Swimming, wind and waves

Lake Achensee is the largest lake in Tyrol — nine kilometres long, crystal clear and very nearly of drinking-water quality. Ten minutes on foot from the house lies the Achenkirch lido with its shingle beach and lawn: being a mountain lake, the Achensee stays bracing and reaches around 20 degrees at the height of summer — ideal for a head-first plunge after a day in the mountains. Mornings belong to swimmers and quiet SUP circuits on glassy water; by the afternoon the “boarischer Wind” has built, a dependable thermal breeze out of the north that has made Lake Achensee one of the best-known sailing waters in Europe. Windsurfers and kiters gather mainly in the south around Maurach and Eben, where the sailing schools and hire centres are too. The sailing highlight of recent seasons was the Tornado European Championship — and for the family, the classic pedalo still does its rounds from the lido.