Day 2: Mountain high with a reluctant walker

Day 2 of our Achensee holiday dawned bright and sunny. We all slept soundly and long, not waking until 8am, when this was the glorious sight I beheld from our balcony.

The mist was thining and, by the time we returned from breakfast, the heat of the day was starting to make itself felt. So we donned shirts and sun cream, along with walking boots, and decided to head up into the mountains, to make the most of a clear day.

First stop was the information centre, to get our Achensee holiday cards. Thus gives us the freedom of the various modes of public transport around Achensee: buses, boats, cable cars and little mountain railway. Tickets procured, we headed to the Pertisau landing stay to coach the next boat bound for Buchau, on the opposite side of the lake. Here's the boat in action:

We were taking only a short hop to Buchau, from where we would walk the 4.5 km, around the lakeside and then through Maurach, to the  Rofanseilbahn. Our estimations of time and distance do need reviewing now that we walk with a five year old. Particularly one who was already complaining, during the short stroll through Pertisau to the ferry landing, that she couldn't walk because her knees were too itchy.

Well, during that short walk to Maurach, she was hampered by a sore tummy, a hot bottom (!?) and sore legs, all of which made walking impossible; all symptoms of which disappeared when we found a playground.

We did finally drag her into Maurach, passing signs that we weren't the only UK travellers in this part of the world, en route.

Finally, after two shoulder rides from daddy and one from mummy, we arrived at the cable car, and we able to head up the mountain in comfort. 

Once up to the Mauritzalm, we had a brief opportunity to gaze longingly at the ring of peaks we weren't going to be able to climb (our reluctant walker was definitely not in summit bagging mood). 

Then we turned and went to the Efurte Hutt for lunch and valley views. This gave us a happier girl for the first time in a while. 

It was, however, the prospect of sausage and chips, rather than the glorious views, that cheered her up (albeit somewhat mutedly, it was not possible to drag a smile out of her). Here is he view that entranced us.

Returning back down the cable car after lunch, we took a more direct route home, catching the steam train from Maurach to Seespitz, then the boat back to Pertisau. The train definitely impressed Gaz more than El.