Longer Söll Walks
It is surprising how far you can get using a lift pass and the local buses. These longer walks are often several of the
medium walks put together, or sometimes longer walks in their own right. I have taken the bus to Kitzbuhel via St Johann
in Tyrol, and then walked to Schwarzee where I had a picnic lunch sitting by the side of the lake with views of the Hahnenkamm
and the Kitzbuhelerhorn.
I then walked on to Kirchberg. There, I caught the bus to Hopfgarten and took the lifts up to Hohe Salve. You could get
off the bus at the Brixen gondola, take the gondola up to HochBrixen, then walk from Hoch Brixen to Hoch Söll before walking
or getting the gondola down to Söll. For such a journey, you need to take a bus timetable with you to make sure you can
get back to the Söll Valley before the Brixen Valley lifts close for the night. You don`t want to miss the last lift and
be stuck in the wrong valley.
Some walks don`t actually involve a great amount of walking because of lifts and buses, but could take a full day from Söll.
You can even reach most of the destinations without any walking at all if you have a lift pass and make full use of the
buses.
Walks 33 & 34: Söll to Hintersteinersee and then on to Scheffau
Difficulty: Moderate
but Long
Duration: 3 - 4 hours
The Hintersteinersee is a beautiful, clear, natural mountain lake on a plateau above Scheffau. This walk provides views
over the Söll/Kufstein valley, and beautiful lake scenery along the shore line of the lake. The lake is so clear that you
can see the fish right up to the shore. You can also get to the lake by using the Kaiser Jet to Scheffau and then taking
the special taxi service that goes up to the lake from Scheffau.
Walk 35: Top of Going (Astberg) to top Hoch Söll via Route 11 and 11a
Difficulty: Moderate
but Very Long
Distance: 6 hours
This can only be done from mid July to October when the Going lift is open. This is an excellent long distance walk, but
the signposting was not too good in 2009 for the last part of the walk. A new alternative final stretch was created in 2009
(the old final section of the route is now 11a) but it was very unpleasant, whereas the old 11a section gives marvellous
views over the Brixen Valley. If you can find where 11a starts after Bodenalm, take that route and enjoy the views.
Walks 36-39: The Circuits and Half Circuits
Difficulty: Medium (but long in distance)
Distance: Varies
There are several circuits possible. You can make a full circuit from Söll to Itter to Hopfgarten to Westendorf and then
Brixen before getting the lift up to Hoch Brixen and walking from there to Hoch Söll. You would have to start early and
walk fast to do all of that in a day to catch the last lift down from HochSoll. A more practicable one would be a half circuit
using the gondolas to get to Hopfgarten via Hohe Salve, and then walking to Westendorf, where you have time to go up on
the Westendorf gondola, before walking on to Brixen where you take the lift up before walking on to Hoch Söll and then Söll.
Another half circuit is to walk to Hopfgarten via Itter and then get the lifts back up to Hohe Salve.
Walk 40: The Wilder-Kaiser Steig
Difficulty: Advanced
Distance: 12.6 miles (approx)
This is a long distance route along the Wilder Kaiser mountain range, but the walk here involves just the stretch from the
Kufstein road to Scheffau.
Walk 41: Söll to Ellmau and Going and on to Badesee
Difficulty: Medium
Distance: 8.25 miles / 14 kms
You can walk all the way along the valley to Going via Scheffau and Ellmau. This route avoids the car fumes of the main
road for virtually the whole way. You could then return on the Kaiserjet bus.
Walk 42: Söll to Westendorf
Difficulty: Medium
Distance: 5.6 miles / 8.9 kms
You can make this walk in either direction via HochSoll and Brixen using gondolas for parts of the route, or via Hohe Salve
and Hopfgarten also using gondolas for parts of the route, or walking all the way through Itter and Hopfgarten. You can
even reach Westendorf without any walking using gondolas and the bus. There are beautiful views whichever way you choose.
I like best the views between Westendorf and Brixen. The gondola at Westendorf is covered by the Söll lift pass, so you
can go up to the top in Westendorf for more views from a different perspective.
Walk 43: Scheffau to Hintersteinersee and on to Walleralm
Difficulty: A steady steepish walk up
Distance: 5.5 miles from Hintersteinersee and back; 13.5 miles all the way back to Söll.
Use walks 33 or 34 to reach Hintersteinersee, or use the free taxi from Scheffau. Then from the eastern end of the lake you can walk up to the Wilderkaisersteg
at Walleralm, and come back down to the western end of the lake – or vice versa.
Walk 44: Brixen to Kirchberg or Kirchberg to Brixen
Difficulty: Medium
Distance: 3.4 miles / 5.5 kms
You can walk to the well known ski resort of Kirchberg if you wish along the Brixen Valley from the Brixen Gondola.
Walk 45: Kirchberg to Schwarzee
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.6 miles / 4.11 kms
You can walk on from Kirchberg to Schwarzee, a lake with beautiful views up to the Kitzbuheler mountains.
Walk 46: Round the Lake at Schwarzee
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.9 miles / 3 kms
There is a very pleasant 3 kilometre walk around the perimeter of the lake, with plenty of seats to enjoy the views.
Walk 47: Schwarzee to Kitzbuhel
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.8 miles / 4.47 kms
You can even continue on to Kitzbuhel, if you time the buses accurately.
Walk 48: Brandstadl to Söll Direct
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 5.3 miles / 3.3 kms
5.3miles but too much tarmac and non-stop downhill.
Walk 49: Söll to Itter circular via Kraftalm
Difficulty:
Moderate
Distance:
12 miles
Walk 50: Niederau to Hopfgarten
Difficulty:
Easy
Distance:
6.25 miles