Another top ride down the mountain on a slightly different road, great quiet road packed with market gardens.

Back on the Drau, evidence of where the path had been closed. Uprooted trees have been cut away, water flow has been redirected. They are on top of the clean up.

We are thankful to the local young farmer who told us rather way was okay to get to the Drau, it looked dodgy and he said it was on a 50m of rough stuff. The German man on a bike who lives locally … a path block … he said let’s go … and sure enough the path was okay. Lovely man and good chatting with him.

Closer to Volkermarkt is a deviation which leads us up some unexpected hills … there’s a lot to be said for being mentally prepared for hills … today was expected to be flat!

It’s a Sunday, my worst day of the week in Europe, unless there is a festival, Sunday is closed. Volkermarkt has nothing inspiring and it’s 32C, one Cafe open so a toasted sandwich and beer is all they can muster. Very welcome after those climbs.

Our accommodation is ‘by the lake’ oh dear, more hills, we are cornfields away from ‘the lake’ and you can’t swim in it either. This isn’t even a village … oh yes, there is a church so technically it is.

There is a Billa nearby on a main road which is the only supermarket open on Sunday with limited hours, good to buy some breakfast things. A diner only 1km away specialises in cold platters, a great meal with drinks outside on a balmy evening.

All is not lost, there is another lake 5km away which we will investigate tomorrow it is Klopeiner See however, after some research, I’ll be swimming in one of the warmest lakes in the Alpine region … and just to add more, there is a Lights Lake Show tomorrow evening.