A bike tour on the Glockner Cycle Path R8
A bike tour that's fun, a bike tour that's beautiful.... thought to ourselves and asked the Obervellach-Reisseck tourist office where we could hire bikes and where we could find a cycle route for this project.
Bike rental system throughout Carinthia
We were told that there has been a bike rental system throughout Carinthia since this year. There are different bikes available at the rental stations. Whether normal city bikes, e-bikes or even e-mountain bikes for those who really want to get up high. There are also small bikes for children, tandem bikes or even trailers and child seats for the little ones. You can even hire the bikes at one station and return them at the next. A really great thing, in our opinion.
In our case, the nearest bike station was at the Penkerwirt in Penk, right on the main road - so you can't miss it.
We were greeted warmly there, the bikes were made ready for us and we were even helped to buckle up the children, for whom we were even given a trailer. So nothing could stand in the way of our family bike tour through the Möll Valley.
Of course, we also found out about the Glockner Cycle Path beforehand, so we knew roughly where the journey would take us. The Glockner Cycle Path R8 offers an approx. 80-kilometre, almost continuous, asphalted route. The starting point of the cycle path is in Heiligenblut, at the foot of the Grossglockner. It winds its way through the entire Mölltal valley down to Möllbrücke, where it merges seamlessly with the Drau cycle path.
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More InformationDuring the summer months, a cycle bus also runs through the Mölltal valley, taking people and their bikes from Möllbrücke to Heiligenblut or back. For example, you could take the bus to Heiligenblut in comfort and follow the cycle path down from the top. You can find more information about bus times and prices here:
Penk to Obervellach on the sunny side through the Mölltal valley
So we set off with our e-bikes. If nothing else, we thought - we're on vacation and we don't want to overdo it! Especially with the children in the trailer, the choice for an e-bike was quickly made.
The first part of the route led through Penk, Gappen and Gratschach. Three small and charming villages, surrounded by unspoiled nature, forest edges and small streams. From a distance, we caught a glimpse of Falkenstein Castle, directly below the Tauernbahn.
One section of the path runs alongside the main road. However, the cycle path is well separated and therefore safe to cycle on.
Passing beautiful family houses with well-tended gardens and large meadows that had just been mowed by the farmers, the cycle path first led us from Penk to Obervellach. You cycle through Obervellach directly across the historic main square of the village. There are small fashion stores, a cute café with a beautiful terrace, a village fountain and blooming flowers as far as the eye can see.
Obervellach to Flattach - cool breezes and beautiful summer meadows
Our tour continued from Obervellach in the direction of Flattach. We passed the entrance to the Groppenstein Gorge. There was also a small stand there where you can refresh and fortify yourself. The children were completely enthralled by the many cows grazing in the meadows. We also came across horses and ponies and even rabbits and kittens on our trip.
In Semslach, the cycle path changes from the south side to the so-called shady side. After crossing the Möll, you could already feel the difference in temperature, which was ideal on a hot and sunny day in June. The shade of the woods and the breeze provided the perfect cooling and a pleasant temperature for the onward journey.
The beautiful forests and meadows dotted with spring flowers were simply a feast for the eyes. When we arrived in Flattach, we also passed the entrance to the Raggaschlucht gorge. Once again, there was a small inn with a large garden and children's playground that invited us to linger.
But we hadn't had enough yet. Our destination for today was the Gössnitz reservoir in the municipality of Stall. So we kept pedaling to reach our destination.
The cycle path is really beautiful and meanders almost flatly through the valley. Thanks to our e-bikes, the small inclines that we encountered in between were of course no problem at all and we cycled upwards with ease.
Gössnitz reservoir - refreshment with a special view
And there it was, the lake and our destination for the day. There are 2 other places to stop for an ice cream or a snack around the lake. After a short break and some refreshments, we set off on the return journey. After all, it was 18 kilometers and almost 2 hours (with short breaks) in one direction.
Culinary delights at the Penker Wirt
Back at the rental station, the bikes were taken from us and locked up. As we were very hungry after 4 hours on our bikes and in the fresh air, we decided to eat at the Penkerwirt.
The large menu really does offer something for every taste. Whether it's Kaiserschmarren for the sweet tooth, salads, pasta dishes or traditional delicacies such as Wienerschnitzel - we could hardly make up our minds from the large selection. The food was served quickly and was not just a treat to look at.
All in all, it was simply a perfect day in the beautiful Mölltal valley and the Hohe Tauern National Park region.
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