic Alps mark the border with Italy and the limestone walls of the Karawanken mountains mark the border with Slovenia. A perfect backdrop for mountain bikers.
The tourism experts have also recognised this. Together with the Kompass map manufacturer, they have designed the twelve-stage circular route from bathing lake to bathing lake. The tour starts at Lake Millstätter See in the Nockberge mountains and then continues eastwards. With one detour each to Slovenia and Italy, the tour leads along the southern border back to the starting point. Each stage ends at one of Carinthia's crystal-clear bathing lakes. The tour covers a total of 850 kilometres and 20,000 metres in altitude. That's a lot for a normal touring cyclist, but there is also an easier version with 650 kilometres and 11,500 metres in altitude. It has the same stage destinations, but winds its way through the valleys on easier paths.
You can download the complete article on the Lakes Mountain Bike Tour in Carinthia free of charge below.
