Bike & Hike
from the front door.
By bike to where the path gets steep, and the rest on foot. Mellau is perfectly placed for it: the valley floor at 700 metres, summits of over 2,000 — and in between a network of forest roads and alpine tracks.
Short approach, whole mountain
Bike & Hike means the car stays put. You ride up the valley or up the forest road, lock the bike at the alpine pasture (Alpe) and carry on up on foot. The advantage isn’t only a sporting one — you spare yourself the hunt for a parking space at the trailheads, which are full in summer.
It suits the Bregenzerwald particularly well because the distances are manageable: the climbing is there, but you rarely have to ride far to reach the foot of a mountain. On an e-bike the approach becomes a warm-up. A bike hire shop is a few minutes’ walk from the house, and with the Bregenzerwald Guest Card mountain lifts and buses are free from three nights — handy for anyone who only wants to pedal uphill and take the gondola down.
Combinations: three days, three ways
The walking times and ascents refer to the part on foot. How far you cycle beforehand is up to you — we’ll tell you at the breakfast table where to leave the bike.
| Route | Approach by bike | Climb on foot | Ascent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sünserspitze | via the Mellaualpe | 4–5 h | approx. 800 m |
| Hoher Freschen | through the Mellental to the start of the trail | 5–6 h | approx. 900 m |
| Kanisfluh traverse | along the valley floor to the trailhead | 6–8 h | approx. 1,200 m |
The Kanisfluh is our local mountain, but it is no stroll: the normal route requires sure-footedness and a head for heights, and the limestone becomes slippery when wet. If you already have some climbing in your legs from the bike, be honest about factoring that in.
What your bike finds here.
Bikes go in the garage — lockable, at ground level, no stairs.
Bicycles and motorbikes are kept there dry and locked. In the Bregenzerwald that is no luxury: the weather changes quickly, and nobody wants to leave their e-bike out in the rain overnight. There are four free parking spaces right by the house if you arrive with a bike rack.
We are true insiders for Mellau and the region: we are always happy to share tips for biking and hiking, in summer and in winter alike — which trail still has snow in June, which forest road is passable at the moment, which hut is closed on Tuesdays. Guided bike tours and mountain hikes by arrangement.
If you prefer the road, the Furkajoch, the Hochtannbergpass and the descent to Lake Constance are three very different classics on the doorstep. More on the page about hiking and cycling.
Gravel riders get their money’s worth here too. The forest roads and gravel tracks of the Bregenzerwald could have been made for it, and every year the Into the Woods race passes through the region. We usually know which loop is rideable at the moment — just ask us.
How a Bike & Hike day works here
- 01
Breakfast on request
If you want an early start, let us know the evening before. If you would rather cook for yourself, every apartment has a fully equipped kitchen.
- 02
Bike out of the garage
At ground level, lockable, right by the exit. No bike has to be carried up or down stairs.
- 03
Ride, lock, climb
The bike stays at the alpine pasture or at the trailhead. If need be, the Guest Card gets you back by bus.
- 04
Evenings in the Stube
The Stube, our traditional parlour, is the shared common room and open to all guests — with Käsknöpfle, the Bregenzerwald cheese spätzle, and Kaiserschmarrn, a shredded pancake, on request.
Enquire about a summer week
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are — and whether you are bringing bikes or would like to hire them. We usually reply the same day.