www.ramsau.com

Click to read Terry's report on the trip, see photos in the 2010 Gallery and on Flickr.

Cross country ski-ing at Ramsau am Dachstein

Ramsau is famous as a World Championship and World Cup cross-country resort,with many kms of tourist tracks, being a favourite with such companies as Waymark Holidays. It lies at around 1000-1100 m, with lift access to the Dachstein Glacier at 2700 m, and has more than 100 km of tracks of all degrees of difficulty and – new for 2010 – an artificial lake at the stadium, which guarantees the ability to produce artificial snow if nature does not come up trumps. 70 km of the tracks are groomed for skating and there are also 70 km of walking trails for non-skiers.

The town, or rather the twin villages of Ramsau Ort and Ramsau Kulm, has everything that is needed to make a superb cross country ski-ing holiday: excellent loipe, restaurants, bars, a first class swimming pool, downhill slopes, one of the best cross-country ski shops in Central Europe and access to both the Dachstein Glacier and to the high altitude Rossbrandloipe at nearby Filzmoos.

Accommodation - 1 room left

The Club has booked the entire Pension Hoffelner, run by English couple Joanna and Rob White, for the period of our visit. The Panoramaloipe runs right past the door so you can ski from the hotel and the village is a short walk away.

There is now just one standard double room left at Euros 335 per person for the week for half board plus Euros 1.5 local taxes (Ortstax) per person per day.  Standard Double Rooms of a good size with Austrian Twin beds (2 single mattresses within 1 bed frame 180cm wide in total - Superking) all with either 1 or 2 sofa beds, so can actually sleep from 2 to 4 people, with en-suite power-shower/bath/wc, Sat. TV/DVD player, hair-drier, room safe, wicker seating area and a furnished balcony with wonderful views of either the Planai or Dachstein mountains.  Ideal for a couple or friends.

Pension Hoffelner, Vordere Ramsau 271, 8972 Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria
www.pension-hoffelner.at  ++43 3687 81523

Food

The half board arrangement includes an extensive daily buffet breakfast and a 4-course evening meal, with a vegetarian option, six days a week. On the chef’s night off, we will have to visit a local restaurant (at our own cost), of which there is a wide choice. The closest, the Gruberstube, is only 5 minutes walk away and there is also the option of visiting the 3.5 km Night Sledging Track, where there is a restaurant, for a fun group night out.

Travel

All participants are asked to make their own way to Munich Franz-Josef Strauss airport (as for our previous holidays in Livigno) and to meet at Terminal 2 bus park (turn right on exiting Arrivals and bus park is 100 m through doors at end of building) at 13.30 on Sunday 3 January.  We will be met by a coach from Hubner Taxi in Ramsau and taken to our hotel, a three-hour drive, so 2 hours shorter than Munich-Livigno! 

For the return trip, we will arrange a time to leave Ramsau, using the same bus company.  I envisage that this will be about 13.00, giving time for a ski on the Sunday morning for those who wish to have a last look at the snow.

Recommended flights:

Lufthansa (LH 4765 leaving Heathrow at 09.35 on 3 January, arriving Munich at 12.25) and on LH 4762 leaving Munich at 18.15 on Sunday 10 January and arriving Heathrow at 19.20. 

An alternative is BA 0948 departing Heathrow at 09.40 (ETA Munich 12.30) and BA 0961 departing Munich at 19.10 (ETA Heathrow 20.200), but if you want to take your own skis watch out for the extra £35.00 charge per flight. 

Book as soon as possible for the best prices.

Coaching - Peter Moysey and Soren Milas

We have once again been able to secure the superb coaching services of Peter Moysey for the whole week.  We have also engaged the services of Soren Milas to assist Peter, to ensure tuition can be given at different levels and more individual tuition can be provided when needed.  They will give daily coaching at all levels, plus there will also be opportunities for group skiing along Ramsau’s wide range of tracks.

Costs and Booking

This is as inexpensive as it gets, but it will be a quality trip!  The costs work out at

£300 pp accommodation
£102 pp air travel
£95   pp other costs, including bus transfer and coaching

TOTAL: £497 pp (give or take a pound or two)

Compare this price with those offered by commercial holiday companies!

The only additional costs should be:

- 1 x evening meal, when the hotel is closed for the evening and we will have to go out to eat.
- Any equipment hire
- Probably a bus trip to the next village at Filzmoos to ski the beautiful Rossbrandloipe
- Lunches
- Beer money
- Coffee and chocolate cakes

To secure your place a deposit of £100 per person is required immediately.

Contact Hilary or Paddy Field or if urgent call 01252 626339