Take a hat

Präauhochalm 1830m Präauhochalm It's a long hard ride up to Präauhochalm. Unfortunately, I chose to do it in late season and there was no food at the Alm. The Farmer and his wife were packing up the Alm for the winter and stacking wood ready for next year. The Farmer told me to help myself to a cold beer from the cattle trough. Very refreshing it was too. The dog gave me a barking good welcome and happily joined me as I supped my ale. The ride up starts on the road from Dorfgastein to Unterberg. There is a turning off to the left signposted to the Strohlehenalm. I did not go there, I had loftier ambitions. It's a long climb, over 1000m signposted all the way. My new friend I told the Farmer I found the ride hard.  He told me I was right - only the best make it up here! Anyway its a lovely rustic hut and another one ticked off on my biking to do list. View from the Alm Strohlehenalm - on the way up

A walk on the Graukogel On the shelf - Zirben Schnapps is getting ready Zirben Schnapps is an ancient home remedy claimed to be sure sure-fire cure for anything from melancholy to upset stomachs. Zirben Pine Cones It's made by adding sliced up pine cones to sugar and alcohol. Not any old pine cone of course. They have to come from the Zirben Pine, a conifer that grows high in the Alps above 1500m. The Graukogel is home to a number of the trees and the Cafe at the top has a sideline making this extremely tasty and, erhmmm, healthy liquor. Of course we were up there just for a walk. It is a 40 minute bus ride from home. The bus rattles its way up the valley, through Bad Gastein and then takes a left along a winding road to the bottom of a two stage chair lift. The lift operator at the bottom was in a jolly mood and wished us a great day as the chair whisked us away.  It's a slow lift so there was plenty of time to enjoy the scenery. Not much wildlife today, just one Nu...

Taking the High Road The Schmaranz Alm - Scotty on Tour I like to ride my bicycle. And, just like the old Queen song, I like to ride it where I like! On this occasion my extremely likeable target destination was the Schmaranz Hutte high above Bad Hofgastein at nearly 1800m. It is the Summer Alm for a valley farm in the Wieden area  of Bad Hofgastein. The Schmaranz Farm's main claim to fame, in my eyes anyway, is its Bio Brewery. They brew the most delicious beer and the reward for a near 1000 metre climb on my Scotty comes cold and wet in a half litre glass. The route starts behind the Railway station and, today, the time on the Station clock was 11:15 as I passed by. The narrow road winds up through a small community of farms and dwellings before reaching the typical Alpine pastures peppered with a few fruit trees. They were laden with Apples but no scrumping today.  The big lumbering Austrian cows did not take any any notice as I pedalled slowly past. They were mo...