Travellers’ tales: Mountain highs
When you think of Austrian mountains, you probably think of skiing or Maria von Trapp. But in the summer Saalbach-Hinterglemm becomes the largest biking region in Austria.
Words can’t properly describe how beautiful it is here, surrounded by a 360-degree view of mountain landscapes, with snowy Alps in the distance. There is something for all cyclists, from the serious mountain bikers who go to the top of the mountain and ride down fast, to the gravel cyclists like us who just love exploring.
There are more than 400km of cycling trails in this region. You can get to the top of them using chairlifts and cable cars. You take your bike in the gondola up the mountain, which allows you freedom to explore further. There are extraordinary views from the top, stunning mountain trails and amazing descents.
We rented a self-catering apartment in the small village of Hinterglemm, with a balcony overlooking the mountains. It was amazing to have our breakfast and our evening après-ride glass of wine enjoying the view and breathing in the crisp mountain air.
Due to the mountainous terrain, we rented e-bikes on this trip. They opened up the entire region to us. Rides and climbs that would normally be out of reach for us were completely attainable. We cycled to the summit of three different mountains higher in elevation than Ben Nevis!
By using the maps of the region and finding trails on Komoot, we managed to pull together a fabulous six days of riding. These included cycling through the idyllic Glemm Valley, as well as climbing to the top of those mountain peaks.
The trails, the views, the mountains, the gondolas, the strudel, the warm hospitality of the Austrians, the mountain air and the constant desire to burst into a Julie Andrews-style rendition of ‘The hills are alive’ would bring me back again and again to this region.
To read more or view the routes, see my blog veloann.com/post/the-hills-are-alive
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