Austria - Graukogel - On the Zirben Trail

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 Nutcracker. It looks like a Jay and also is nuts about Zirben. At the top we turned right and passed the cafe for a walk to the Palfner See. We took a bit of a detour by going down to an abandoned hut, the Palfner Alm, and then climbing up to the Lake. We did not have a paddle sadly, we were getting hungry and needed to get back to the Cafe for Lunch. It took about an hour to get back making a total walking time of about 3 hours in the warm Autumn sunshine.
TW on the Graukogel
After a good, simple, lunch of Wurst mit Pommes (sausage and chips) followed by Apple strudel it was a quick march to the chair lift and a ride home.
Did we have a Zirben Schnapps? Our secret!
Palfner Alm view
Walking on Graukogel

Up or down?

By the Palfner See

Heading for the cafe

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