Mallnitz to Sachsenburg on Alpe-Adria path
This is one section of the Alpe-Adria path from Mallnitz to Sachsenburg. The full length of this tour runs from Salzburg in Austria through to Grado in Italy.
Train ride
My day started with a train ride through the mountain from Böckstein to Mallnitz through the Tauern mountains, called the Tauern Schleuse.
The train is for cars and bikes to get from the northern part of the Alps to the south and into Carinthia. It’s a very easy process and plenty of room for your e-bike, and at €5, it’s cheap too.
Mallnitz to Sachsenburg
The southern side of these mountains, where the train finishes, is Mallnitz. It is a pretty little mountain village, so it’s worth taking some time to ride around it and perhaps stop for a coffee. Boasting a backdrop of the Hohe Tauern mountains, which are spectacular. Therefore, irrelevant of your photography skills, you can get some lovely photos.
Once you disembark the train in Mallnitz, the Alpe-Adria path follows the main road. There is a very long downhill stretch for about 7 km where you lose 500m in height down to Obervellach. On this section, you are surrounded by mountains and breathtaking scenery. Around each corner, you see the mountains from a different perspective, so ensure you keep stopping to take photos.
As the descent was quite steep, I had to rest my brakes regularly, or they would have overheated. Also, my hands became numb as I braked; however, there were plenty of stopping places, so I took many photos. You are on the main road, but it is not very busy once all the cars from the train have made their way down.
Obervellach
Once you reach the valley floor, the descent continues all the way to Möllbrücke gradually. It is worth taking your time through this valley, with plenty of farmland and beautiful gardens. In Obervellach, look up to see the railway bridge which frames Falkstein Castle. Both of these are remarkable feats of engineering of their time.
Just off the bike path is the mountain railway Kreuzeckbahn, mainly used to take people up to higher walking paths. It is worth stopping here for a trip up to get the views from the top. Perhaps you can get your lunch here or take a picnic with you and just enjoy the scenery from higher up.
It’s an enjoyable ride through this valley down to Möllbrücke, where the Alpe-Adria bike path crosses the River Drau bike path. As I was staying in Sachsenburg at the Hotel Goldenes Rössl, I decided to leave my bags at the hotel. Then headed up to Weissensee for the afternoon, which is a stunning mountain lake.
Weissensee
Please only undertake this trip if you are an experienced cyclist and can manage steep off-road cycling. I wasn’t prepared for the track as it was a very quick decision on my part. From Sachsenburg to the foot of the climb is about 15 km, through the valley by the river Drau, past villages and farmland. This part is very pleasant as it is flat and on a good road.
Once you start climbing through the forest, I will warn you the track is not well-used and is a bit overgrown. Parts of the track are around 15°, which is steep. This part took about 30 mins, and it was hard work.
When I got to the top and freewheeled down to the lake, all was forgiven as it is such a beautiful area. Mountains with bathing areas surround the lake, lots of places to stop for coffee or ice cream, which after the trip up, I thought it would be rude not to!
This area is on my list to revisit and explore some more as it is in a magnificent setting up in the mountains.
In order to avoid the steep path, I took the main road back to the valley. I would only recommend this if you are an experienced cyclist that is used to riding on busy roads with cars and lorries. The road has a great surface, and you can go very fast; however, I also had to stop a few times as my hands were cramping up, squeezing the brakes. Whether this was through fear or necessity is another story.
Sachsenburg
I stayed in the Hotel Goldenen Rössl, Sachsenburg. This is the 2nd time I have stayed in this hotel, as it is perfect for cyclists on either the Alpe-Adria or the Drau River bike paths. Run by Ferdinand Penker and his team, who are all friendly and helpful. It is ideal for either an overnight or to base yourself exploring cycling around the area. The restaurant always has plenty of cyclists and locals, whether for lunch or dinner, which is a stamp of good food.
For e-bikers, they offer the following facilities:
- Lock up your e-bike in their garage, which has charging points.
- Drying room in the event of a rainy day
- If you need washing done, then ask.
- Hose if you need to clean down your bike
- Early check-in if the room is ready
- Hearty menu with plenty of choices for all dietary requirements
Ferdinand offers a week’s cycling holiday split between his hotel in Sachsenburg and a hotel in St Jakob im Rosental. If you don’t feel like packing up your gear every day and moving on, then this would offer a great way of seeing a lot of cycling in Carinthia. Both Hotels operate bike taxis where they either drop you off or pick you up, depending on the route you take. They will provide all the information about your route; therefore, you don’t have to do any of the planning either. Take a look www.goldenes-roessl-sachsenburg.at
Websites to help you plan your holiday in this area:
What I like about the route from Mallnitz to Sachsenburg:
- Variety of scenery from the Hohe Tauern mountains to the valley filled with farmland, pretty villages and well-kept gardens.
- Route signage is easy to follow, so you don’t need to keep looking at a map.
- Descent from Mallnitz – Obervellach is an extra special route and worth taking your time on.
- My coffee stop at Möllbrück was fabulous and apparently didn’t contain any calories! Just the kind every cyclist loves.
Map of Mallnitz to Sachsenburg click here https://www.komoot.com/tour/207839199?ref=wtd
