Trail treasures in the national park - there is simply no hustle and bustle here. This quickly becomes clear when you explore the region around Windischgarsten by bike. On the edge of the Kalkalpen National Park, it radiates tranquillity beyond its borders. It is not overcrowded. Stress is a foreign word.
Just like Bernhard Huber, the bike guide, who knows the trails like no other and takes his time for a few laps through the area. "Biking without the hustle and bustle in unspoilt nature, that's what you come here for," he explains at the Hanslalm, where the landlady also has time for a chat and, after a little persuasion, serves a cider. Not the ideal sports drink, but home-made. It's hard to say no.
The Alm is located on the edge of the Kalkalpen National Park, where you can lose yourself completely as a biker. Really switch off. The most beautiful bike route in the region, a little treasure, lies at the heart of the quiet area: the Steyrsteg. The bumpy path over the gorge, which is more fun on the way down but just as easy on the bike on the way up, requires concentration and strength in equal measure. This trail symbolises the whole area.
None of the tours through the Pyhrn-Priel region lead monotonously along forest paths. The surface is constantly changing and adds the necessary flavour to the natural experience. The bike park on Wurbauerkogel, just outside the national park, is completely different. In the nineties, the local downhill scene was "up to mischief" here and even organised races. Today, the freeride trails are ridden here as a matter of course. "The four descents are so well used that we are considering creating more trails in the region," explains Bernhard and lets it rip down the blue Lollipop trail to Windischgarsten. Here you can find the most important information and the three most beautiful tours in the region.
Info about the Kalkalpen region
The precinct
The bike area described here includes the Kalkalpen National Park and the Pyhrn-Priel holiday region, in the south of which is the World Cup ski resort of Hinterstoder and Windischgarsten, which can look back on a long downhill history with its bike park. Info: www.urlaubsregion-pyhrn-priel.at
Bike tours
www.oberoesterreich.at/biken leads to the tour portal with a search function by region or starting point. You can find suggestions in the National Park region or in the Pyhrn-Priel region.
Bike guides
Nobody knows the region better than bike guide Bernhard Huber. Everything about the guided tours he has designed can be found at www.kalkalpenbike.at
Bike hotels
About www.oberoesterreich.at/biken to the addresses of the bike specialists among the hoteliers. A tip, because it is the starting point for the tours presented here: the Villa Sonnwend National Park Lodge, www.villa-sonnwend.at
Bike shops
Intersport Pachleitner, Hinterstoder, www.intersport-pachleitner.atSport2000 Huber, Hinterstoder, www.huber-hinterstoder.atSport 2000 Werschitz, Windischgarsten, www.sport2000.at
Biking without luggage
If you are planning tours lasting several days, please contact Oberösterreich Touristik for planning. Info: www.radurlaub.com
Downhill kick: Bikepark Wurbauerkogel
Back in the early nineties, a young, wild scene of downhillers had already established itself on the Wurbauerkogel. A crazy scene that would hardly be tolerated today as wild growth. But in all these years, the downhillers have never really given up on Windischgarsten's local mountain.
Today, there is a well-organised bike park with four well-maintained trails: the blue Lollipop, the red Big Red with the 70-degree wall ride, the red Red Root Carpet and the black Black Widdow. There is also the table line in the run-out and a pump track. The vertical drop on the Wurbauerkogel is 230 metres. And there is good news: Since this season, the bike park has been a member of the Gravity Card network. Without this bike park club card, the regular day pass costs 27 euros for adults.
Info: www.wurbauerkogel.at
Biking in two national parks
The new transnational park route connects the Kalkalpen National Park with the neighbouring Gesäuse National Park in Styria over a distance of 450 kilometres and an altitude difference of 1,11500 metres. The multi-day circular tour takes mountain bikers and e-bikers through the wilderness of two nature reserves - with a choice of difficulty levels. There are several places to start the tour.
Information about packages and tours:
www.transnationalpark.at
www.radurlaub.com
www.kalkalpenbike.at
Upper Austria: Tour 5 - Over the Hengstpass
Tour data and tour rating
Data: 44.81 km | 1408 m elevation gain | 4:30 h
Fitness level: 4/5
Riding technique: 2/5
Scenery: 4/5
Difficulty: medium
The GPS data of the tours described here can be found in the download area below the article download free of charge.
Starting point Car park at the railway station in Windischgarsten, start in front of the station.
Tour-B
Description As if tour guide Bernhard Huber wanted to present his bike region in one day, that's how this tour has been put together. It includes a little bit of everything that the Pyhrn-Priel region has to offer. The perfect tour for an initial overview. From the Langfirst, a mountain ridge on the border to the Kalkalpen National Park, you can take a look into this quiet space. You can see the Great and Little Pyhrgas and the Tote Gebirge mountains with the Großer Priel across the Garstnertal valley. And all this in marvellous peace and quiet. This makes it easier to prepare for the key sections of the tour: There is a 15% ramp up to Haslersgatter, the gateway to the national park, and the climb to Schwarzkogel is a long one. You fly down to Rosenau on narrow forest paths and trails, and at the end of the tour the dark Fraitgraben awaits, which can always be wet and slippery even in the otherwise dry midsummer.
