Over the Tauern Mountains from Salzburgerland to Carinthia
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| Nearing the top and the Hagener Hutte |
We are not very good at Museums. Viewing ancient artefacts in glass cabinets has limited appeal. We still have plenty of interest in History though, particularly when you can actively put yourself in the shoes of ‘the ancestors’ and it involves fresh air, exercise and brilliant scenery.
The Gastein Valley is on an ancient trade route across the Alps. The Romans used it to carry their booty South, and of course, they built a road! On this occasion it wasn’t one of those straight as a die highways that we are familiar with at home. This is a mountain road, built two thousand years ago, that wends its way up and across the Tauern Mountains to over 8000feet (2445m). Today, this area is a National Park and there is an organised walk guided by a Park Ranger that starts in Sportgastein and goes up, over the top, and down towards Mallnitz Station for the Train and the 20th Century tunnel through the mountains back to the Gastein valley.
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| Marmot on the rocks |
Our guide, Hans, lives in Bad Hofgastein so he picked me up on his way to the meeting point in Bad Gastein. I was ready and waiting at 07:10, bit of an early start for me these days. At Bad Gastein we all jumped in a Taxi to Sportgastein (also known as Nassfeld – damp field). My six fellow hikers were from Denmark, Austria and Germany. Hans forecast a 6.5 hour walk so I set out with a certain amount of trepidation. I needn’t have worried. It was soon clear that the pace would be steady and below my normal uphill pace. The first section was pretty flat, across the area where we cross-country ski in the winter. This was an old gold mining area and relics of the workings are still visible. To the left Hans spotted some young marmots playing so that was the first of many ‘natural breaks’ to view the local wildlife and examine the flora and fauna. Then we started to climb up a fairly steep track. There was no sign of the Roman Road yet, we joined that about an hour later. Over to the right Chamois were grazing, would never have spotted them on my own. We made quite a few stops on the way up, though these were welcome, they did have a potential downside. They meant that our intrepid guide had spotted a ‘delicious, nutritious or health enhancing’ plant that we would have to sample. The fresh cress from the mountain stream was to my taste but some of the roots were not. Enzian Schnapps is particularly bitter after being flavoured by the root of the Enzian. We had to sample the root which, we were assured, is very good for the stomach! One of my Danish co-walkers was a girl about fourteen. After her first tasting she ran on ahead whenever Hans started his gardening. The stem of a peculiar thistle-like plant tasted OK. The lemon thyme had a lovely scent.
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| Hans is gathering! |
We started to see the outline of the Roman Road so it was time to turn off the walking path. The road was designed to have an incline not greater than 12% and was originally three metres wide so it made for easy walking. It still must have been a huge relief for the original travellers when their carts reached the top of the pass (2445 metres). Massive natural paving stones had been laid down and stone crash barriers to stop carts going over the edge. It’s not used anymore of course. The Taurern Train Tunnel put it out of business a mere 100 hundred years ago.
Over the years the extremes of temperature have caused the rocks to crack and slide so some sections are missing but the overall route is still clearly evident.
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| Spotting Chamois |
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| Austrian co-walkers |
Over to the left, more Chamois were spotted in the Weissenbachtal and Eagles soared overhead. Wonder how many animals were here 2000 years ago?
We had to cross the last of the winter snow before we reached the top and the Hagener Hutte, our eagerly awaited lunch stop. Sadly it was building site. They can get a four wheel drive up a rocky road on the south side to bring up building supplies which they seemed to have scattered everywhere. The Restaurant was still open despite the chaos and I enjoyed my Goulash Soup and Apple Strudel. You almost felt they should have issued us with hard hats but I don’t think Health and Safety is a strong point in this part of the world! The work should all be finished by the end of July?
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| The Tauernhaus |
It was time to carry on and we had a headwind as we set off down the Carinthian side of the mountain. Saw Edelweiss for the first time near the top.
We stopped at the Tauernhaus which was built as a refuge in 1836 for people making the crossing. It fell into disrepair after 1945 when British soldiers stationed at the Hagener Hutte 'borrowed' the wooden roof tiles and burned them for heating. Can’t blame them, even today in mid-summer there’s a chilly wind. Happily, the roof has been replaced.
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| Not sure about these Fresians |
The locals have a different dialect on this side of the mountain but did not expect there to be different cows! The lovely Austrian cows in Salzburgerland were replaced by Fresians. Apparently they produce more milk? Don’t approve at all but, anyway, came across some of my brown and white friends lower down. Hopefully the Dutch immigrants will not take over.
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| Time for a coffee at the Jamnigalm |
We walked on down through alpine pastures for a couple of hours to a hut, the Jamnigalm, at 1,745 metres for a coffee break. Some couldn’t resist a Krapfen, a delicious Austrian doughnut. Then it was just a short walk down to the bus stop and the ride down to Mallnitz where we picked up the train to carry us through the tunnel to Bad Gastein.
All in all, it was a brilliant day out. Learned a bit, saw a lot. Would have been hard work if I had just arrived but after a month in the mountains it wasn’t too bad. Bit tired but goes with the territory. Carrying a heavy load of salt or gold over the trade route or coaxing a cart up the slope would have been far more arduous!
Thanks Hans, looking forward to the next tour What was the name of that flower again?
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