Day 39 - From Steiermark into Kärnten
Sunday 3rd August 2014
After a memorable breakfast we bid farewell to Familie Rieder and get on the road.
Mick got a strange text on his phone just now. "Hi if this is Bobby just letting you know Nellie died. She was cremated Friday". We know we shouldn't but we really had to laugh. Commiserations to Bobby and Nellie, whoever the hell you are.
Just behind The Gasthof is Ochssattel, a beautiful low pass road that takes us into the next valley and the lovely ride down to Mariazell.
From there we continue south and west through Judenburg and over several low passes to our next destination, Hochosterwitz Castle.
Our first site of the castle is stunning. The citadel stands high and proud atop a conical hill. There are 14 gates in the fortifications as the walls climb up and around the hill. A defensive position par excellence. All through history Hochosterwitz Castle has never been conquered.
It's late afternoon when we arrive so we check out the opening times and enquire about camping nearby. We are directed to Langsee, a very popular swimming lake about 5km from the castle. It's time to break out the camping gear again.
It's a lovely site shaded by trees at a working farm. There's no restaurant but an honesty-box fridge stacked with beer. Later a young Austrian couple stroll over. They are going for pizza, and would we like some fetching. Oh yes please.
So with pizza and beer for supper we set up camp on lush grass beneath shady trees. It's very warm and for the first time camping on this trip there is no dew next morning.
After a memorable breakfast we bid farewell to Familie Rieder and get on the road.
Mick got a strange text on his phone just now. "Hi if this is Bobby just letting you know Nellie died. She was cremated Friday". We know we shouldn't but we really had to laugh. Commiserations to Bobby and Nellie, whoever the hell you are.
Just behind The Gasthof is Ochssattel, a beautiful low pass road that takes us into the next valley and the lovely ride down to Mariazell.
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| Fast bikes on Ochssattel |
From there we continue south and west through Judenburg and over several low passes to our next destination, Hochosterwitz Castle.
 |
| The mountains of Steirmark |
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| Fantastic roads in Karnten |
Our first site of the castle is stunning. The citadel stands high and proud atop a conical hill. There are 14 gates in the fortifications as the walls climb up and around the hill. A defensive position par excellence. All through history Hochosterwitz Castle has never been conquered.
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| First sighting of Hochosterwitz |
It's late afternoon when we arrive so we check out the opening times and enquire about camping nearby. We are directed to Langsee, a very popular swimming lake about 5km from the castle. It's time to break out the camping gear again.
It's a lovely site shaded by trees at a working farm. There's no restaurant but an honesty-box fridge stacked with beer. Later a young Austrian couple stroll over. They are going for pizza, and would we like some fetching. Oh yes please.
 |
| Great camping place |
So with pizza and beer for supper we set up camp on lush grass beneath shady trees. It's very warm and for the first time camping on this trip there is no dew next morning.
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