Around the Wilder Kaiser Tour
The Wilder Kaiser Tour is a great Austrian bike path network addition. 82kms around these spectacular mountains which are a landmark to many people, whether you live here or are a visitor.
Around the Wilder Kaiser Tour bike path was finished last year, and we completed it in a clockwise direction from St Johann during the summer. This year we went anti-clockwise in Autumn as you always see something different, depending on the time of year and direction of travel.
St Johann to Kössen
It was a chilly October morning, and at 9°C, we ensured we were warmly wrapped up. Autumn is a lovely time of year in Austria, with various colours in the woods and forests surrounding the path. Be careful to watch where you are going, as the leaves and damp ground can make it slippery.
Riding through the woods by the river all the way to Kössen makes for a pretty backdrop. With the sun shining through the orange, yellow and brown leaves, you know you are in the deepest of Autumn.
Kössen to Walchsee
After Kössen, you head up the side of the valley through some farmland, giving you a view across the valley to what I think of as the “back of the Wilder Kaiser.”
The path splits, where you can go into the village for a coffee or lunch stop. We decided to go around the far side of the lake as you get a view over the lake to the village. The Austrians have a saying, ‘Klein aber fein,’ which means small but nice. I think this accurately describes this pretty lake which is a favourite for swimming in summer.
We picked a bench and had our lunch, nicely sheltered from the cooler October air.
Onwards to Kufstein
We set off after lunch through some farms and then joined the main road at Durchholzen.
There is about 1 km on the main road from this point. Be careful on this part as there can be lorries and cars travelling quite fast. You must move over to the middle of the road to turn left back onto the path.
Once off the road, there are lots of lovely downhill through woods and by the river until you see the open swath of the Inn Valley. Passing through farms and small hamlets on your way to Kufstein, and as you are lower down its generally about 4°C warmer here.
Kufstein sits on the border with Germany, with its impressive Fortress keeping watch over the surrounding area. A pretty town centre with cobbled streets and painted buildings is worth a wander through. We would normally stop and have ice cream in Kufstein as there is a great choice of cafes serving delicious varieties.
Kufstein to St Johann
It was a bit chilly today, so we pushed on out of Kufstein through the gorge leading up to the Eiberg Pass. Autumn makes this Pass light up with a huge variety of colours on the trees.
The new addition to the Wilder Kaiser Tour bike path, which takes you up some switchbacks over the steepest part of the Eiberg Pass, is a great enhancement. The main road is very busy, especially with trucks, so well done to Land Tirol for investing in this part of the bike path.
Once you are up to the top of this section, have a break and take in some lovely views back down the valley or up the mountainside.
The path takes you along the narrow valley with views up to the Hohesalve and the Brandstadl above Scheffau. They have built an impressive bike path and a fantastic investment that has paid off to make this a must on the list for leisure cyclists.
We bumbled along the Leukental past Scheffau and up to Ellmau, and from there, it is all downhill to St Johann. You can admire the Wilder Kaiser off to your left, and the views off to the right give you the Kitzbühelerhorn and, in the distance, the Lofersteinberge.
What I love about this route:
- The impressive mountain range always makes me feel at home.
- Photo opportunities are boundless.
- The bike path is in great condition, on either tarmac or hard-packed surfaces.
- The town of Kufstein is a good contrast to the sleepy villages around this iconic mountain range.
- Did I mention how impressive the Wilder Kaiser are?