Our starting point Bad Häring is located in Tyrol on the southern edge of the "Kufsteinerland" tourist region, which stretches northwards around the Inn Valley to the Bavarian border near Oberaudorf. It is around 30 kilometres to the town of Rosenheim on the edge of the Alps and around 70 kilometres up the valley to Innsbruck. The Inn Valley around Kufstein is also considered the gateway to the world-famous ski resorts between Brixental Valley and Kitzbühel. Bad Häring is located between Wörgl and Kufstein on a small terrace, slightly elevated above the Inntal valley. A few kilometres away from the major transit routes, it is a small oasis of tranquillity. A sulphur spring discovered in 1951 elevated the community of just under 3,000 inhabitants to the status of a spa resort.
New cycle paths, lonely byways
At first glance, the keywords "Kufstein" and "Inntal" are more likely to be associated with transit traffic than with solitary road bike tours. Admittedly, you are rarely alone on the roads there, but cyclists can still find very rewarding routes on side roads - even in the Inn Valley. A lot has also been developed in the region in terms of cycling infrastructure. For example, the Eiberg cycle path between Kufstein and Söll was recently rebuilt on a slope so that you no longer have to cycle on the dangerous B 173. The Inntal cycle path follows the river along its entire length and is mostly tarmac; some fine gravel sections are also suitable for racing cyclists. Mountain bikers will find their challenges above all in the side valleys of the Inn. These include Brandenberg, Wildschönau and Alpbachtal. However, there are quite a lot of cul-de-sacs. The gradients are sometimes well above the ten per cent mark, but rarely end above 1,400 metres. An exception may be the famous Kitzbüheler Horn, which can be reached on a 120-kilometre tour. The Upper Bavarian mountain roads on the other side of the nearby border are also part of the Kufstein touring area. From Niederau via Sachrang and Aschau to Lake Chiemsee, or via the Tatzelwurmstraße and Ursprungpass towards Schliersee.
Stitches to test your strength
There are many main roads between Kufstein and the world-famous winter sports resort of Kitzbühel, which is undoubtedly one of the downsides of tourism. But there is also a positive development for cyclists: You will find more and more signposted cycle routes and indications of side roads. And the search for hidden farm tracks suitable for racing bikes has become something of a hobby for cyclists living here. The most recent development is the newly built Eiberg cycle path between Kufstein and Söll, which bypasses the main road 173 on a winding hillside route. This opens up new possibilities, for example a crisp after-work tour from Kufstein to Hintersteiner See. With ramps well over the ten per cent mark, the ascent to the mountain lake on the southern edge of the Kaiser Mountains is one of the special stages. Just like the Aschinger Alm near Ebbs: on the five-kilometre mountain time trial route, you can even compete directly with the Kufstein ex-professional Max Kuen with the help of a Challenge app. His time is twenty minutes and eight seconds, which is the time to beat. But also for all those who don't crack the best time: At the end of the slog, a scenic stop with a snack and Kaiserschmarrn pancakes awaits at just under a thousand metres.
Best time to travel
As the tours only go up to a maximum altitude of 1,400 metres, the roads should be free of snow from the beginning or middle of May at the latest. The Inn Valley is also one of the foehn valleys of the Northern Alps - the warm south wind blows the sky clear even when there is bad weather north of the Alps. The cycling season in the valleys often lasts well into October. If possible, avoid the holiday months of July and August!
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