We have 4 or 5 nights in September to stay in the Zillertal area. We do plan to visit Ziller Am See, drive the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, and want to take cable cars up to scenic areas that would provide moderate hiking opportunities. (i.e. marked trails that aren't more than 5 miles and without severe elevation gain en route) We are not skiers or rock climbers. Would Mayrhofen be a good choice for all or part of that time? Any other towns that are centrailly located with this in mind? Just for the record, if anyone is familiar with Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, we'd enjoy a place that has a similar ambiance and convenient location!

Mayrhofen is your best bet.

From what you say- I would look into Mittersill. Sandra

Here's a wonderful B&B, Geastehaus Bergland, just outside of Mayrhofen in the village of Finkenberg. We stayed there last year in one of their apartments. Beautiful Views to the valley and the mountians beyond.

http://www.gaestehaus-bergland.at/en/start.html

Here's a link to our blog and the entry about our stay there.

http://gassawaysadventures.blogspot....s-snowing.html

Without an auto I would not recommend the above place.

This is found above the village of Finkenberg on a small steep roadway-
without the auto the village of Finkenberg below, while nice, has limited services and you must use a bus to get anywhere.

For less than mobile persons the walk back uphill from the closest bus stop to the pension can be very hard.

If driving- this is a narrow one way roadway - with high banking to one side and a severe drop on the other.
I have friends that live high above on this road - had the unfortunate time to meet a tourist there- these people so sfraid that they could not back up to a possible turn off a few meters behind them-
I do not know what they would have done when meeting the occasional cow on the road.

Mayrhofen has many nice and varied accomodation possibilities.

Their Penken and Ahorn lifts work in the summer allowing quick access to the high mountain walking trails.
On the Penken , you can easily walk across the summit areas to the penkenjoch- mountain huts for food , drink and sun lounges.
This easily walked with limited grading and great views. Probably some cows somewhere too.

Toward Ginzling - some walking trails with limited grading but generally more of a challenge to non regular hikers- still the village area is very nice - still with good walking - cows along the way- a narrow and beautiful valley.



The Ahorn also with similar opportunites.

A nice easy walk along the Ziller River through the valley- just about flat - walk as long as you wish - take the local train back to Mayrhofen.

All trails maintained and marked - valley or mountains

Note towns names

Zell am Ziller is found in the Ziller valley- no lake but the turn off point to make the route over the mountains to Krimml falls, Grossglockner and eventually to the town Zell am Zee -( this one on the lake.

As much as I like the Zillertal- the area by Zell am See is probaly a better base as you have limited time - the grossglockner deserves a day- some walking there too-
Lifts in Zell to take you above and nice walking by the lake.

Hi,

We also stayed at the Gaestehaus Bergland in Finkenberg. Yes, the road (maybe a 1/4 mile at most) that gets you there is narrow (almost 1 lane) and does has a steep drop off on the one side. Didn't really bother us but may bother some people. It's a beautiful place to stay with fantastic views.

If one of your priorities is to drive the Grossglockner, I agree that Zell am See may be a better place to stay. From Mayrhofen to the start of the Grossglockner, via the Gerlos Pass, is about a 2 hour drive. So that's 4 hours of driving (r/t) before adding the time that you'll spend driving (and stopping) along the Grossglockner.

An option could be to split your 4 or 5 nights betweeen the 2 locations. It could make sense since the drive between the 2 is very nice and they're not too far apart (less than 2 hours) where you'd lose too much of your day traveling between the 2.

If interested, we stayed at the Pension Alpenrose in Zell am See Sept. '09.

www.pension-alpenrose.com

Again, if interested, we have photo's of both places/area's at:

www.worldisround.com/articles/355538/index.html

www.worldisround.com/articles/355540/index.html

www.worldisround.com/articles/338868/index.html

Paul