Carynthia (Austria)

I stepped out of the Kaiserburg gondola. The soft humming of the lift mechanics faded as I hoisted up my skis and moved out towards the summit. Above me, the sun shone in a clear and utterly cloudless alpine sky, and around me, in all directions, the Alps were spread out in a massive and spectacular crown of distant rock and ice. I clicked on my skis and glided down onto the powdery summit. There wasn't a soul on the slopes. I skied across to the ...
...hours there, lost in a private reverie, transfixed by the sunshine, the speed and the solitude.

I ended up in a little mountain hut near the summit where I had an apple strudel and a sharp little schnapps. I sat out on the veranda with a bevy of suntanned, laughing Austrians, and we exchanged exclamations of wonder at the snow and the skiing and the splendour of it all. Finally, I skied down the face of the mountain, along the famous ... more

I stepped out of the Kaiserburg gondola. The soft humming of the lift mechanics faded as I hoisted up my skis and moved out towards the summit. Above me, the sun shone in a clear and utterly cloudless alpine sky, and around me, in all directions, the Alps were spread out in a massive and spectacular crown of distant rock and ice. I clicked on my skis and glided down onto the powdery summit. There wasn't a soul on the slopes. I skied across to the sheltered area beneath the Strohsack, and spent a couple of hours there, lost in a private reverie, transfixed by the sunshine, the speed and the solitude.

I ended up in a little mountain hut near the summit where I had an apple strudel and a sharp little schnapps. I sat out on the veranda with a bevy of suntanned, laughing Austrians, and we exchanged exclamations of wonder at the snow and the skiing and the splendour of it all. Finally, I skied down the face of the mountain, along the famous world cup trail, with the sun setting slowly behind the mountains. At the very base of the Kaiserburg, I simply stepped out of my skis and walked straight into the Roman baths, where my husband was waiting. And then we went for a swim, in the warm, bubbling, thermal waters…

Once, when I was a teenager, a French instructor at Chamonix told me that I skied 'like an Austrian'. It was almost certainly intended as an insult, but I took it as a compliment. The French ski well, with a sort of brutal efficiency, but the Austrians ski beautifully, tumbling over moguls nimbly and gracefully, like mountain goats leaping from crag to crag. More importantly, however, they have a relaxed and cheerful approach to the sport. Skiing isn't just an activity here, it is part of a much broader experience. It is precisely this that makes skiing in Austria such a pleasure, and in my opinion, Bad Kleinkircheim is one resort that exemplifies all that is wonderful about Austrian skiing.

LOCATED in the midst of the Carinthian Alps near Austria's southern border, the thermal baths at Bad Kleinkirchheim have a long history, even pre-dating roman times. Indeed, the earliest traces of human settlement in this part of Carinthia date from the Neolithic period (3500-1800BC). A Roman road (known locally as the "Römerweg") runs through the area. This is an ancient track cut deep into the rock and is one of the most important of the old routes leading from Italy into the eastern Alpine region. Whilst other thermal spas in Austria, such as that at Bad Ischgl, began to attract tourists as early as the 16th century, the village at Bad Kleinkirchheim grew very slowly, only really becoming known as a spa destination at the end of the 19th century, and as a ski resort later still. The village is situated about 40km north of the Italian and Slovenian borders, is approximately 30 minutes drive from Villach, and a little further from Klagenfurt.

THE RESORT: Bad Kleinkirchheim (frequently abbreviated to BKK) is perhaps best known for its most famous native, the Austrian downhill skiing legend Franz Klammer. However, despite being a resort of truly international standing, with a massive skiing area, reliable snow, a World Cup Event and those sublime thermal springs, BKK still remains perplexingly unfamiliar to most skiers outside of central Europe.

Like a lot of European ski-resorts, the village at Bad Kleinkirchheim is essentially built along a short portion of a much longer road that weaves and winds its way through a succession of valleys, along the foothills of the surrounding Alps. The village, which is in fact a confluence of four or five smaller villages, extends over approximately 5km, and as such, tends to feel a little larger than it actually is. The valley in which it is situated is very narrow, and mountains rise up steeply on either side.

Bad Kleinkirchheim is very nicely proportioned, with a reasonable distance between its various hotels, guesthouses and the like, and it has a spacious feel to it, in marked contrast to a lot of other, more over-developed resorts elsewhere. There are some very attractive converted farmhouses, many of which appear positively ancient, as well as a handful of rather grand, turn of the century hotels. Regardless of a building's age or style, however, a row of balconies appears to be a virtually compulsory feature in this part of Austria, and given the surrounding views, it is also a very welcome one. There are a couple of historically significant buildings in the village, including the church of St.Kathrein, which houses an ancient crypt dating from the fourteenth century, and the early gothic church of St.Oswald, which is older still, having been built in 1267, and boasting some very beautiful frescoes.

