I have only the best memories of Totes Gebirge. At the age of twenty-one, I went skiing here with my friend Jolana and her boyfriend at the time - the mountain guide - Hannes. I stood on skis for the first time since the seventh grade - and alpine skis at that. Hannes and Jolana taught me in front of the mountain hut in one afternoon how to find buried avalanche beeps with the help of a probe, how to avoid avalanche terrain. After a few initial somersaults, we had a great time on the hikes and cooked alpine dumplings in the evening.
Looking at the map, Verunka and I fell on Altaussee in the Totes Gebirge, and after a short conversation it was clear that we wanted to see it too. We will not name the campsite this time, because we promised it to the owner, who is worried about demand exceeding supply and would like to defend the right to rest for regular visitors (it's a good sign). But I think that if you show a little curiosity, you can easily crack this puzzle.
Our campsite offers monumental views in all directions. In addition to the panorama of the snow-covered Dachstein, there are also smaller hills and several other mountains. In the middle of it all is a meadow with a couple of cute buildings lined with wood. The campsite is located on the signpost of hiking trails that lead to the discovery of the local natural wealth. The nearby town of Altaussee, located on the shore of the lake, can be reached by a forest path with a view of the mountain pasture.
If you don't mind respecting some quite strict camp rules and you are believers of quiet evenings without loud audio production (like us), you and your children will like it very much here. But look for activities for children in the surrounding countryside and on trips - count on an active vacation here. Pack (electric) bikes, paddle boards and complete equipment for hiking, possibly also for ferratas (seats, carabiners, helmets and quality hiking boots for the mountains).
About the camp
The campsite we chose near Altaussee has almost 30 years of history. It is well maintained, cozy and everything important is remembered here. There are also a few pleasant surprises, such as the possibility to buy local farm products in season, to borrow a nice book in Germany, or to plan a trip in a place where there are various maps and recommendations. The camp is run by the descendants of the founders and they approach it very responsibly. They like rules and routines here and do things properly and professionally. Each flower is nicely trimmed, the emphasis is on aesthetics, simple but high-quality design that will last for decades to come. We communicated in German and English. The owners of the campsite believe that the future belongs to small, ordinary campsites with “the spirit of place. This is also the reason why the place is protected from raids by noisy groups and rich people from all over the world, which is nice to us.
The approach is absolutely no problem, just don't speed too much on the approach road, because it is wide enough for one and a half cars, and in case of avoiding two sets, one has to stop in time at the avoiding place. Don't go out without a reservation, it's usually quite busy.
Our children absolutely loved it here, even though there are no swings right in the campsite and they had to behave a step more politely than when they frolic in our garden :) Unfortunately, bad news for dog lovers that they are not allowed here, as well as larger groups.
I will dwell a little on local specifics. You will often meet locals in appropriate costumes, always nicely dressed. The environment is similarly beautiful. Crates of geraniums outside the windows, great attention is paid to every bit of the environment.
We met a large number of friendly, educated, cheerful and open-minded people here, even among the locals - across all age categories. We also encountered somewhat embarrassed looks here, who didn't know where to look when they found out that we were Czechs. Sigmund Freud, who spent a lot of free time here between the wars, or Arnold Schwarzenegger, who moved from a small Austrian town to California, could well describe what was going on in some people's heads here. Or Elfriede Jelinek, who, using the method of a continuous stream of votes and counter-votes, captured the inner state of (not only) the local villagers in the best possible way and received the Nobel Prize for Literature for it. Anyway, wariness of foreigners is evident here and there, and it's up to us to make connections with people who care. And it will help to show courtesy and insight towards others.
Camping equipment
Each traveler has a spacious numbered station at his disposal. Upon arrival, we were given the opportunity to choose one of the five free plots.
All plots are spacious and nicely marked. Each plot has a large grass area and at the same time a slightly paved area. Most pitches are almost perfectly level, you only need to support one wheel here and there for a caravan or two for vans. The paths in the camp are gravel, so they go well with the surrounding rocky peaks. Electrical connections at 6A are available at most sites.
A bit unconventionally, the use of air conditioners is prohibited in the camp due to noise, so amps will be more than enough. On the other hand, mountain air and pleasant temperatures do not give many reasons for air conditioning. There is strong WiFi.
We carried excellent drinking water to the caravan in canisters from the place designated for it. Again, every detail is thought of, so it's comfortable. The owners of the camp pay a lot of attention to waste sorting and the general topic of relaxation, peace and sustainability.
Camping grounds
The sanitary equipment of the camp we visited is of high quality, functional and durable. There are enough toilets and very nice showers, it is customary to let them air out, or even wipe them down with a squeegee and they still look like new. Cleaning takes place at regular intervals. Nothing is ever missing. Everything works.
