Selva Wolkenstein, Northen Italy then Stubai Valley, Austria
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Gathered everyone early for the trip to Selva Wolkenstein in the South Tyrol, from Monte Bondone. Paulo the owner again took us down and down to Trento where we waited for a coach to take us to our destination. Large 44 seater all to ourselves, very nice. 2 hour journey beside tumbling glacial rivers, then through verdant valleys planted with grapes and the odd medieval castle to enhance the Rhine look. Hotel Europa ( 2 star) in the little village of Selva Wolkenstein, with balcony views to the mountains left, right and in front. Sorted out the washing line and we were ready to roll.
The town was a mixture of Italian and Austrian, but the buildings and scenery was very Swiss really. Mussolini etc tried to Italianise this area but it remains very Germanic. Had a stroll to St Christina, 3km down a disused railway track and back. Very scenic, hard work on the return though which I suspect was good training for the ensuing days.
Next day was the cable car to Langkofel Peak, of which we had a semi cirmcumnavigation. Bigger than it looks on the map (funny that) so the group settled on a 1/3rd the way round with a couple of beer and apfelstrudl stops on the way. On the way down my right boot decided 20 years was sufficent and the sole parted company with the rest of the boot. The cafe owner came up with some insulation tape and Denise expertly applied a figure of eight over the front half of the boot to enable me to descend in safety.
The meals here consisted of an appetiser, primi, secondi and dessert, sounds great and it is except primi & secondi are basically 2 main meals. All paid for so difficult to say no to! Our collective weight has increased considerably again so if we are unrecognisable on return you will know why. Which reminds me I must get a haircut.
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Took a while with my limited German but we found a Schuemacher (cobbler) to fix my boot early the next day, so despite a little confusion as to whether its 80 or 8 euro we leave it to him and on to the next destination. Col Raiser is a large skiing basin set far above the valley floor, no snow here as they have warm summers (30deg today), but plenty of walking to skirt the edges and admire the scree slopes and tarns around us. Long day in the heat but manage to get back for my now fully functioning boot before he closes (8 euro) and home for another gut bulger of an evening meal. I notice Denise has become rather partial to the European beer which is probably due to 1. warm temperatures and 2. no Jim Beam. Not neccesarily in that order.
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Our next excursion is a bus trip to the Valley of Stubaital, via Innsbruck in Austria.
We travel via Innsbruck, then up a side valley some 23km away to the village of Neustift. Typically Austrian Pensione we are in, a retired mountain climbing couple ( he has climbed Matterhorn 19 times) looking after us in their 3 storey house in the Alps of Austria. The farmers are furiously getting in the hay and silage from the steep slopes all around us, above which are the conifers which stretch up until they give way to the 3500m rocky peaks above.
When a little cooler (well 25deg) wewalked down past the farmers houses and barns with the cows tucked up inside, for 3 km to the village of Neder, returning via a fabulous eatery (Grobenhof) perched on the hillside overlooking the rural scene below. No English on the menu so its good luck as to whether you enjoy your choice or not. Some people had goat, very palatable they said.
Another morning without a cloud in the sky, we set out in the local bus to Sulzenau, a mountain hut in a hanging valley in the far reaches of Stubaital Valley. Takes about an hour and half to reach the valley up a steep trail in the conifers, suddenly opening out into a valley of eden with waterfalls crashing down from upon high. After a quick bite in an alpen cafe with carved wooden figures (long winters here obviously), 3 of us descend to see if we can get back for a tandem paraglide in Neustift while the others continue up to another yet higher hut. When we get back though, the winds are too strong - maybe tomorrow! However at last I get on the Internet at a cafe, officially renamed the Grumpy Mole Saloon due to the Fraus with an attitude running the place. They keep demanding I buy bier, which I am happy to oblige.
Raining the next day so we head off to Innsbruck for a look around the old city and to make some much needed purchases. I keep telling Denise we have officially run out of room but her answer is to buy more bags!
