Climbing the walls in Carinthia

We brought with us some expectations, but also an open mind. The plan was to manage the unpredictable April elements as best we could, but even though we were expecting April showers in abundance, we were not prepared for just how cold it would be.

At night the mercury plunged below zero, and during the day it just barely raised itself above freezing point. Snow peaked mountains on the Slovenian side forced us to stay at lower altitudes.

And this is how we decided upon a route that would take us into the hills around Diex.

Carinthia is blessed with a crisscrossing network of roads that provide beautiful and rideable routes regardless of rider ability, or meteorological goings on. While the big mountains that form the border with Slovenia have the glamour, the lower-altitude routes near Diex allow us to ride even on the cold, dreary days of spring.

As we hit the first climb of the day the road hits 10% almost straight away. It doesn’t let up either. We persevere through 10km of up, standing out of the saddle to power through the gradient. As we edge higher and higher, enjoying the views back the way we came from every switchback, the air thins and the treeline of the pines through which we ride hems us in ever closer.

At the summit we are greeted with amazing vistas. And then crystalline blue skies as we descend back to earth.

Free at last

The rain is persistent and we spend some downtime in the town of Sankt Kanzian am Klopeiner See. We are trapped inside and feel a little bit like caged animals. Listless and frustrated, we cannot wait to escape again.

Finally the weather comes good and we head into the high mountains. Pulling on layers, ready for the climbs ahead and for the low temperatures towards the ridge line. The peaks are still clothed in white in some places.

We ride to Bad Eisenkappel, then up to the Freibacher Stausee – a high mountain reservoir. We take a rest stop to sun ourselves on the banks. We’re blessed to have these spots to ourselves, especially given how popular the same lakes can be in the high summer. Now the cold keeps the tourists away, but the sun is warm on our backs and on our legs.

We ride through the Schadaisattel Valley, and up to a climb called Tschemerkogel. We found the surface too rough to carry on all the way to the top, but our disappointment was short-lived. Sometimes the detour is better than the route you had planned.

Our time in Carinthia is defined by the weather, the beautiful landscapes and the feeling of being alone (almost) in this beautiful mountain world. There is plenty to explore and we are determined to come back to see it all, and to conquer the Tschemerkogel with our true gravel bikes.

Our routes