This time, me and my sister travelled by train to the Salzkammergut. This region is famous for its numerous mountain lakes and picturesque little villages and towns, such as Hallstatt and Gmunden. After the last ice age, around 10000 years ago, the glaciers of the large mountain massifs of the Alps retreated, leaving behind several deep basins. Over time, these filled with water and formed numerous lakes to the north and south of the Alps. This is how Lake Traunsee, the current destination of our journey, was formed.
Our hike begins in Ebensee at the southern tip of the Traunsee. We decide to first climb the Grossen Sonnstein (1037 m), then cross to the Kleinen Sonnstein (923 m) and finally descend to Traunkirchen and its monastery in the centre of the lake, where a train stop is located.
Großer Sonnstein#
The path to the summit of the Großer Sonnstein is steep and rocky. In just over 2 kilometres, but we climb around 600 metres in altitude. The gradient reaches up to 40 per cent. We overtake several hikers and even a small dog who tirelessly climbs the mountain ahead of its owner. When we finally reach the top, we can enjoy a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and the lake below. The Sonnstein lives up to its name, so sunny, but also very hot. It’s the first really hot day of the year with temperatures of over 30 °C. We take a break at the summit cross to recharge our batteries for the strenuous hike.
Kleiner Sonnstein#
Next we traverse to the Kleiner Sonnstein. A short section requires some surefootedness. An iron cable is used as a safety measure. But this tricky section can also be easily bypassed. After that, the hike becomes easier, with only the last section to the summit of the Kleiner Sonnstein ascending. A small hut is located close to the summit. Unfortunately the hut is closed on this day. On this summit we get an even better view of the lake and our destination, Traunkirchen. Opposite of Traunkirchen on the other side of the lake is the Traunstein, which majestically dominates the lake. Its impressive rock face drops over 1000 metres towards the lake.
Traunkirchen#
When we reach Traunkirchen, I decide to take a quick dip in the water. I strip down to my underwear, luckily it’s polyester like normal swimwear, and then swim in the lake for a few minutes. The water is refreshing, only 19 °C. But because it’s so cold, I don’t stay long. After a few minutes, I escape back to the warm land. It’s wonderful to swim in this crystal-clear lake. You can even see a few metres deep into the water and the fish swimming close to the surface are easy to spot.
Once my pants are sufficiently dry again, I get dressed and we visit Traunkirchen Abbey. It is situated on a small stone that juts out into the lake. Nowadays, no monks or nuns live in this monastery as the order was dissolved over 200 years ago. Instead, it is used as the seat of two associations for scientists and artists. There is also a small gallery where the work of local artists is exhibited.
After an exciting day, we take the train home. Annoyingly, we miss the first possible train and have to wait another hour. Not every train stops in Traunkirchen. Nevertheless, this tour is easy to do by train and can be reached quickly from Linz.