Shoot back to Neustift to check the 'tandemflug' to find the other two had already had their flight, so I scampered down to see whats happening. Yes fly now OK ! So up on the gondola for an exhilerating glide down the valley for 20 minutes or so, videoing what I can ( actually I accidently taped mostly my leg) when I can, and Denise getting the landing on camera. Great stuff.
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Joined the whole group for nibbles then a meal out where Denise had beef soup and I tried the goat, a bit like chinese stir fry without the chinese bit. A fellow paraglider, Ralph, tried nettle soup which he pronounced as completely inedible, but otherwise everyone is experimenting and enjoying the local cuisine, beer and wine.
Early the next day hopped on the internet for a quick update. Caught the local bus then train to Salzburg, Graz and ending up in Weiz. Long day with a couple of changes which increased when one train was late and we missed the connection. Austria Rail had it sorted and we caught up at a later station, although lugging our groaning packs around is not a task for the fainthearted.
The town was a mixture of Italian and Austrian, but the buildings and scenery was very Swiss really. Mussolini etc tried to Italianise this area but it remains very Germanic. Had a stroll to St Christina, 3km down a disused railway track and back. Very scenic, hard work on the return though which I suspect was good training for the ensuing days.
Next day was the cable car to Langkofel Peak, of which we had a semi cirmcumnavigation. Bigger than it looks on the map (funny that) so the group settled on a 1/3rd the way round with a couple of beer and apfelstrudl stops on the way. On the way down my right boot decided 20 years was sufficent and the sole parted company with the rest of the boot. The cafe owner came up with some insulation tape and Denise expertly applied a figure of eight over the front half of the boot to enable me to descend in safety.
The meals here consisted of an appetiser, primi, secondi and dessert, sounds great and it is except primi & secondi are basically 2 main meals. All paid for so difficult to say no to! Our collective weight has increased considerably again so if we are unrecognisable on return you will know why. Which reminds me I must get a haircut.
We travel via Innsbruck, then up a side valley some 23km away to the village of Neustift. Typically Austrian Pensione we are in, a retired mountain climbing couple ( he has climbed Matterhorn 19 times) looking after us in their 3 storey house in the Alps of Austria. The farmers are furiously getting in the hay and silage from the steep slopes all around us, above which are the conifers which stretch up until they give way to the 3500m rocky peaks above.
When a little cooler (well 25deg) wewalked down past the farmers houses and barns with the cows tucked up inside, for 3 km to the village of Neder, returning via a fabulous eatery (Grobenhof) perched on the hillside overlooking the rural scene below. No English on the menu so its good luck as to whether you enjoy your choice or not. Some people had goat, very palatable they said.
Another morning without a cloud in the sky, we set out in the local bus to Sulzenau, a mountain hut in a hanging valley in the far reaches of Stubaital Valley. Takes about an hour and half to reach the valley up a steep trail in the conifers, suddenly opening out into a valley of eden with waterfalls crashing down from upon high. After a quick bite in an alpen cafe with carved wooden figures (long winters here obviously), 3 of us descend to see if we can get back for a tandem paraglide in Neustift while the others continue up to another yet higher hut. When we get back though, the winds are too strong - maybe tomorrow! However at last I get on the Internet at a cafe, officially renamed the Grumpy Mole Saloon due to the Fraus with an attitude running the place. They keep demanding I buy bier, which I am happy to oblige.
Raining the next day so we head off to Innsbruck for a look around the old city and to make some much needed purchases. I keep telling Denise we have officially run out of room but her answer is to buy more bags!
Shoot back to Neustift to check the 'tandemflug' to find the other two had already had their flight, so I scampered down to see whats happening. Yes fly now OK ! So up on the gondola for an exhilerating glide down the valley for 20 minutes or so, videoing what I can ( actually I accidently taped mostly my leg) when I can, and Denise getting the landing on camera. Great stuff.
Early the next day hopped on the internet for a quick update. Caught the local bus then train to Salzburg, Graz and ending up in Weiz. Long day with a couple of changes which increased when one train was late and we missed the connection. Austria Rail had it sorted and we caught up at a later station, although lugging our groaning packs around is not a task for the fainthearted.
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