We were in BKK in mid-December, which is still very much off-season, and the resort was extremely quiet during our visit, at times almost eerily so. I'm sure there's a much livelier vibe from the 23rd of December onwards, when the remainder of the lifts officially open, and the village will presumably be very busy indeed during the World Cup event in January. Having said that, Bad Kleinkirchheim does seem to have a fairly calm, cosmopolitan atmosphere to it, and there certainly isn't a large selection of rowdy bars, heaving nightclubs, karaoke-dens, Irish-themed pubs or any other such après-ski staples. There are, however, a number of really charming alternatives, including a number of very lively 'Berghof's'.

Finally, Bad Kleinkirchheim may seem like an odd place to embark upon a spending spree, but there are a number of really lovely shops in the village, especially the Miklautz Antique shop, on Bacher Weg, which has an extraordinary selection of rare and unique early alpine furniture, as well as some beautiful artwork. If self-catering, there are two large and very well stocked supermarkets near the centre of the town, as well as a couple of extremely good bakeries. Ski-hire outlets can be found at various locations, including a large one at the bottom of the Kaiserburg.

SKI TERRAIN: Bad Kleinkirchheim's ski-terrain extends down from four principal summits: the Kaiserburg at 2055m, the Strohsack at 1904m, the Nockalm at 1870m and the Brunnach at 1901m. The Brunnach lift originates from St.Oswald, a small, satellite resort located about a five-minute drive from the centre of Bad Kleinkirchheim. In all, the resort boasts 100 km of ski-able terrain ranging from the exceptionally difficult to the most basic of nursery slopes. At both ends of the village there are a couple of short & sweet beginner's lifts. Almost immediately beside these, better skiers can ascend to the main terrain using one of the "feeder lifts" which will deposit them onto the higher slopes. In all, 29 lifts serve the resort's four main skiing areas. Closest to the village centre is the Strohsack, which is accessed by a quadruple chair and provides not only comfortable intermediate type skiing in the immediate vicinity, but also access to the more challenging Kaiserburg section. This includes the famous Franz Klammer Abfahrt, a breathtaking drop named after the legendary downhill racer. The slopes are all well groomed, but I imagine the Kaiserburg in particular would be very good for bumps later in the season.

My only real complaint is that the signage is inadequate at times, something one only tends to notice on an unfamiliar mountain. I almost got myself hopelessly lost on one occasion, having veered off course under conditions of poor visibility… I ended up on an old access trail near the forest leading towards an ancient little hunter's cottage. It was growing dark, and the lights of the town were twinkling in the valley below. There were undoubtedly various possibilities through the trees, and I'm rather partial to a spot of off-piste action, but not under these circumstances. It was only when I encountered a sign that read 'Middle Station Kaiserburg 1.5 hrs', on what must have been a summer walking trail, that I finally managed to find my way back.
The Nockalm and Brunnach areas were closed whilst we were there, due to a lack of skiers, as opposed to a lack of snow, so I wasn't able to experience them for myself, but a couple of locals told me that the Nockalm had some of the best skiing in the region.

THERMAL BATHS: Bad Kleinkirchheim rests above an ancient network of hot, thermal springs, which, like thermal springs everywhere, are reputed to have various miraculous medicinal benefits. It certainly struck me that these springs are as every bit as integral to the Bad Kleinkirchheim experience as the skiing itself. There are two baths in the village, the Römerbad or 'Roman Baths' situated at the base of the Kaiserburg, and the St.Kathrein Baths near the centre of the village. We only used the Römerbad, as it was more convenient, but I did have a look at the St.Kathrein, and the facilities at both appear to be very similar. Both offer saunas, beauty treatments, massage and feature large indoor pools that extend out into the snow. The water in both baths rests somewhere between 32 and 42 C.

The Römerbad's location, at the foot of the Kaiserburg, is nothing short of spectacular. It is possible to luxuriate in the warm, steaming waters, with snow on all sides, and watch the skiers come down the Franz Klammer Abfahrt. Inside, the baths are immaculately clean and well designed, the changing rooms are superb, and there is a lovely café/pizza restaurant for swimmers on a balcony overlooking the main pool. The tiling is all a vibrant turquoise, and the pool is an unconventionally curvaceous shape, with twisting edges, waterfalls, and a large, round whirlpool which is sporadically activated, and packs quite a punch. To the right, a water slide leads down into a passage in the dark, which conceals a row of dangling plastic strips. After passing through these, one emerges into the outdoor area of the pool. The air temperature may be -12C, but the deliciously warm water means that you scarcely notice.