There is, of course, a place for washing dishes available to all visitors, as well as a nice ramp for emptying gray water and changing fluids in the toilet. There are also several bulletin boards and information panels.
For breakfast, you can order pastries from the local bakery the night before. It's definitely not cheap, but if you know what you're ordering (because it's about 20 lines of products in NJ), the pastries are absolutely perfect. And if not, in the words of the owner - you may just be pleasantly surprised. To be honest, at home we wouldn't even think of giving a walnut snail for 70 crowns, but it was the second best walnut snail in his life for Kubík, right after what Veronika's mother made.
Activities for children
A joyous aesthetic experience for children is already a walking path to the camp along the pasture. Rarely do both of our boys look enchanted and jump with joy just because of how nice it is somewhere. Here it happened again. However, take into account that if you find the same campsite as us, there are no swimming pools, slides inside this time, and even the barbecue will have to take place quietly without fuss.
There is a perfect playground in Altaussee by the steamboat pier with several play elements that won their hearts. Above all, something between a merry-go-round and a swing. I don't know how happy the European Union is about the implementation, because this playground does not meet any standards, but then again, the boys played astronauts here at every opportunity.
After a really good snack, we went on a mountain hike or circuit every day, returned to camp for an hour to rest in the early afternoon, and then went paddle boarding on the Altaussee, which I highly recommend if the weather is sunny and windless, if you pack life jackets for the children.
The most beautiful trips and tips in the area
Lookout tower Tressenstein
A wooded hill rises above Lake Altaussee. At its top is the four-story wooden Tressenstein observation tower with a nice view of the surroundings.
We went here on the first day after our arrival to look around and plan further trips.
Altaussee
Lake Altaussee is surrounded by an eight-kilometer gravel path for pedestrians. Cyclists only get to about half the length of the route. The lake is crystal clear, from the shore you can observe schools of fish in many places, including nice cats. Mountain massifs can be seen from all sides, including the Dachstein in the distance.
Most of the path is shaded by trees. Including the trip from the campsite, it is a half-day trip, and you can return here with paddleboards, or rent a boat or take a cruise without steam.
Peak Loser 1838m n.m.
It's not what it seems. This rocky peak is definitely not for losers.
If you want to get fit and you have older children, you can walk all over Loser. We drove with the children through the toll gate through the serpenites to the Loserhütte, then to the top of the Hochanger (1837) and finally over the pass to the Loser.
We made our way to the saddle and back down to the car. To be honest, it was enough for all of us for the morning and then we went to repeat the swimming and paddleboarding in the middle of the Altaussee lake.
Culinary tips
We have a few proven tips for experiences for your taste buds. We really enjoyed it here.
Cafe Bäckerei Konditorei Maislinger – Altaussee (they also have branches elsewhere in the area)
Excellent breakfast, unforgettable pastries, excellent cakes for the afternoon, for example something like punch cake with rum for dad and chocolate cake for sons. It also offers a delivery service. https://www.keltenbrot.at/
Eissalon Temmel – Bad Aussee
Ischler Str. 57, 8990 Bad Aussee, Rakousko
They serve good portions of very good ice cream here and the ice cream man was friendly and a very nice and hardworking guy. But this is an extraordinary ice cream with a story. The owner of this ice cream business, Mr. Charly Temmel, is a good friend of another Austrian, Arnold Schwarzenegger. In addition to several branches of his ice cream shop here and in California, he also runs Arnold's restaurant Schatzi on Main (Sweetheart) in the USA. The key to success for great ice cream is Arnold's: "Early, early to rise, work your ass off and advertise". There's only one thing to say about that - "We will be back!"
With a proud ice cream man - a member of Charly Temmel's team:
Who is the muscular man next to Charly Temmel?
s´Gricht
After a hard trip, you can also come here for a good piece of meat in a bun, if you pay tribute to the American type of snack in a high-quality version made from local ingredients. The owner and the staff are very nice people. They have Guinness on tap and, in addition to nutritious burgers, they also have excellent salads and fries. There is a pleasant seating area inside and also a few tables outside. It is possible to park in several places in the backyard of the restaurant, the entrance is unusually next to the Penny market, but don't be alarmed, it's just next door.
That's meat, cheese and double extra cheese in a bun:
Homemade mayo, a double portion of meat and a mountain of fresh vegetables in a sesame bun:
Some of us simply won't wait for any photos, that's a fortress!
Here with the owner of the business, s´Gricht (right) and his colleague (left). They are both very nice guys, just look and the boss even knows about a dozen words in Czech.
Pizzeria Sigis Pub - Unterach am Attersee
Apparently, this pizzeria was created in honor of Sigmund Freud, who spent a lot of time in the area. Most evenings, we cook healthy meals ourselves in the caravan from fresh ingredients, but we don't offend the children with pizza. If you are in the same situation, go for psychoanalysis and try the local pizza. Just count on a roughly 45-minute detour.