Hiking down from Schafberg mountain

You may have never heard about Schafberg but maybe you‘ve seen this iconic photo spot at the top of this mountain.

Schafberg rises at the shore of Wolfgangssee („Lake Wolfgang“) in Austria and you can enjoy s breathtaking view over 3 lakes in the area.

I chose to take a cog railroad to get to the peak and then hiked down back into The Valley. It seems that quite a number of people chose the other way round but I’m not too good in hiking up a hill.

The cog railroad leaves every 20-30 minutes from St. Wolfgang, a little village at the bottom of the mountain. It’s quite easy to find. Just look for a long queue. Just in case, here's the Apple Map Link of the Schafbergbahn Station.

If you don’t book your tickets in advance, be prepared for a few hours waiting time. You can buy your tickets at the official web-site of the Schafberg cog railroad.

Once you board the cog, try to get a seat at the right side of the train so you can experience the beautiful views down into the valley The cog railroad is slow enough so you can get beautiful photos. Just refrain from picking flowers during the ride (Yes, it's that slow)

Once you arrive the summit station, you have to walk for another 10-15 minutes to reach the summit from where you can get the iconic view.

The chalet at the summet sells some snacks and drinks.

Now let’s get ready to hike down to St. Wolfgang. It will take roughly 3 hours.

Hiking down Schafberg Mountain, part 1

The first part of the hike down is the most beautiful one. You'll get to see and enjoy lots of breathtaking views and landscapes. The first half of part 1, let’s call it part 1a, is quite steep and you’ll hike mainly on grass.

The second part of the first part, so part 1b, is more flat and a welcome recovery from the steeper part. Man, I never thought that hiking down a mountain could be so strenuous. If you look closely, you'll even see the cog bringing up the next bunch of hikers to the top.

Now's a good time to take a rest.

Hiking down, part 2

The last hour of the hike is through the woods where you‘ll mostly walk on a steep gravel road. The small gravel makes it quite slippery. So make sure you wear appropriate shoes. I’ve seen more than one person slip on the way. They just wore sneakers!

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Photographing at Schafberg

During this hike You’ll experience lots of breathtaking landscapes and panoramic views. So bring your wide angle lens, e.g. the Moment Wide Lens I’ve reviewed here or use the ultra wide lens of your new iPhone 11.