12^Apr Sun
06:45

Dear buddies,

It is supposed to be a nice sunny Sunday! 

The hike is mostly easy. The system is rating it T4 but it is mostly T2, maybe a very short section T3. Not T4.

Let's go for a lovely hike together crossing a lovely corner of Salzburgerland! Theme of this hike will be water. Waterfalls and lakes, especially beautiful this time of the year, spring.

Starting from Golling-Abtenau Bahnhof, the hike begins gently through the village of Golling an der Salzach and crosses the Salzach River toward the impressive Gollinger Wasserfall. Shortly after the underpass, we turn right and reach Torren. At the intersection, we keep left and then right at the campsite. We then reach the entrance to the Golling Waterfall. Passing the Old Mill, we are already standing before the mighty waterfalls. The waterfall drops 75 meters in two tiers, with platforms offering close-up views and the roar of cascading water creating a dramatic experience. The path climbs steeply via switchbacks to the Rainbow Bridge, which spans the stream between the waterfalls. Further up, there is the Hexenkesselsteig (Witches' Cauldron Trail) and the spring cave from which the water emerges from the rock and plunges into the depths. We return along the same path to the campsite, where we turn right at the next intersection towards the Bluntautal Valley. 

From the waterfall, the trail continues 1.5–2 km toward the entrance of Bluntautal, passing farms and forest edges before entering the pristine 6 km alpine valley. The Bluntautal features the crystal-clear Torrener Ache, moss-covered boulders, steep limestone walls, and a calm, untouched atmosphere. About 3 km in, you reach the Bluntauseen, a pair of small lakes formed by groundwater resurgence in old gravel basins. The upper lake is larger and incredibly clear, often reflecting the surrounding mountains like a mirror, while the lower lake feels more intimate and enclosed by forest. The water here is so transparent that fish and submerged tree trunks are easily visible, and the colors shift from deep blue to bright turquoise depending on the light. 

Continuing further into the valley for another 1 to 1.5 kilometers, the landscape gradually becomes more rugged and alpine as you approach the final highlight, the Weiße Torren. These waterfalls are not a single drop but rather a series of powerful cascades emerging directly from the steep limestone walls of the Hoher Göll massif. Fed by melting snow and subterranean water systems, they are especially impressive in spring and early summer, when the volume of water is at its peak. The name “Weiße Torren,” meaning “white torrents,” reflects the foaming, milky appearance of the water as it crashes over rocks and spreads into multiple channels. The surrounding terrain here becomes slightly steeper, though still manageable, and the sound of the water echoes throughout the valley, reinforcing the sense of being deep within an alpine environment.

On the way back, a well-deserved break awaits at the traditional Gasthof Bärenwirt, beautifully located along the river at the entrance of the valley. This historic alpine inn has been welcoming hikers for generations and is known for its authentic Austrian cuisine, relaxed atmosphere and scenic outdoor seating while surrounded by forest and mountain views. It’s the perfect place to pause before continuing back towards Golling station.