Three best friends—now middle-aged—reunited for a special getaway, proving that even when you live just down the road from each other, true connection deserves its own time and space.

Last September, the three of us headed off on our annual weekend escape—something we've kept going since 2018. It all started after a tough year when we each lost our dads within twelve months of one another. Already close friends (we met over a decade ago working at KE), that shared grief brought us even closer and we've been besties ever since. After the usual chaotic Friday drive up to Northumberland, followed by a walk, some prosecco and the obligatory soak in the hot tub, we had a moment of clarity: two days just isn’t enough. We needed more time—not just for laughs and wine, but for the kind of connection that only comes from real, uninterrupted friendship. So, we decided to plan a week-long self-guided KE walking holiday for early summer in 2025.

We all love the great outdoors—Lucy’s big on climbing and wild swimming, Gemma’s a keen runner and cyclist and I’ve always been a fan of mountain walks and a good swim. That said, as my dogs aged (and let’s face it, so have I), those epic hikes gradually turned into gentle strolls through the park—at a pace best described as “drunken tortoise.” Needless to say conquering 5,000ft summits and strenuous multi-day 10 hour day hikes has lost some of its appeal. These days, less challenging walks, a fine glass of wine and a good book at sunset sounds far more tempting than constantly hauling ourselves up steep rocky slopes with creaky knees and questionable motivation.

So, a Grade 2 walking holiday it was. We settled on exploring Austria’s stunning Salzkammergut region—an easy choice, really, since walking in Austria had been on our wish list for years. The trip had everything: gentle trails framed by towering peaks, beautiful lakes (which were an absolute joy to swim in, warm and crystal clear), charming alpine towns, rich musical history and gorgeous, varied scenery around every corner. The itinerary was spot on—10 to 14 km of walking each day, with plenty of time for essential pauses: lakeside swims, generous slices of Apfelstrudel and soaking up that glorious late-June sunshine. It was the perfect blend of activity and indulgence.

The trip began in Salzburg, where catching the bus to our first stop—Abersee—was blissfully easy. The 150 goes straight from Salzburg busbahnhof (bus station) along the 158 towards Bad Ischl, stopping at Abersee. Just an hour later, (and a 15 minute walk) we arrived at the charming Seehotel Huber*, a traditional Alpine chalet-style hotel that instantly won us over. Family-run and full of character, it offered lovely rooms, a hearty breakfast, and—best of all—its very own private beach on the lake. Total win. We were especially glad to be spending two nights here at the start, giving us the perfect chance to ease into holiday mode (translation: unpack, unwind and immediately question why we all have such hectic lives all the time).

*dependent on availability, other hotels are used if this hotel is not available.

It was pretty hot while we were there—hovering around 28 to 30 degrees most days—which was a bit of a shock to the system after the UK's usual “mild with a chance of drizzle” forecast. Thankfully, most of our walking followed the lake’s shoreline, often shaded by trees or weaving through cool, dense woodland that was abundant with tall, whispering trees and wildflowers. Every so often, we’d pop out of the trees to be greeted by yet another jaw-dropping view—cue more photos, gasps and the occasional “OMG Austria is gorgeous” moments.

On our first days walking, we took the charming little ferry from Abersee to St. Wolfgang—a beautiful small town perfect for an iced Kaffee pit stop (and a bit of shopping of course). From there, we followed the path around Wolfgangsee lake for about 10km to the Mozart village of St Gilgen, before hopping back on the ferry to Abersee. The whole area is absolutely stunning. We loved the Austrian architecture and the Alpine chalets we passed on route made us feel like we’d stepped into a cozy postcard. There’s a warm, welcoming charm in the wooden balconies draped with vibrant flowers, the gentle scent of pine in the air and the timeless craftsmanship in every carved detail. Bonus: all the ferry rides were included in the trip, which Wolfgang (yes, that’s Wolfgang from Wolfgangsee) kindly handed out during our first evenings briefing.

