Mudpie Fridays >> Austria >> Guide to Spieljoch Family Adventure Mountain in Zillertal

Guide to Spieljoch Family Adventure Mountain in Zillertal

Spieljoch Adventure Mountain was the last of the four mountains we visited in the Zillertal region of Austria. When we spent 7 days in the Zillertal Valley over the Summer as part of a longer two-week trip. What I liked was the fact that each mountain had something different about it. Spieljochbahn Fugen focuses very much on families and adventure so it was the perfect way to end our trip. With so many activities at the Spieljoch Family Adventure Mountain, there is something for the whole family and should definitely be on your list for an active holiday.

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Where is Spieljochbahn?

Located in the most active valley in the region near the town of Fugen it is the most northerly mountain we visited during our stay.

To reach the Spieljochbahn Fugen, use the address – Hochfügener Street 77, 6263 Fügen to reach the bottom of the cable car.

There is plenty of free parking with a large car park right outside the entrance to the cable car at Valley Station. Along with a cafe and the obligatory sports shop which tend to be at every large cable car. Useful if you have forgotten something or need to replace an item before embarking on a hike. It is also reached easily by public transport. A bus runs along the valley picking up from many of the ski resorts in the valley.

How much does it cost to go up Spieljochbahn Fugen?

If you have a Zillertal Activcard Spieljochbahn is included in one of the ten cable cars you can access free of charge. Up and down costs €28 for adults and €13 for children. With those under the age of seven travelling for free.

The cable car ride – Spieljochbahn Fugen

Spieljochbahn Fugen is my favourite sort of cable car. I much prefer smaller ones to the large gondolas. Especially when you are sightseeing and not concerned about skis! The ones that run on the Spieljochbahn are 10-seaters. We had one to ourselves both up and down. Meaning that we could roam around and take photos. The ride takes around twenty minutes. With views across the valley and the Zillertal mountains, it gets very steep towards the top. You also pass through a middle station which you can get off at for mountain bike routes and different routes hiking. There is also a restaurant. But we continued to the top station and the Adventure Mountain Spieljoch which is 1860m above sea level.

What can you do at the top?

There is so much to do at the Spieljoch summit. Although unlike other mountains we visited this one also has a lot of extra paid for activities. With this in mind, I have divided the activities into those that are free of charge and those which you have to pay for. There is more than enough to do to keep the children entertained without needing to pay for the activities. Although they are hard to ignore.

Plus lots of opportunities for family hiking trails in the fresh mountain air there is even a relaxation area with several wooden chairs and sunbeds. Allowing you to take in the mountain scenery.

Free things to do at Spieljoch Family Adventure Mountain

Love an idyllic mountain playground? There are several at the Spieljoch family adventure mountain. The largest adventure playground has two large play pools for paddling. As well as individual boats to ride on and one of those pulls yourself across platforms which inevitably leads to someone falling in. Much of the water is fed by a water play park with channels allowing you to vary the speed of the water. That runs down little wooden gullies. Harry was in his element playing with the wooden dams. perfect for hot Summer days.

There are more trampolines than I can count. Plus some rather cool trees to climb. Along with your more traditional play equipment and a climbing tower. There is also a bouncy pillow although it was not up on our visit.

On the other side, there is a more traditional play area with mine trains, diggers and lots of sand. They also have one of those cool metal games where you have to take the ring from one end to the other without sounding out an alarm. Both boys loved this.

As well as the family hiking trails there is a barefoot path. Which you are meant to do in bare feet, trying out all the different textures. A mine to climb through, with a mountain cart to sit in and a small play trail next door with a huge grey slide and scramble nets.

You could easily visit Spieljoch and not spend any more additional money on activities. It was hard to drag the boys away from the play equipment. The little boats were a big hit and the fact that they are free is brilliant.