Retreat Hanslalm, Zickenreith snack station on the Hengstpass, Egglalm (1.5 km behind the Hengstpass), Singerskogel snack station.
"There are several places to stop for refreshments on this tour. However, I always stop at the Singerskogel snack station when I'm on the tour. It's right before the last descent through the Fraitgraben, so it's the perfect place to end the tour slowly and relaxed. What I particularly like about the Singerskogel: from the terrace you have a wide view over the Garstnertal valley, the innkeepers always give us bikers a very friendly welcome and there is a decent snack. You really deserve it after 1400 metres in the saddle." Bernhard Huber, bike guide from Windischgarsten
Upper Austria: Tour 6 - Great Limestone Alps Tour
Tour data and tour rating
Data: 87.23 km | 2291 m elevation gain | 8:30 h
Fitness: 5/5
Riding technique: 2/5
Scenery: 5/5
Difficulty: difficult
The GPS data of the tours described here can be found in the download area below the article download free of charge.
Starting point Car park at the railway station in Windischgarsten, start in front of the station.
Tour description This is a real marathon through the Kalkalpen National Park. The route traverses the park from south to north, making a lot of distance on forest paths in the protected area, but with the rough trail on the Steyrsteg it contains a technical and scenic highlight. The trail runs spectacularly along the steep slope above the gorge, where the Krumme Steyrling makes its way northwards to the Steyr. After the Ebenforstalm, the trail descends to its lowest point and then follows the old forest railway line through rock tunnels to the Weißwasser terminus. The next few kilometres over the Mooshöhe and on the pass road towards the Hengstpass are a little steeper, but still easy to climb. The final stretch, now out of the national park again, scores extra points for riding technique and fitness. Here, the route follows the Proviantweg, an old smugglers' path, which leads to Windischgarsten, bumpy and bumpy.
Retreat Jägerhäusl, Ebenforstalm, Hütte der Großen Klause, Sagwirt Oberlaussa, Laussabaueralm, Egglalm, Jausenstation Singerskogel.
"I would plan the tour as an outdoor adventure with an overnight stay at the Weißwasser bivouac site. There are toilets, running water and firewood. You have to carry everything else with you. If you want, you can also stop for refreshments at the Große Klause hut. To do this, you have to roll back seven kilometres and 100 metres in altitude. Another option is the bivouac site at the Steyrsteg with the Jägerhäusl as a refreshment stop. If you do it this way, you can ride the fantastic trail on the Steyrsteg three times." Franz Sieghartsleitner, employee of the Kalkalpen National Park
Upper Austria: Tour 7 - Bikepark-Panorama
Tour data and tour rating
Data: 34.22 km | 1077 m elevation gain | 3:30 h
Fitness level: 3/5
Riding technique: 3/5
Scenery: 4/5
Difficulty: medium
The GPS data of the tours described here can be found in the download area below the article download free of charge.
Starting point Car park at the railway station in Windischgarsten, start in front of the station.
Tour description A tour with two faces in the form of an 8 with a junction in Windischgarsten. It links both sides of this bike region, geographically and in terms of character. First of all, it's a muscle-powered ride over the Mayrwinkel from behind to the Wurbauerkogel, where the freeride trails of the bike park begin. This track leads over the blue Lollipop, but there is also the Big Red or the Black Widdow - whatever you like. Back in Windischgarsten, the route now winds its way up to the Oberwenger Panoramarunde, initially on goods roads and later on forest tracks. Steep at the end, close to the walls of the Great Pyhrgas. On the ascent, the view over the Garstner valley grows metre by metre. Just like the descent in the direction of Windischgarsten, which comes to a lively conclusion on the stream bank path in Fraitgraben. This loop can of course be varied individually. If you like, you can ride the panoramic loop first and the bike park at the end.
Retreat Restaurants and cafés in Windischgarsten, Villa Sonnwend, Golf-Restaurant Werner's, Jausenstation Singerskogel.
"The Edlbach bathing lake, which I love to jump into myself, is right on the route of this tour. It is a natural, small, managed lake with a marvellous panorama all around. If you want to enjoy this refreshment at the end of the tour, don't turn right at the sawmill, but go straight ahead along the stream and you'll be there after a kilometre. If you're feeling peckish, there are snacks in the pavilion by the lake. But you can also quench your hunger and thirst at Werner's Golf Restaurant right next door." Thomas Scholl, Tourism Director Pyhrn-Priel Region