The next day, we jumped back on the ferry to St. Wolfgang—which takes all of three minutes to cross. Blink, and you’re basically already docking. From there, we headed off on a scenic walk past the beautiful lake Schwarzensee en route to Strobl, before catching a 15-minute bus ride to the spa town of Bad Ischl—aka, the place with prosecco at breakfast (yes, really). Hot tip: if you’re up for a bit more adventure, definitely take the alternative descent route down from Schwarzensee that is mentioned in the app and route notes. It’s far more interesting than the usual trail—more "Indiana Jones" than "Sunday stroll." Just a heads-up: it’s not ideal if you’ve got vertigo. There are a few “gulp” moments with steep drops, but thankfully there are cables to hold on to and give you that “I'm totally fine, this is fun!” confidence.

Bad Ischl has a more modern feel, and the hotel was a treat—air-conditioned rooms, gorgeous riverside views and did we mention the prosecco tap at breakfast? Peak luxury. Our well-deserved rest day (Day 4 in the itinerary) involved a cable car ride to the top of Katrin Klettersteig summit—absolutely worth it for the views and the smug feeling of being on top of a mountain without actually climbing it (not ideally done in flip flops mind). We rewarded ourselves with homemade Austrian cakes and a few riverside Aperol Spritzes. There is also the Eurotherme spa in Bad Ischl which was the perfect place to soak our slightly overconfident legs and pretend we were still active while actually just floating like spa-dwelling goddesses.

After Bad Ischl, our next walk took us along the river and up into the hills on a lovely wooded walk before descending down through delightful meadows to Bad Goseirn, another charming little gem surrounded by alpine beauty. Our hotel here was a winner and we were greeted by George, the owner, who welcomed us with open arms, a warm smile and a few impressively terrible (but endearing) English jokes. This hotel was great. Large rooms (of which we again got to share together), it was delightfully cool and it had its own restaurant with some great traditional Austrian food which was De-licious! I’d love to return to this hotel in the winter, I imagine it really would be a magical winter wonderland.

The next day it was off to visit the postcard-perfect UNESCO village of Hallstatt. Whether you’re into serene lakeside beauty or don’t mind a bit of hustle that comes with UNESCO fame, Hallstatt is absolutely worth the stop. The town is bursting with charm—steep-sided buildings, wooden balconies and traditional alpine décor that looks like it was plucked straight from a snow globe. You can easily spend hours just wandering the narrow streets, soaking in the architecture, or, if you’re feeling brave, take the slightly sketchy (but oddly entertaining) funicular up the mountain to the salt mines and the famous skywalk. Note: one-way ticket is included in the trip. The view from the top? Outrageous. The Apfelstrudel up there? Even more outrageous—hands down the best of the week.

After the requisite Instagram photos and “don’t-look-down” moments on the skywalk, we descended and caught the train back to Bad Goseirn for the night before heading back to Abersee the next day. We were pleased to be returning for a final day to the Seehotel Huber which had captured our hearts on arrival. The Wolfgangsee area is such a stunning place and the aqua green colour of the lake is like somewhere you would find in the Philippines. The whole adventure was fantastic but our stay in Abersee definitely tipped our No.1 favourite place during this trip.

It only took an hour to return to Salzburg at the end of the trip, where we extended our stay to explore the city….and thank goodness we did. Salzburg is stunning there are really no words to describe it. We stayed in the old town and casually explored on foot, drank wine, visited historic buildings including Mozarts birthplace and residence, googled at the old castle/fort that towers over the city, walked the beautiful bridges and treated ourselves to an evening filled with classical music in an underground cave. Needless to say, staying an extra night here was so worth it.

So, how can I sum up this trip in three words? Peaceful, active, picture-postcard. The walks; Scenic, steady-going and varied and the time with my besties; Memorable, giggles and togetherness.

Tav travelled with her KE colleague Gemma and friend Lucy on KE’s Walking Austria’s Salzkammergut self-guided holiday, which is an 8 day, grade 2 leisurely walking holiday.