Paid things to do at Spieljoch Family Adventure Mountain

I was surprised by just how many additional activities there are. The great thing is that they appeal to a wide range of ages. With some being more suitable for your teenagers and others more suitable for younger children. Not all the things were open when we visited:

Charlie was extremely tempted by the high ropes course, Nepal bridge and flying fox. These cost from €12 each but you can combine all three different courses in a special offer for €24. The Nepal bridge was not in operation on our visit otherwise he would have definitely done this.

There is also a climbing wall inside the information point and the opportunity to climb first with hand holds before moving onto the mountain itself. All equipment is provided and prices start at €12.

One thing that also really appealed is the tubing run which started from a couple of euros. Again this was not running when we visited but it looked like a lot of fun. If you want to encourage the children to do some hiking. Then you can pick up a mysterious map from the information point for €7 and take part in an eventful treasure hunt around the high Spieljoch mountain. Collecting clues as you go to exchange for a prize at the information point, is a fun interactive adventure for the children. While the adults can take in the beautiful view.

For those more adventurous it is possible to hire go-karts and trotti bikes. They run tours throughout the day and would be perfect for teenagers, prices start at €25. There is also the opportunity to go to the highest show cave in the area – Oxltal. Only possible with a guided tour it looks like an amazing experience. They also do a family tour with prices starting from €6.

Spieljoch Crystal Mining

When we visited the boys took part in the crystal mining which cost €13 each. They both loved this unique experience, as they have a thing for crystals and stones so this was right up their street. They had a chance to search for different stones in the mine. Before learning all about the magic mountain man and finding real crystals hidden in the stones. After we went back inside the boys had a chance to choose their favourite stones to add to a little glass display bottle.

As we did it early we were the only ones on the tour which took around half an hour. Normally they will give the parents a chance to grab a coffee. However, we decided to tag along to take photos. I think it’s really good that they allow you to do either. The lady that ran it spoke very good English and the boys were happy with her. It was the absolute highlight of our visit and still talk about it now.

Food options at the mountain station of the Spieljochbahn lift

The main building has a self-service Bistro as well as Mountain Loft which is a pizza and pasta restaurant and where we had lunch. You can even book a picnic to take with you on a hike.

The Mountain Loft restaurant had amazing views across the mountain range. With both inside and outside seating it suits all weathers. Serving a selection of Italian dishes and some Austrian classics such as sausage and chips. Harry and I both opted for pizzas, they were huge. Despite ordering a child’s pizza for Harry it came out the same size as the plate. Made with Italian flour for an authentic taste they were delicious.

Charlie ordered the ribs which would have been big enough to share. Since they came on a large pile of roasted potatoes. My husband had sausage and chips. The main meals are well-priced considering they have a captive audience. With an adult pizza coming in between €12-€14. Charlie’s ribs were €17.50. Although all dishes could have easily been shared. With great quality food at good prices.

The boys also had some ice cream which they made on site using traditional Italian methods. While the adult enjoyed a bitter orange sorbet. Probably the prettiest sorbet I have ever had! If you are visiting I would make time to visit The Mountain Loft.

Top tips for a visit to Spieljoch

Keep an eye on the weather forecast in case of bad weather via the live webcam which can be found on the Spieljochbahn Fugen website.
Head up early if you want the mountain to yourself. We found that during our visit many people did not arrive until mid-morning. Which gave us a chance to explore and try out the play areas without too many people. This is even more important in the good weather and it was so peaceful and quiet
Pick up a map at the ticket office before boarding the Spieljochbahn Fugen. They did not have any English versions when we visited but it will help you to plan your route.
Check the last cable car down before going off to enjoy yourself. They can be earlier than expected for example when we visited Spieljoch it was 4.30 pm.
You are going up a mountain so good footwear is a must regardless of the family nature of the hikes on offer.
Unlike other mountains this one has a lot of extra ‘paid for activities’ so be prepared to spend some money on activities. Although there is a lot of free stuff to do too and it is such a great place for kids in general.
You can book activities at the information point next to the shop. There is a board on display showing what is running and the start/finish times for the activities.
In the winter Spieljoch offers ski schools and a large practice area. As well as 21 km of slopes, making it a leading family destination in the winter season.