Exploring Hallstatt and Gosausee in Austria

Hallstatt is a small famously picturesque village with quaint alpine houses perched on the shores of a lake of the same name. The scenic Gosau lakes are also nearby and I wanted to check them out to fill up the day and take refuge from the inevitable tourist crowds at Hallstatt. You can get there by train or bus from Bad Ischl where we were staying, and can be reached by the 150 bus from Salzburg for the connection. The train drops you off on the opposite side of the lake from the village, then take the boat across for a few euros.

The familiar döner im brot from the kebab stand near the ferry dock is a saving grace from the inevitably overpriced touristy cafes littering the town, however beware of the ‘coffee’. To the right from the ferry is the viewpoint presenting a postcard-worthy scene of the village along the lake with a mountain in the background, including the town church and spire, which was unfortunately encased in scaffolding for restoration.

Pretty Hallstatt

From there the Müllerstiege path (accessible via an inconspicuous trail starting from the Catholic Church cemetery - use Google Earth to find it) can take you on a scenic route to the southern part of town where the bus stop is. From here bus 543 goes up to Hallstatt Gosaumühle, where I changed to 542 to Gosausee.

Hoher Dachstein across from Vorderer Gosausee

After getting off the bus I was almost immediately presented with the impressive view of the rocky peaks of Hoher Dachstein in the distance, beyond the surface of Vorderer Gosausee and some pine forest. I realised I had no cash and there was no ATM nearby, thankfully the small souvenir and snack shop accepted card, and I stocked up with a couple of ham & cheese bread rolls to keep me going for the upcoming adventure.

I set off along the lake on the left side because it would give better views of the mountains, enjoying being alone and able to explore at my own pace and head off the track when I felt the urge. I managed to snag a snap that I’m quite pleased with, a portrait orientation of a landscape scene, with a kid standing on the rocky shore of the lake in the foreground, and forest and mountains behind. I like the juxtaposition of scale the scene produces, starting from the small boy and spanning 3 orders of magnitude up to the 3000m rocky mountain peaks looming in the distance, with their reflection framing him to allow a clear mirror image on the lake surface.

On the other side of the lake the path entered a lush, mossy pine forest, and I was soon lured off the track by an attractive rocky and grassy clearing on the right, a paradise for a group of grazing and resting cows. They were unphased by my presence and remained calm and peaceful when I got close to line up a subject shot with the mountain peaks in the distance. Instead of returning to the track I continued through this open area, enjoying the illusion of being alone and exploring a spectacular untouched landscape.

After a while, I arrived at the last remnants of a drying up stagnant lake, whose water and surrounding rocks were stained an intense, toxic looking green by the prolific algae. The banks of the lake were covered in a web-like carpet of drying algae, which draped over the jagged rocks to create smooth contours. I got down on my knees for a perspective to try and capture a miniature mountainous landscape scene, with the gray tops of rocks resembling mountain peaks, and the green algae as forest covering their slopes and valleys in between. I became aware of some movement behind me and turned to find a pair of curious ducks who had waddled out of the lake and come within half a metre to investigate what was going on, the closest one with strands of algae clinging to its front. With me facing them and having nothing edible to offer, they became shy and retreated back to the putrid water.

Beyond the dying pond I found my way back to the main train and after a relatively strenuous inclined section arrived at Hinterer Gosausee, a small, very pretty lake surrounded by steep mountain faces. The sun was getting lower in the sky, gradually removing light from the enclave, but also making the Dachstein peaks more vivid by contrast, with dramatic shadows and a warm tinge amplifying the rocky texture.

Dachstein peaks beyond Hinterer Gosausee

I followed the path around the right side of the lake then spent some time sitting on the shore, appreciating the majestic surroundings and getting lost in some thoughts, before returning back though the forest connecting the lakes. I took the alternate return path around Vorderer Gosausee for a change of scenery, it was lusher with mossy forest and trickling streams following from the mountains into the lake. This environment presented many photogenic mushrooms that I enjoyed crouching to take photos of.

I arrived back at the start of the lake in time for the final 542 bus back to Bad Ischl, however I had no cash and there were no ATMs nearby. I approached a group of Czech guys and asked if they could give me some cash in exchange for a PayPal transfer, but none of them seemed to have an account. They had a car and kindly offered to drive me back instead.

I really enjoyed the serenity and freedom of exploring this spectacular landscape by myself, being able to take some time and stop to appreciate the scenery or take photos of mushrooms or anything else of interest whenever I wanted. Hallstatt is a well known tourist destination but I highly recommend checking out the Gosausee lakes while you're in the area, they were easily the highlight of the day for me.