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From 2026, our blog posts will be exclusively vegan! This means: we emphasise vegan-friendly places and refreshment stops to actively support vegan activities and vegan leisure tips. A family tour in a class of its own. The excursion to the Bluntau lakes and the Golling waterfalls is the perfect way to spend a really nice day. The entire route is a great way to spend a few hours. But if you want to do something a little shorter, simply opt for one of the two destinations.
I've heard about this fantastic tour so often and yet I've only just made it. This time I'm taking you to Golling an der Salzach. A wonderful excursion to the Bluntau lakes and the Golling waterfalls. Once you've seen this paradise, you'll realise how beautiful it actually is here in Austria.
Directions and parking facilities
By car
By car, take the A1 motorway in the direction of Salzburg. At the motorway junction Salzburg node Use the right-hand lane to follow the signs for E55 Direction A10/Italy/Slovenia/Graz/Villach to follow. Continue on the A10 motorway until you reach the Golling exit. You will now come to a roundabout where you take the fourth exit. After a short time, take a slight left and then turn right onto Wasserfallstraße. After about 1.5 kilometres you have reached your destination, the Bluntausee car park. This is where your fantastic journey to the Bluntausee lakes and the Gollinger waterfalls begins.
By public transport
The first stop is Salzburg railway station, which is also easy to reach by train. Here you have to change trains for the first time. Either take an IC train to Klagenfurt Hbf (25 minutes - 4 stops), or the S3 Schwarzach - St. Veit Bahnhof (37 minutes and 15 stops), which will take you to Golling Abtenau. Now comes the bad news, you still have a 2 kilometre walk to the starting point.
Parking facilities
The Bluntauseen car park offers plenty of space to park your car. However, there is a charge for parking here. Personally, I don't mind, especially when a 24-hour ticket only costs €7.
Directions and key data for the excursion to the Bluntau lakes and the Golling waterfalls
The Bluntau lakes
There's not too much to tell here. The path to the Bluntau lakes and around the lakes is a beautiful gravel path. Perfect for travelling with a pushchair. The route towards the Gollinger waterfalls is a little more varied. The first section is along a forest road. This leads you directly to a great forest path, which in my opinion is still wonderful for a pushchair. Stay on this path until you reach the start of the waterfalls. You don't need to worry about getting lost here either. I have rarely walked a tour that was so well signposted. Every few minutes, every junction and every passage that is a little confusing is marked with a sign and a time.
The Golling waterfalls
A narrow path now leads you over hill and dale to the top. After just 500 metres, you have already reached the lower waterfall. From here, it's all uphill, but don't panic - it's not too bad. Via the so-called witches' cave and the stairs to the witches' cauldron footbridge, the trail continues uphill for around 1.5 kilometres and almost 100 metres in altitude. You will encounter many small wooden steps and treads along the way. But the short climb is definitely worth it, and you should take a short break here and enjoy the view. The way back is quickly explained, as it is exactly the same route as the outward journey.
The direct access to the Golling waterfalls is also the end of the pram. Even if you are travelling with your dog, you should know that shortly after the lower waterfall there is a section over grating steps and a grating bridge. So think about whether this would be possible with your four-legged friend beforehand.
Key data
- ✅ Highest point around 600 m
- ✅ Distance 10 kilometres
- 240 metres in altitude
- ✅ 3 - 3.5 hours pure walking time
- ✅ No grazing cattle along the way
- ✅ Very varied
- Suitable for children
- Suitable for dogs
- ⚠️ cooling off in the Bluntau lakes is prohibited
- ⚠️ Sturdy footwear
- ⚠️ With a pushchair, only possible as far as the entrance to the Gollinger waterfalls
⚠️ ATTENTION: We expressly point out that we accept no liability for accidents or possibly closed trails. Before hiking, check the availability of the trail and reflect on your own fitness.
My summary of the trip to the Bluntau lakes and the Golling waterfalls
A really wonderful tour. Once again, Austria showed me how great it is. Just like in a picture book. It's a very leisurely route and ideal for a day trip with the family. The trip to the Bluntau lakes and the Golling waterfalls is also perfect for a great walk with the dog or to clear your head. I also really liked the fact that you don't have to complete the whole route. The car park is pretty much in the middle of the two destinations. This means that if 10 kilometres is too far or 3 hours too long for you, you can simply choose one of the two. For me, both the lakes and the waterfalls have a certain charm. These two places have deservedly made it into my top excursion destinations and I will be visiting them many times over the next few years. I can only warmly recommend this tour to get away from it all and enjoy the peace and quiet.
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