Monday, September 9, 2013

The resort we are staying at just outside Salzburg is simply stunning. Schloss Fuschl sits on a small peninsula on the beautiful lake Fuschl. The hotel has a long (and somewhat chequered) history. Built originally as a hunting lodge in the 15th century for the archbishop of Salzburg, it was seized by Hitler's Foreign Minister, Joachim Von Ribbentrop, for his use as a summer residence during WW II and where he entertained many heads of states (allies of Germany only, of course). It's a beautiful resort with amazing amenities and excellent food.




(View from the hotel dining room)








Lots of hiking trails in the area all perfectly maintained. We set off this morning to hike around the lake - 12 kms but ended up hiking over 20kms! We hiked up a mountain for a over 1,000 feet to see the ruins of an old castle. The views were amazing from there - see photos below. With our legs aching, we headed back to the hotel where we had a long soak in the outdoor hot tub/jacuzzi. They have a Finnish sauna here - that's definitely on our agenda.







(Can you believe the colour of these lakes!)


It's at this point I have to sing the praises of hiking poles. At first I was doubtful of the value in buying them for this trip but what a difference poles make when you're hiking uphill! They take alot of pressure off your legs so you can hike further without the level of pain you would normally have after 20 kms. We can't wait to try out other hiking trails.

When we arrived here we were told the weather forecast was 5 days of rain. Other than a brief shower this afternoon, it's been dry and cool which is perfect for hiking. If it does end up raining tomorrow, we will spend the day in Salzburg.

Auf wiedersehen!

Fiona & Carl

Location:Fuschl, Austria