Photo: LRC Almtal

Salzkammergut Biker Pumptrack Scharnstein

Scharnstein im Almtal, Upper Austria

In recent weeks, the company ALLIANCE ASE from Kirchdorf an der Krems, commissioned by the Lauf-Rad-Club Pedalritter Almtal, built a pumptrack in Pürstermühle, in the area of the leisure facility on the Alm. A pumptrack is a circuit with waves and banked turns. The track is called a PUMPtrack because you don't have to pedal or push off. Speed is built up by pulling and pushing over hills and dips. This simultaneously and playfully trains strength, coordination, and endurance. To save costs, members of the LRC Almtal and the CAOS Crew have already helped with the construction for several hundred hours. For example, 117 tons of asphalt were applied by hand. The application of the humus layer and the sowing of the lawn were also done independently. At this point, a heartfelt thank you to all helpers who all volunteered their time for this project. Special thanks to the ladies who always provided us with snacks, coffee, and cake. We deliberately chose an asphalt facility because it is more durable, easier to maintain, and can be used more versatilely, meaning anything with wheels can ride here: bicycles, scooters, inline skates, skateboards, and even balance bikes. Furthermore, there are no rolling noises. The pumptrack facility in Scharnstein consists of two main areas: an all-round pumptrack with a children's/beginner's loop and a Jump Line. The children's loop is specially designed for toddlers and beginners to gain their first experiences. The all-round pumptrack offers a lot of fun for both teenagers and experienced riders. An optional turn-off to the Jump Line, consisting of three jumps in a row, provides additional thrill and makes the track very interesting, especially for professionals. It was important to us from the beginning to build a track for both the youngest and the professionals, which, according to initial feedback, we have succeeded in doing. Our pumptrack is already one of the best in Austria. Pumptracks not only encourage the joy of movement but also social cohesion in a community. The facility has already developed into a popular meeting point in the first few days, where people of different ages and backgrounds come together to have fun and make new friends. The costs for the facility amount to approx. 150,000 Euros. Since it is a Leader project, 60% of this will be covered by the state, federal government, and the EU. The rest must be financed by the LRC Almtal and the market town of Scharnstein with the help of sponsors, such as the local committee Scharnstein of the Traunsee-Almtal Tourism Association. A big thank you goes to all sponsors who made the implementation of this project possible for us. A lot has already been created in recent weeks, but there is still some work ahead of us. For example, the outer embankments still need to be greened, where a wild shrub hedge will then be planted. A fence will be erected as a separation from the cycle path. A waste collection box will be set up to keep the pumptrack clean. A drinking fountain will be installed on the facility to provide cooling on hot days. In addition, a container will be set up to store the necessary tools for maintaining the facility, as well as first aid supplies for minor injuries. The large sponsor board will then be placed on the container. We hope to complete all these works this year so that we can officially open the Salzkammergut Biker Pumptrack with a big celebration in autumn. The invitation will, of course, be published as soon as the date is set. How to get to Almtal (to Viechtwang or Scharnstein in Almtal): We recommend traveling by public transport! By train: from Wels train station with the Almtalbahn (line 153) in the direction of Grünau im Almtal to the Viechtwang stop; numerous connections from Wels train station to the main traffic trains on the Westbahn line in the direction of Linz or Salzburg (line 101) By bus: OÖVV bus line 533 Gmunden - Scharnstein - Grünau - Almsee; Viechtwang Museumstraße stop By Salzkammergut Shuttle Service Route 52 from Laakirchen to the Viechtwang/Almcamp Schatzlmühle train station stop, or from Vorchdorf with the Salzkammergut Shuttle Service Route 70, please call the Taxi Zentrale at 050-422 422 at least 1 hour in advance or order via the otaxi app. Arrival by bicycle: Coming from Wels or Linz on the R 4 Traunradweg or R6 Römerradweg, or from Gmunden R 4 Traunradweg or from Passau via Vöcklabruck and Schwanenstadt on the R 6 Römerradweg to Lambach, over the Traunkraftwerk Lambach and to Bad Wimsbach-Neydharting in the direction of Vorchdorf Einsiedling. Continue via the cycle connection briefly onto the R 13 Traunviertlerradweg to the R 11 Almtalradweg via Pettenbach to Viechtwang. After the train stop, cross the railway crossing and turn right before the Almbrücke in the direction of the sports field; the Pump Track is past the sports field. The cycle connection on the Traunvierteltour from Gmunden via St. Konrad and Scharnstein to Viechtwang is also easily possible. By car: Westautobahn A1: Vienna - Voralpenkreuz-A9 - exit Ried/Tr. - Voitsdorf - Pettenbach - Scharnstein Inntalautobahn A8 Passau - Wels - Voralpenkreuz A9 - Westautobahn A1: Munich - Salzburg - Regau - Gmunden - Scharnstein - Scharnstein - turn-off Viechtwang - Viechtwang stop or parking lot at the Scharnstein sports field Please only use the designated parking spaces and be considerate of private property! Thank you for your fairness! Please be considerate of private property, factory traffic, company exits, and railway premises. Thank you!