I was testing new travel gear, so I thought it would be nice to go somewhere further than just around the corner and thoroughly test the camping furniture purchased from http://i-market.cz, perhaps at a campsite by a lake or somewhere near waterfalls. I chose Austria - a country where I really enjoy camping.
Journey to Styria
The journey through Semmering was an experience in itself – mountain passes, endless tunnels, and at the end, fresh air and the scent of the forest.
We stayed near Tragöß, a small village, from where it is a few minutes by car to the lake. In the morning, we woke up to a quiet, misty valley, packed our backpacks, and set off towards Grüner See.
Grüner See – an emerald among the mountains
First impression? Peace and quiet. The lake lies between high rocks, and when the fog begins to dissipate in the morning, the water takes on an incredibly green color. There are dense forests and wooden benches all around, so you can sit comfortably and just look around.
The water is crystal clear and icy – around six degrees, so it's not for swimming, but a few people still dared to at least dip their feet. In the summer, the lake is at its fullest because it is fed by meltwater from the surrounding mountains. When we were there, the water level was a bit lower, but it was still worth it.
We walked around the entire pool – the journey takes about an hour if you are not in a hurry. Every few steps, the angle and light change, so photos from one place look completely different each time.
Moving to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Gorge
The next day, we moved to Lower Austria, about a two-hour drive from there, to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park. This area is completely different – deep canyons, waterfalls, and wooden walkways glued to the rocks. It is also called the "Austrian Grand Canyon," and that fits quite well.
We parked near the village of Wienerbruck and set off along the marked trail into the gorge. Right at the beginning, we went through a tunnel, and then a narrow canyon with a wild stream opened up in front of us. The water roared below us, and everywhere smelled of wet stones and needles. Along the way, we passed several waterfalls – the highest one, Lassingfall, is almost ninety meters high, and you hear it before you see it.
The path leads along wooden walkways and sometimes through rock tunnels, so there is no time to get bored. Occasionally, we stopped just to look back and realize how deep we had actually gotten. The views are great – gray rocks above, turquoise water below, and lots of greenery in between.
A few tips that worked for us
If you are planning the same trip, definitely set off early in the morning – Grüner See gets quite crowded, and it is not so quiet in the afternoon. In the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth having sturdy shoes, because it is slippery in places, and the wooden walkways get quite slippery after the rain. On the route, we came across a few small huts where you can have coffee or soup, but we preferred to have our own snack and water.
The lake is most beautiful in spring and early summer; in the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth waiting for stable weather – rain would probably quickly spoil the experience.
I was testing new travel gear, so I thought it would be nice to go somewhere further than just around the corner and thoroughly test the camping furniture purchased from http://i-market.cz, perhaps at a campsite by a lake or somewhere near waterfalls. I chose Austria - a country where I really enjoy camping.
Journey to Styria
The journey through Semmering was an experience in itself – mountain passes, endless tunnels, and at the end, fresh air and the scent of the forest.
We stayed near Tragöß, a small village, from where it is a few minutes by car to the lake. In the morning, we woke up to a quiet, misty valley, packed our backpacks, and set off towards Grüner See.
Grüner See – an emerald among the mountains
First impression? Peace and quiet. The lake lies between high rocks, and when the fog begins to dissipate in the morning, the water takes on an incredibly green color. There are dense forests and wooden benches all around, so you can sit comfortably and just look around.
The water is crystal clear and icy – around six degrees, so it's not for swimming, but a few people still dared to at least dip their feet. In the summer, the lake is at its fullest because it is fed by meltwater from the surrounding mountains. When we were there, the water level was a bit lower, but it was still worth it.
We walked around the entire pool – the journey takes about an hour if you are not in a hurry. Every few steps, the angle and light change, so photos from one place look completely different each time.
Moving to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Gorge
The next day, we moved to Lower Austria, about a two-hour drive from there, to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park. This area is completely different – deep canyons, waterfalls, and wooden walkways glued to the rocks. It is also called the "Austrian Grand Canyon," and that fits quite well.
We parked near the village of Wienerbruck and set off along the marked trail into the gorge. Right at the beginning, we went through a tunnel, and then a narrow canyon with a wild stream opened up in front of us. The water roared below us, and everywhere smelled of wet stones and needles. Along the way, we passed several waterfalls – the highest one, Lassingfall, is almost ninety meters high, and you hear it before you see it.
The path leads along wooden walkways and sometimes through rock tunnels, so there is no time to get bored. Occasionally, we stopped just to look back and realize how deep we had actually gotten. The views are great – gray rocks above, turquoise water below, and lots of greenery in between.
A few tips that worked for us
If you are planning the same trip, definitely set off early in the morning – Grüner See gets quite crowded, and it is not so quiet in the afternoon. In the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth having sturdy shoes, because it is slippery in places, and the wooden walkways get quite slippery after the rain. On the route, we came across a few small huts where you can have coffee or soup, but we preferred to have our own snack and water.
