We have had some great experiences on this trip, but it wouldn't be an Alpine Adventure without going up in a cable car! Five minutes after we left the campsite at Bad Gastein, we were in Bad Hofgastein, the next village, and buying our tickets to go up to Schlossalm. A funicular took us up to the middle station and then we got in a huge cable car - not sure how many it could take, but there were about 25 people in it and it wasn't full. At the ticket office there had been a notice saying that today it was 'windig' on the mountains - oh boy, was it just! The cable car slowed down as it reached the top station, swayed from side to side silently (just like all the people inside!) and eventually bumped a bit against it's guard rails and settled into it's slot. We stepped out into 60 mile an hour gusts but although we were up with patches of snow, it wasn't really cold. We spent 2 hours walking on the stoney and snowy paths and around little mountain lakes, finding a reasonably sheltered bench by a hut to eat our picnic.
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| The post had holes to look through to see one labelled peak at a time |
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| The frame was a nice touch too |
The views were tremendous, of course, and we were kept entertained by people climbing one particular rocky peak up to a cross (Hirschkar Summit).
We didn't attempt that in this wind, but the little one we did climb had a pole to hang on to for the photo!
On the way up and on the way down, we had super views of the valley and Bad Gastein in the distance.
We needed to head on a bit more through Austria today too, so headed down the valley, then west close to Zell am See and Mittersill, then north on a hair-pin road (with views of Grossglockner and surrounding mountains)
to Kitzbuhel. It seemed very busy there, so didn't stop, and carried on through a smaller valley to a campsite at Westendorf. The sun was at its hottest(27degC) when we arrived, but guess what - by 7ish it was raining again!
We don't plan to try and match the last 2 days excitement for our anniversary tomorrow! Sunshine and a bit of lunch out will be fine .....
Seeing your photos reminded us of going along the very same roads (in the opposite direction) and remembering the many hairpins as you go up to the grossglockner where we walked on the glacier. One evening at our hotel there was a zither player called Andy who came from Westendorf. We remember this particularly as the music was very uninspiring !
ReplyDeleteAlthough the weather has not been great today it doesnt matter as we are going on a jet boat down the Thames - so will get soaked anyway.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday
Happy anniversary-enjoy the day!
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