UKC

It's time for my annual holiday advice thread!

This year we are off to Austria with the extended family.  It's my mum's 70th, my 40th and my nephew's 10th.  One brother and his wife and kid are flying in from San Francisco.  We've got a place booked in Obertraun, Austria.

I've had a look round myself and it seems there is plenty of stuff to do, a swimming lake, swimming park at Bad Goisern, bike rental and cable cars.  I'm struggling a bit with the hiking, via ferrata and cable car options.  Ideally I'd like to look at doing some walks or bike rides that involve getting a cable car up and then doing something up high before walking/biking around and getting a cable car down.  If anyone has any local knowledge or advice then I am all ears!

Have you looked at Bergsteigen.at/com?

Thanks - just had a quick look and am having trouble making head or tail or it.  Is it UKC but Austrian?  Should I be looking for the crag finder map?

it's nothing to do with UKC.

Select 'touren' then 'klettersteig' then the map icon at the top right of the list, then go hunting for your Via ferrata. Looks like there's quite a few in the locality.

living round the corner. The main thing about Obertraun is caves, 3 of which which have been equipped for tourists with guided tours. The ice cave is a must-see, Mammuthöhle and koppenbrüllerhöhle are the other options.

If you go to bergfex.at, search for obertraun, you are invited to open the Austrian topo map 1:50.000 with all the marked trails availlable. Depending on the fitness of the party, you might traverse the Dachstein plateau to Simony hut (5 hours round trip), move up to Taubenkogel (some scree) for wonderful views, or do some shorter walks.

Hallstatt and it salt mine, and the mountain, Plassen, above it, are another option. Don't leave without seeing the Beinhaus in Hallstatt. Your son will be impressed.

Easier and more open walks are to be had around Bad Aussee & Grundlsee.

Feel free to contact me. Per pn if you want some more out of the way suggestions.

Thanks - that's dead helpful.  Will have a look and may PM you if I have further questions.  

Thanks Toerag!