Thinking about taking your next vacation in Europe? Visiting the beautiful country of Austria is a definite must! The exceptionally gorgeous mountains, the outdoor adventure opportunities, the small and charming villages, the friendly people, and the cuisine are just a few of the top reasons why everyone should visit Austria at least once in their lifetime.
Austria
The Republic of Austria is a landlocked country located in East Central Europe. Austria’s capital is Vienna, the largest city and one of the 9 states that make up this beautiful country. Vienna has boasting rights, as this city has been acknowledged as one that offers the best quality of life 8 times in a row. The reason for this acknowledgment is because the city has a low crime rate, clean air to breathe, affordable rent, and an excitingly rich culture that makes living life fun.
When visiting Austria, seeing the Historical Brine Pipeline Trail is a must! It’s located in between Hallstatt and Ebensee, and still to this day transports saltwater for the purpose of salt extraction.
The Brine Pipeline Trail in Austria
Built in 1595, the Brine Pipeline is the oldest active industrial pipeline in the entire world. The pipes are still used to transport saltwater so that salt can be extracted, aka solution mining. The pipes were designed to pump into the mines so that the salt could be extracted only using water, as this this type of mining technology is one that is rated highly when it comes to an efficient use of resources.
Once the saltwater is extracted, it’s boiled so that only the salt remains. The Brine Pipeline plays an important role in local economics, as well as the Brine Pipeline Trail.
The Brine Pipeline Trail was established in 1607. The Trail is one that any nature lover or hiker will enjoy exploring, as it offers some of the most absolutely gorgeous sites Austria has to offer. The trail starts at Lake Hallstatt and then follows the river, eventually ending at Lake Traunsee. Since the trail is an easy path to walk, any age will enjoy walking this famous trail.
The entire trail is just under 25 miles, and is divided into 4 equal sections. Each section is focused on what the locals lives are like, as well as some themes that are common to each section.
Stage 1 – “Mountains, forests and lakes” from Hallstatt to Bad Goisern
Stage 2 – “The locals of the Salzkammergut“ from Bad Goisern to Bad Ischl
Stage 3 – “Traffic“ from Bad Ischl to Langwies
Stage 4 – “Economy“ from Langwies to Ebense
Travel Makers