Distance: 26km (but it felt like 56)
Maximum temperature: 7 degrees C

Well we woke up this morning to teaming rain – gave us a great opportunity to test out our wet weather gear – we looked quite a pair….

Dressed to impress we set off on the path for Gmunden. The wet weather gear held up quite well (for the first couple of hours anyway) and it was actually quite fun riding in the rain. We were mostly riding along a river bank and the river was roaring, everything green and smelling great. It was 7 degrees, so had the scarf up like a balaclava to keep the face warm (yes quite a visual I know).

We made quick time and covered the 26km to Ebaness with over three hours before our ferry was to arrive which would take us over the lake. Where to go when you are saturated, cold, hungry and no pubs in the town? We managed to find a cute cafe and settled in – ordered numerous coffees and goulash soup trying to stay there as long as we could. Managed to change out of my by then saturated top (my rain jacket didn’t work as well as David’s) and find the perfect solution for future dryness..

All warmed up We headed down to the pier to wait for the ferry…. What is that saying about the best made plans? Despite having a valid ferry ticket, the next ferry was not due until May 15 – way too long to wait in the rain!

We are nothing if not resourceful… Managed to find a railway station and lo and behold Gmunden was on the line – and they had a bike carriage! One minor hiccup we bought two bike tickets rather than two people tickets from the machine – clearly our German not up to fullspeed yet. The conductor was very forgiving and let us stay on – I think he took pity on the pair of drowned rats.

Gmunden is more of a small city than a village. Very pretty, really ornate cobblestone patterns on the streets and beautiful old buildings. – set on the banks of the Traun River

Very glad of our hot shower and hearty dinner tonight!