Inside, during our visits at least, the pool seemed to be full of canoodling couples, simulating sex acts amidst the froth & bubbles… I'm not sure whether this sort of thing is de rigeur in Austria, but some of the individuals concerned, to put it politely, were of a rather advanced age. There weren't many children in evidence, other than a very small & buttery little German boy who was kicking a ball at the poolside with a great deal of panache, but we visited in the evenings, and children are certainly well catered for, with a shallow pool inside and a waterslide leading into the outside pool. As to the water's medicinal benefits, well, the jury's still out, as I don't really suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis or any of the ailments the water is said to cure. Having said that, after four days heavy skiing I didn't suffer from any muscular aches or pains whatsoever, and that may well have been due to those bracing evening baths. Entry to the baths costs 9Euro for a 3 hour evening session, and slightly more for a day pass. It is also possible to buy a combined Ski & Bath pass from the Ski Lift office.

FOOD/RESTAURANTS: Skiing is hungry work, and some of my favourite meals at BKK were those lunches I had on the slopes, particularly at the Maibrunnhütte, near the Strohsack summit. They do an exceptional selection of regional specialties, including four different types of dumpling, and an absolutely unforgettable gorgonzola Spätzle. Their desserts are sublime, especially the apple strudel, and a wonderful sweet dumpling served with vanilla sauce. There are obviously a number of restaurants in the resort, many of which are connected to hotels. Our favourite was the Berghof in St.Oswald, a restaurant and pizzeria in a large and superbly cosy old wooden farmhouse. There was a huge wood-burning stove, and cheery locals sat across the bar, drinking with the owners. The menu is extensive and varied, and also features several trout recipes and an array of game, which, along with potato-based dishes, features very prominently on most menus in the region.

It is perhaps worth mentioning that Austrians have a passionate and unashamed interest in shooting, hunting and fishing, and the (at times disturbing) evidence of this passion is to be found practically everywhere. Adolf Hitler, better known for genocide and pathological barbarity, was also notorious for his vegetarianism and animal-liberationist ways, and actually banned hunting in Austria when it became annexed to the Reich. This, I imagine, can only have been an unpopular move, as hunting seems to be a key component of aristocratic and rural Austrian culture. The coat-hooks in the Gasthof we stayed in had been fashioned from the hooves of deer, parted in the centre to accommodate two coats. A collection of antlers hung in the hall, each tagged with a dangling label outlining the time, date, and place of execution. Several restaurants displayed large fish tanks at their entrances, crammed full of the local specialty, rainbow trout, and reminiscent of those you sometimes see in Chinese restaurants, and virtually every bar, guesthouse or restaurant we entered had antlers or a stuffed woodland creature of some description on prominent display.

ACCOMADATION: There are 30 or more hotels falling into the 4 and 5 star category, and a large selection of self-catering apartments, as well as the ubiquitous Austrian bed and breakfast accommodation. There are certainly a number of bargains to be found in all of the above categories, largely due to BKK's relative obscurity, but the charming, bed and breakfast style Austrian 'Gasthöfe', many of which also offer half-board accommodation, definitely represent the best value for money. We stayed at the delightful 'Haus Sonnblick', located about a five-minute walk from the Kaiserburg gondola. It was ludicrously inexpensive, costing just 40Eu per double a night. We had a large, beautifully fitted and sunny room with a balcony overlooking the main slope. The breakfast was stupendous. Our hosts were very accommodating, advising us on the local restaurants and setting out a small plate of lovely, homemade biscuits in the lobby every evening. As we went out to ski in the mornings, their two blonde, unnervingly well-behaved little children could be seen playing quietly together in the lounge room at the front.

GETTING THERE: Although the nearest airport is at Klagenfurt, we travelled to Bad Kleinkirchheim via Ljubljana, in Slovenia. The trip from Ljubljana was delightfully scenic, took less than one and a half hours, and was on the Autobahn for most of the way. Easyjet fly to Ljubljana several times a week.

FINALLY…It's always nice to be rewarded for a calculated risk, and I'm very pleased about the one I took back in October, when, disregarding even my own advice, I booked our December ski-trip in Bad Kleinkirchheim. After all, in any normal season, resorts at this altitude rarely open until after Christmas… This, however, is no ordinary season, and Bad Kleinkirchheim, as I discovered, is no ordinary resort.

http://www.badkleinkirchheim.at/
http://www.easyjet.com/
http://www.haus-sonnblick.at/

 

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