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By Don Miller, Staff Writer December 2006
Soaring over Lake Hallstattersee and the picturesque lakeside vill Somehow the Germany part got lost in translation and we did arrive in Ramsau-----Austria. This presented somewhat of a dilemma since our German hosts specifically requested we arrive early Saturday afternoon so they could show us our rooms and then take the rest of the day off. Our primary concern was not inconveniencing our hosts and being inconsiderate Americans. Fortunately our guides came to the rescue promising to deliver us to the correct Ramsau. Due to our right city, wrong country debacle, we arrived at our guesthouse several hours late. It was already dark, raining heavily, everyone was starving and tempers were beginning to flare. Nothing looks promising under those circumstances and we were beginning to question the wisdom of visiting this area. Our arrival had the potential to be an unmitigated disaster. Unbelievably as we drove up to Gastholf Woerndlhof our hosts were standing outside at attention as though we were right on time and we were greeted like royalty. Even though their kitchen had been closed for hours, they implored their cook to stay and prepare a massive meal of spaghetti for us. Then they apologized for not having other choices of food available. It was amazing. We arrived late, interfered with their few free hours, disrupted their kitchen and they apologized. These details are mentioned because they are representative of the incredible service and attention Wolfgang Bartels and his family provide for their guests. We love off-the-beaten-path destinations. When we had read about Berchtesgaden National Park, located in the After an intensive internet search, we elected to stay at the Gasthof Woerndlhof. Selecting your lodging on the internet always gives us a sense of anticipation and trepidation. We hit the accommodation jackpot. We had a mountain for a backyard and lake Hintersee in the front yard. The rooms were spacious, the beds comfortable and we had en suite bathrooms. The guesthouse is located about four miles west of Ramsau at the end of the bus line. Nightlife is non-existent so the family/game room was appreciated and well utilized. After a day of strenuous activity, we would eat dinner and then play cards or games, sip wine, talk and enjoy quality family time. For those with young children, they had an excellent playground.
Breakfast was included in the cost and would typically have lots of meats, cheese, yogurt, jams and jellies, eggs, cereals, breads, fruits and drink. Interestingly, the Bartels would notice what we liked or disliked. The next morning there would be less of what we did not eat the previous day or more of what they perceived we enjoyed. There was constant attention to our needs and preferences. Dinner was also available and featured lots of fresh fish as well as traditional German dishes. Weather permitting we could eat outside and Wolfgang would frequently sit down to converse with us and practice his English. We learned he was a medalist in the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. The entire area is a mecca for those who love the outdoors. Everywhere you look is another breathtaking view. Hiking paths run in all directions. Most trails will lead you through a combination of meadows, dense forests and alpine streams while mountains always loom overhead. The closest hike from the Hintersee (by our guesthouse) goes straight to Ramsau The more serious hikers can take advantage of the numerous (16) Alpine Huttes scattered throughout the park. Most offer a spartan place to sleep and nutritious food at a reasonable cost. You may need to provide your own sleeping bag. Reservations are not usually necessary but summer weekends and June and July may be crowded. Maps of trails and mountain huts are available at the tourist offices in Ramsau and Berchtesgaden Monday through Saturday. I have not been able to find a web site with information about the mountain huts but the Let's Go Germany travel guide available at book stores lists telephone numbers. Bikes can be rented in Berchtesgaden or Ramsau at Sport M and R Brandner. Their hours are 9 to 12, 2 to 6 during the week and 9 to noon on Saturday. No rentals on Sunday. Cost will be between 10 to 20 Euros daily depending on the bike. Even for the biker of limited conditioning and experience, this would be a fabulous place to ride because of the diversity and incredible number of trails. The one required tourist attraction in Ramsau is the 16th century Pfarrkirche (parish church). This is not some giant cathedral like you see throughout Europe but simply a country church set in a p Those wishing to participate in more vigorous or diverse outdoor activities might consider contacting the Outdoor Club. Their web site is mostly in German so you have to surmise the available activities from the pictures and then e-mail them. They do appear to offer canyoning, white water rafting, a high ropes course, zip line, climbing wall, hot air ballooning, archery, bike rentals and paragliding. We worked with Thomas Horn who bent over backwards to be helpful. The Outdoor Club has several locations for different sports throughout the area but sometimes we felt they had difficulty coordinating times and locations. But in all fairness, part of that may have been due to language difficulties and the fact that we wanted to go hot air ballooning which is very weather dependent. Our family would highly recommend the guesthouse in which we stayed as well as Berchtesgaden National Park. Outdoor activities are so numerous we barely scratched the surface. We would love to try the mountain huts for a few days. You are also so close to the Eagles Nest (Hitler's Mountain Retreat), Neuschwanstein (Mad Ludwig's Castle of Disney fame) and Salzburg, Austria you can combine several worthwhile destinations into a single trip.
**All Photos by Donald Miller If you goOutdoor ClubTelephone (0 86 52) 97 76-0 Fax (0 86 52) 97 76-15 Gasthof Woerndlhof Am See 21 83486 Ramsau, Germany Telephone 49-8657-3 73 Fax 49-8657-7 64
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age of Hallstatt, Austria, completely surrounded by towering mountain peaks, we slowly floated toward earth in our tandem parachute. Our guides had done their utmost to provide a scenic paragliding adventure, give us an adrenaline rush and yet land us safely. Additionally, they graciously volunteered to drive us to our next destination of Ramsau, Germany about one and a half hours away.
extreme southeastern corner of Germany two hours south of Munich and just southwest of Salzburg, Austria, it was advertised as a pedestrian park. Hiking trails take precedence over all other activities due to the limited impact on the environment. No vehicular traffic is allowed inside the park unless providing supplies and services to the remote system of mountain huts. The villages of Ramsau, Berchtesgaden and Schonau border the park and provide all essential tourist services. Berchtesgaden can be reached by bus and train and it offers bus connections to Ramsau and Schonau. Car rental is also available. 
and takes about an hour. We were a bit more ambitious and spent the entire day walking to the eastern extremity of the park to reach Lake Konigsee. Konigsee is a huge lake compared to the Hintersee. The tiny town of Schonau is located at the northern point of the lake and is a popular tourist attraction with a host of restaurants and boat rides. Once you get away from the town within a few minutes you are almost alone.
astoral setting. Every travel magazine that writes about this area always includes a picture of the church.