Walking in Austria. Kev Reynolds

bag – in case of emergencies

       Telescopic umbrella – excellent rain protection, and ideal for spectacle wearers

       Trekking pole(s) – these are highly recommended

       Headtorch plus spare batteries and bulbs

       Water bottle (1 litre minimum)

       Sunglasses, high factor suncream and lip salve

       First aid kit, including tweezers

       Map and compass (and GPS if available)

       Whistle

       Watch

       Guidebook

       Penknife

       Camera

       Toilet kit (soap, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste)

       Emergency food

       Anti-tick insect repellent

      TICK ALERT

      In common with 26 other European countries, Austria is home to the tick, an insect second only to the mosquito for carrying disease to humans – the primary illness in Europe being Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE). Ticks live in long grass, shrubs and bushes, and can survive up to 1500m, attaching themselves to humans and animals as they pass. Walkers and campers are especially vulnerable. Victims often do not realise they have been bitten, because the tick injects a toxin which anaesthetises the bite area. Since ticks prefer warm, moist, dark areas of the body, it is advisable to check for bites in those pressure points where clothing presses against the skin, at the back of the knee, armpits and groin. Should you discover a tick, remove it by firmly grasping the insect as close to the skin as possible (tweezers are best), and using a steady movement pull the tick’s body outwards without twisting or jerking. The following methods of prevention are suggested:

       before travelling, seek advice from your GP or travel clinic; consider immunisation (2 injections a month apart)

       use a tick-effective insect repellent

       do not wear shorts, but tuck trousers into socks and wear long-sleeved clothing

       inspect your skin (and that of your companions) for ticks, and remove with tweezers.

      For further information visit www.masta-travel-health.com.

Recommended Maps

      A variety of maps cover much of Austria, the best being those published by the ÖAV/DAV under the heading Alpenvereinskarten. Accurate and beautifully drawn, they have a robust quality missing on some of the commercial maps available, and are usually published at a scale of 1:25,000. However, the amount of detail included at this scale is perhaps more than most routes in this guide require. Sheets at a scale of 1:50,000 are available from Kompass, Freytag & Berndt, and Mayr, with some districts treated to 1:30,000, 1:35,000 and 1:40,000 scale.

      Graukogel from the Palfnerscharte (Hohe Tauern, Route 83)

      Kompass Wanderkarte sheets have huts, hotels, and paths (with numbers) clearly marked in red for ease of identification. Be warned that some of the older maps were produced on poor-quality paper which tears easily, especially on the folds, and you may find that a single sheet will not last a full week. More recently-published sheets are slightly more weatherproof. A slim booklet (in German) accompanies these maps, with local information and brief walk suggestions.

      Freytag & Berndt produce sheets of a similar quality to those of Kompass, this time with huts being ringed. The accompanying booklets are perhaps less useful than those of Kompass, although the latest ones include GPS information.

      Mayr maps are produced in Innsbruck and, once more, are of similar quality to F&B and Kompass sheets. The paper tears easily and wears quickly at the folds, but the associated booklets give rather more detail with their walk suggestions than those of Kompass.

      Specific sheets recommended for routes in this guide are outlined at the head of each walk description, but please note that in some instances names on maps do not match those that appear on local signposts. And the altitude measurements shown on some sheets may be at variance with those quoted on maps produced by different publishers.

Using this Guide

      In this guide we begin in the west of Austria and work eastwards, exploring some of the finest valleys and their neighbouring mountains from resort bases, visiting mountain huts, lakes and viewpoints, and sampling a few multi-day hut tours.

      Each mountain group is treated to a separate chapter, for which a map is provided as a locator. While individual walks are marked on the basic maps produced especially for this book, you will need a detailed topographical map to follow the route as described. The introduction to each chapter includes a note of specific map requirements, with details of the various villages or valley resorts, their access, facilities, tourist offices, huts and so on, followed by a number of walks based in the district. All the walks are listed in Appendix E at the back of this book, while an explanation of the grading system is found above.

      Distances and heights are quoted throughout in kilometres and metres. This information is sourced directly from the recommended map where possible, but because of countless zigzags on some routes, it has been necessary to resort to estimates in terms of actual distance walked. Likewise times quoted for each walk are approximations only. They refer to actual walking time and make no allowances for rest stops, picnic breaks or interruptions for photography – such stops can add considerably (25 to 50 per cent) to the overall time you’re away from base, so it is important to bear this in mind when planning your day’s activity. Although such times are given as an aid to planning they are, of course, subjective, and each walker will have his or her own pace which may or may not coincide with those quoted. By comparing your times with those given here, you should soon gain a reasonable idea of the difference and be able to compensate accordingly.

      Abbreviations are used sparingly, but some have been adopted through necessity. While most should be easily understood, the following list is given for clarification:

      From the frontier ridge above the Tübinger Hut, the twin Seehorn summits rise above their glacier (Route 11)

AAC	Austrian Alpine Club (UK branch)
ATM	Automated Teller Machine (‘hole in the wall’ cash machine)
AV	Alpenverein (maps)
DAV	Deutscher Alpenverein (German Alpine Club)
FB	Freytag & Berndt (maps)
hrs	hours
km	kilometres
m	metres
mins	minutes
ÖAV	Österreichischer Alpenverein (Austrian Alpine Club)
PTT	Post Office (Post, Telephone, Telegraph)
TVN	Touristenverein Naturfreunde

      INFORMATION AT A GLANCE

       Banking hours These vary, but banks are usually open 8am–12.30pm and 1.30 or 2pm–3 or 4pm on Monday to Friday. Cash machines