Austria, Bad Ischl – Alpine Panorama from the Top of Katrine Ferrate

Bad Ischl is a spa town located between Salzburg and Linz, right between the Alpine giants. It is easy to get there because we go there through Dolni Dvoriste almost to Linz, Austria. Don’t forget to have a vignette with because freeway controls are quite common. We turn to Bad Ischl and we take this opportunity to make an introduction about the town for you.

Bad Ischl is the town of tradition and modernity. The center is in classic spa style and it takes you back to 1848. The town was a summer residence of Kaiser Franz Joseph I (uncle of Francis Ferdinand d'Este). What will charm you in Bad Ischl is quietness and the smell of mountains that are crossed by the rivers Traun and Ischl. The springs „Ischler Sole“ contain 3 % of salt. „Kaiserpark“ fills large part of the center. Kaiser’s wife Elizabeth also known Sisi spent lot of time there. Don’t forget to pay a visit to local tea bar which Sisi owned.

At the edge of the town, you can leave your car at the car park. This is the place where you get to the cable car which will get you to Katrin ferrate. Don’t forget to buy a parking ticket and take detachable part of it with you. At the cable car box office they will lower your price accordingly. We buy a two-way ticket. We realize shortly it was a good choice.

What waits for you is magnificent view of the Alpine peaks and Bad Ischl in the distance. Right at the place where you get off the cable car, there is a hanging board explaining the route to the ferrate. We take some pictures of the glaciers. We continue to along way to „Klettersteig“. First, we cross meadow covered with raised tree roots. Finally, we got to the starting point of the route up to the Alpine beauty.

Another thing to consider is the equpimnet including carabiners, seater, and helmet. Also, take gloves because you can get ugly blisters from steel cable. The rest is to leave your fears on the ground and take a backpack. The ferrate’s difficulty is B. There are some exposed places where you shouldn’t think about the depth below you. In case you want to take a child with you he or she must be well-fit and have the right spirit for one passage is of B/C difficulty.

Shortly after getting on the ferrate and making first moves, there is the most difficult point, a place requiring great deal of effort. There are about five places along the route where you can regain some energy. These are very important on the so called protected climbing route . Always mind every move, make enough time to rest and don’t overestimate yourself. At the middle of the route there is a box with a notebook that waits for your signature. I even managed to put some blood on it as I had bleeding blister on my hand. But it was worth it with breathless view in front of my eyes.

Mountain giants and glittering lake surface are great addition to the blue sky with white clouds. You can even see Traunstein, and lakes Traunsee, Wolfgangsee, Nussensse, Schwarzensee, and with good visibility also Fuschlsee and Hallstätter See. Right on the top, there is a cross, a gift to Franz Joseph I. 50th birthday.

Everyone deserves some treat after such performance. When you go back to the cable car, visit „Katrin Almhütte“, a typical Austrian pub. Plates are really huge there and full without excessive price tag. Great place with wonderful view will make you one hundred percent satisfied. Sun rays and the feeling “I did it” will make you proud of yourselves.

Cable car hours

summer season: 24. 4. – 2. 11. 2015 daily 9.00 –17.00 hod

winter season: 12. 12. – April 2016 every Fri, Sat, Sun from 10.00 – 16.00

GPS: (cable car) 47°41'55.1"N 13°36'25.9"E

Text: Šárka Vacková

Photo: Šárka Vacková, Wikipedia.org: Peterburg23