The lake is most beautiful in spring and early summer; in the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth waiting for stable weather – rain would probably quickly spoil the experience.
itinerary by Dadar
I was testing new travel gear, so I thought it would be nice to go somewhere further than just around the corner and thoroughly test the camping furniture purchased from http://i-market.cz, perhaps at a campsite by a lake or somewhere near waterfalls. I chose Austria - a country where I really enjoy camping.
Journey to Styria
The journey through Semmering was an experience in itself – mountain passes, endless tunnels, and at the end, fresh air and the scent of the forest.
We stayed near Tragöß, a small village, from where it is a few minutes by car to the lake. In the morning, we woke up to a quiet, misty valley, packed our backpacks, and set off towards Grüner See.
Grüner See – an emerald among the mountains
First impression? Peace and quiet. The lake lies between high rocks, and when the fog begins to dissipate in the morning, the water takes on an incredibly green color. There are dense forests and wooden benches all around, so you can sit comfortably and just look around.
The water is crystal clear and icy – around six degrees, so it's not for swimming, but a few people still dared to at least dip their feet. In the summer, the lake is at its fullest because it is fed by meltwater from the surrounding mountains. When we were there, the water level was a bit lower, but it was still worth it.
We walked around the entire pool – the journey takes about an hour if you are not in a hurry. Every few steps, the angle and light change, so photos from one place look completely different each time.
Moving to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Gorge
The next day, we moved to Lower Austria, about a two-hour drive from there, to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park. This area is completely different – deep canyons, waterfalls, and wooden walkways glued to the rocks. It is also called the "Austrian Grand Canyon," and that fits quite well.
We parked near the village of Wienerbruck and set off along the marked trail into the gorge. Right at the beginning, we went through a tunnel, and then a narrow canyon with a wild stream opened up in front of us. The water roared below us, and everywhere smelled of wet stones and needles. Along the way, we passed several waterfalls – the highest one, Lassingfall, is almost ninety meters high, and you hear it before you see it.
The path leads along wooden walkways and sometimes through rock tunnels, so there is no time to get bored. Occasionally, we stopped just to look back and realize how deep we had actually gotten. The views are great – gray rocks above, turquoise water below, and lots of greenery in between.
A few tips that worked for us
If you are planning the same trip, definitely set off early in the morning – Grüner See gets quite crowded, and it is not so quiet in the afternoon. In the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth having sturdy shoes, because it is slippery in places, and the wooden walkways get quite slippery after the rain. On the route, we came across a few small huts where you can have coffee or soup, but we preferred to have our own snack and water.
The lake is most beautiful in spring and early summer; in the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth waiting for stable weather – rain would probably quickly spoil the experience.
I was testing new travel gear, so I thought it would be nice to go somewhere further than just around the corner and thoroughly test the camping furniture purchased from http://i-market.cz, perhaps at a campsite by a lake or somewhere near waterfalls. I chose Austria - a country where I really enjoy camping.
Journey to Styria
The journey through Semmering was an experience in itself – mountain passes, endless tunnels, and at the end, fresh air and the scent of the forest.
We stayed near Tragöß, a small village, from where it is a few minutes by car to the lake. In the morning, we woke up to a quiet, misty valley, packed our backpacks, and set off towards Grüner See.
Grüner See – an emerald among the mountains
First impression? Peace and quiet. The lake lies between high rocks, and when the fog begins to dissipate in the morning, the water takes on an incredibly green color. There are dense forests and wooden benches all around, so you can sit comfortably and just look around.
The water is crystal clear and icy – around six degrees, so it's not for swimming, but a few people still dared to at least dip their feet. In the summer, the lake is at its fullest because it is fed by meltwater from the surrounding mountains. When we were there, the water level was a bit lower, but it was still worth it.
We walked around the entire pool – the journey takes about an hour if you are not in a hurry. Every few steps, the angle and light change, so photos from one place look completely different each time.
Moving to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Gorge
The next day, we moved to Lower Austria, about a two-hour drive from there, to the Ötscher-Tormäuer Nature Park. This area is completely different – deep canyons, waterfalls, and wooden walkways glued to the rocks. It is also called the "Austrian Grand Canyon," and that fits quite well.
We parked near the village of Wienerbruck and set off along the marked trail into the gorge. Right at the beginning, we went through a tunnel, and then a narrow canyon with a wild stream opened up in front of us. The water roared below us, and everywhere smelled of wet stones and needles. Along the way, we passed several waterfalls – the highest one, Lassingfall, is almost ninety meters high, and you hear it before you see it.
The path leads along wooden walkways and sometimes through rock tunnels, so there is no time to get bored. Occasionally, we stopped just to look back and realize how deep we had actually gotten. The views are great – gray rocks above, turquoise water below, and lots of greenery in between.
A few tips that worked for us
If you are planning the same trip, definitely set off early in the morning – Grüner See gets quite crowded, and it is not so quiet in the afternoon. In the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth having sturdy shoes, because it is slippery in places, and the wooden walkways get quite slippery after the rain. On the route, we came across a few small huts where you can have coffee or soup, but we preferred to have our own snack and water.
The lake is most beautiful in spring and early summer; in the gorge, on the other hand, it is worth waiting for stable weather – rain would probably quickly spoil the experience.
