Austria - a few days out in Gasteinertal in Summer

Early July 2013 flies by in the mountains

1. On the highway- the Hohenweg walk

Cafe Hubertus on the Hohenweg

Tunnel Vision on the Hohenweg

TW inspects the veggies on the Hohenweg

Let's stop for a coffee on the Hohenweg

2. The Amoseralm ride

Down the valley to Dorfgastein and Unterburg and then a ride up to the Amoseralm for a cold beer. Then its on up to the next higher Amoseralm at 1592m.

High on a hill there is a lone biker

Near the end of our valley

TW takes to the field

3. The Sportgastein ride

A tough ride up to Sportgastein - after an easy beginning

The pedal up from Bad Hofgastein to Sportgastein is pretty tough but beautiful. TW took the bus. The climb up through Bad Gastein is just a taster for what is up ahead on the narrow valley up to Sportgastein. Let's face it, if you are cycling alongside waterfalls it is not going to be easy. After a coffee and a Strudel we walked further uphill towards Niedersachsenhaus. Bit early in the season to go too high. We stopped at the remains of the Winter snow. An ice bridge had been created by a stream that flowed underneath the dirty brown patch. The local cows had found a nice patch of  pasture to enjoy the sunshine and the wild flowers..   Time to head back for a lovely Tiroler Grostl at the Valerie Haus before the downhill ride home. Not much pedalling and the rims were pretty hot by the time I reached Bockstein.

Following the uphill trail to Sportgastein

Rugged country on the way to Sportgastein

Flora in Sportgastein

Park the bike and take a walk on the wild side

Cows on the path - these were friendly

A stream carves an ice cave under the last vestiges of the winter snow in Gastein

Lovely old Austrian tractor

4. The Gadauner Hochalmen walk from Angertal

A trip to the Gadauner Hochalmen is a walk back into past. It is a fairly steep walk up from Angertal but well worth it. The huts have no electricity but lots of hospitality. The proud border collie at the Jungehutte had a young family tucked up in the barn. We managed a bit of banter with the Farmers wife and were given a free schnapps. Prost! Normally we would walk past the Rockfeldalm and up to the Kleine Scharte but we thought we would miss the last Cable Car. We took the shorter route down to the Anger Valley and had to wait ages for the bus home.

Pups at the Jungehutte

The Gadauner Hochalmen

Parting view - hope the flowers survive