We spent our summer vacation 2020 this time in Maishofen at the Zeller See. Among other things, we took a trip by cable car to the Schmittenhöhe and a family hike to the Stablbergalm. On the other hand, the circumnavigation of the Zeller See on foot and with a buggy was comparatively spontaneous: I wanted to take the child for a nap and in this context I decided that one could also hike around the lake. This was not only possible without any problems – it also became a nice adventure for the family, which finally ended in the Maishofen lido. But one thing at a time.
Unserstanding the shores of Zeller See
Whoever takes a vacation at the Zeller See and/or wants to go around it, should understand the unspoken law that the lake is segmented into different parts. And these are:
- The family-friendly north: The north shore of the Zeller See is characterized above all by a large camping site, in whose environment there is the appropriate infrastructure. This includes the possibility to rent a pedal boat or a sailboat as well as a nice restaurant right next to the campsite, with clean toilets and good food at acceptable prices. In addition, there is the Maishofen lido, which is free of charge for guests of Maishofen.
- The commercial west: The west shore is mainly taken up by the village of Zell am See per se. There is also a lido here, including a slide, swimming pool and access to the lake. There is also an ice cream store near the beach, but the quality is poor and the service is unfriendly. There is also a casino, and excursion boats leave here.
- The varied south: The south shore of the lake offers a lot of variety. On the one hand, there is a quite large residential area, through which the access to the lake is blocked, but on the other hand there is also a very nice nature reserve. And there is also another camping site.
- The blocked east: The east of the lake is mostly blocked with houses of people who like to live at the lakeshore or want to spend their vacations there regularly. It is practical that you can stock up on provisions in the Nah & Frisch, which is located along the road. There is also another lido.
The hiking route around Zeller See
The Zeller See has a coastline of about 12 kilometers, with almost no gradient. So if you’re quick on your feet, you can expect to spend just under three hours circling the lake. Those who take breaks – and that’s a good idea both alone and with children – need correspondingly longer.
Our route led us from the northern shore of the lake once around the lake in an anti-clockwise direction, and in doing so we certainly passed through all the regions described above. If you don’t have any provisions, you can stock up on snacks or go out to eat in Zell am See – or you can do it like we did and buy a roll at Nah & Frisch on the east shore. You can always take a break at the benches of the lake or in the lido. The only unappealing part of the route is the eastern shore, where the route leads along a busy road for some time. However, if you are not using a baby carriage and are therefore more mobile, you can switch to a higher path away from the shore.
Hiking around Zeller See with a stroller
As already mentioned, the route has hardly any gradient and is largely asphalted – except in the nature reserve, where there is a gravel path. This is also easy with Buggy.
As mentioned at the beginning, the route is quite suitable for driving the child to sleep – in my case the little one fell asleep shortly before Zell am See and woke up in the southern residential area. If this were not the case, she would probably have seen many exciting things (dogs, bikes) in Zell am See. But the nature reserve was also quite a nice route to drive through, and on the eastern shore she could be busy with snacks.
The really great thing for the kids (and also the adults) is that you can stop and stretch your feet in the water in between. And that you can take a break in one of the numerous lidos, or let the day come to an end.