Barge magic

Hotelier Herbert Ebener in his festive canoe, which takes guests across the lake - well shaded or protected from the rain, depending on the weather. Quiet days on Lake Fuschl. Where you can take a boat to the next tee and enjoy fresh fish in the picturesque castle garden.

Her sister, the somewhat older Fuschlerin, attracts admiring glances when she is out of the house again and then glides along almost silently, but this only happens on special occasions.

They live with Herbert Ebner, Fuschleri one and Fuschlerin two. To be more precise, they live in Herbert's boathouse, the senior boss of the elegant Hotel Waldhof, because the two Fuschler girls are barges.

reports the hotelier, who one day set off to the well-known boat builder Witti in Wesenufer on the Upper Austrian Danube and commissioned the first barge there in 1995.

So since the summer of 1996, a 20-passenger barge has been sailing back and forth several times a day, strictly according to schedule, between the lake promenade in Fuschl on the eastern shore and Fuschl Castle, including the associated - but independent - fishery on the southwestern shore of the lake. Since then, even older people who, for example, do not want to get into a rowing boat or are not so good on foot, can get a wonderful picture of the lake and the mountains around it, such as the Hausberg, the Schober, the Fibling or the Plomberg.

However, in the Salzkammergut, even in summer it occasionally drizzles from above or the sun burns mercilessly from the sky, but the original Fuschlerin had no roof over the heads of her passengers that could have protected them from unwelcome dampness or scorching heat. "That's why I ordered a second barge from Witti. One just as big, but with a roof, and it has been our official line barge since 2021," says Herbert.

Of course, the predecessor had not become obsolete, quite the opposite. Local carpenters also built it a roof, a somewhat more elegant and elaborately decorated one, and since then Fuschlerin one has set sail on public holidays or as part of private festivities and sometimes lovingly decorated as a festive barge.

This 4.2-kilometre-long body of water, 800 metres wide at its widest point and up to 66 metres deep, is exceptionally calm and tranquil. And that for several reasons. For example, neither normal bicycles nor e-bikes are allowed on the 11.6-kilometre-long circular path around the lake, which is almost completely unspoilt on its shores, and no noisy motorboats are allowed on the lake.

The only exception is that of the water rescue service and that of professional fisherman Gerhard Langmaier. The two Fuschler boats are driven by quietly whirring electric motors, the pedal boats make soothing smacking noises, the oars of the rowing boats dip gently into the water, and the small electric boats for hire whirr even more quietly than the Fuschler boats. Sailors are delighted by the sometimes very sudden westerly wind, which in turn quickly beats the stand-up paddlers, who can be found here in large numbers, into flight to the saving shore.

suspects Herbert Ebner and points out another utility of his barge and the so-called "Golfroas". "We have a nine-hole golf course on both the Ostufer and the Wetsufer, the Golfclub Waldhof and the Golfclub Schloss Fuschl, but anyone who wants to play 18 holes now can take the trolley to the other course, and we are happy to provide golf carts for the last few metres at the two landing stages."

Directly at the landing stage and only a few minutes' walk from the magnificent Fuschl Castle is the Fuschl Castle Fishery, where the circular hiking trail also passes. Fresh fish and smoked fish from the lake or from their own farm are on sale here, but you can also take a seat inside or outside and enjoy the culinary delights on the spot with a fantastic view of the water. First-class wines included.

"The Fischeri has become a particularly popular meeting place, not least thanks to shipping," says master fisherman Gerhard Langmaier with great pleasure.

The 57-year-old, who has now been working for the company for 34 years, is one of the first on the wonderfully turquoise water every day and often empties the nets that were set the night prior, before sunrise.

And not only with the net, but also with the fishing rod. So it's no wonder that many amateur anglers come to Lake Fuschl. There are several places to buy fishing permits, including the Schlossfischerei. And it's certainly the tastiest.

TEXT: Achim Schneyder, PHOTOS: Sebastian Gabriel

Text & photos are published in Servus Salzkammergut Magazin 2021.