Kufstein to Bayreuther Hütte
To reach the start of today’s stage, we first needed to take a train and then a bus. Thankfully, we had bought our tickets the night before, so we were up early, collected our packed breakfast, and headed straight to the station. The train ran right on time, as expected, and we made the bus connection without any stress.
The bus ride to Aschau was beautiful, winding through the countryside and slowly drawing us back into the mountains. From there, we set off on foot, starting through forest and climbing steadily higher.
After a couple of hours, we arrived at the Annahalter Hut — and to our delight, it was open. It was only 11:15, but we hadn’t had any coffee yet, so we happily stopped for a break. Coffee, frankfurters, and a cheese board tasted especially good, and it felt like a real reward.
Just as we were finishing, Dermot and Heather arrived. They’d taken a later train and caught up with us again. We continued on together for the next section, which was relatively easy at first. After that, the path began climbing again, this time across grassy slopes and through bushes. This part felt like a real slog, and progress was slow, but eventually we reached a lake. We stopped there to rest and soak in the scenery.
From the lake, the route to the hut was mostly downhill, passing many cows, a farm, and then through forest before finally reaching the Bayreuther Hütte. We sat outside with a drink before heading to our room, which we shared with four others. Ric claimed the top bunk.
Supper was served at 6:15. I had spaghetti bolognese, Ric chose goulash, and we shared the meal with Dermot and Heather, chatting about the day before heading off to bed. Another full day on the Adlerweg complete.
Stage Notes
Route: Kufstein → Aschau (train & bus) → Bayreuther Hütte
Distance: ~12 km hiking
Ascent: ~850 m
Descent: minimal
Highlights: Coffee and cheese board at Annahalter Hut, alpine lake rest stop, cows and farm paths on the approach to the hut, evening meal with trail friends