Seefeld is Austria’s premier resort for cross-country skiing. The sport is great fun and if you’re afraid of heights there are no lifts and cable cars to contend with, so just about anyone can take part.
This week, I bravely ventured out alone, away from the safe confines of ski school. I took the regional yellow bus that departs next to the train station and headed to the neighbouring village of Leutasch, one of the Olympia Region villages.
I was armed with my rucksack full of everything I thought I needed for my adventure. Sun glasses, sun cream, water, a snack, gloves, and a spare layer of clothing to name but a few – I was a girl guide so I always go prepared!
The bus took only 15 minutes to reach my destination and I disembarked at Weidach Zum See. After crossing the road and checking the bus timetable for the best bus back, I walked along the road for 10 minutes to the A7, a blue cross country track suitable for classic and skating styles of cross-country.
I donned my ski’s and set off on my way. This area is beautiful. As a plateau between the striking Wetterstein Mountains it doesn’t matter which way you turn, there is always stunning scenery to look at.
The A7 is relatively flat and straightforward. It was fairly busy, but I did not let this bother me, I just took my time and let anyone that wanted to overtake me do so.
The whole track is 4.5km, but I did a small loop in the middle again, which brought my total distance to 5.5km. The A7 runs directly into the A9 which is a further 13km long. I did not quite feel ready for that, but maybe next time!
Instead, I took in the scenery and stopped at Poli’s Hutte. Featured as stop number 42 on the map, it’s a great spot for some sun worshipping!
I carried on my way and found the afternoon to be really exhilarating. It felt like a massive accomplishment to go cross-country skiing solo!