Travelling with a Clear Conscience

Text — TESEO L A MARCA, Photos — MICHAEL PEZZEI

Is it possible to go on an eco-friendly holiday without compromising on comfort? We challenged a young couple to give it a go. Here, they report on how they enjoyed a relaxing break while still doing their bit for the environment

Left: Hiking guide Raimund Gietl takes

visitors on a journey of discovery through the former granary of South Tyrol.

Bottom: Hotel manager Elmar Braun

wants to prove that holidaymakers can enjoy a luxurious trip while also being sustainable.

T

“Just being here makes you feel happy to be alive!”

hroughout the holiday, it slowly dawned on us that surely there had been some mistake. It came to us as we dined on a vegan menu of pepper and coconut soup followed by buckwheat risotto with fresh chanterelle mushrooms, as we strolled from our hotel’s vine-covered arbour to the infinity pool overlooking the Dolomites, and as we sipped on a glass of Gewürztraminer in the hot tub and lay back to gaze up at the starry, late-summer night sky. We just couldn’t shake the thought that none of this seemed like deprivation to us.

Forgoing life’s pleasures was the first thing which came to mind when we decided to go on this holiday. We wanted to embark on a guilt-free trip to South Tyrol/Südtirol, explore Brixen/Bressanone, Klausen/Chiusa and the villages high above the Eisacktal valley, and return home with a clear conscience. But having a clear conscience means doing without a thing or two, doesn’t it? Or at least that’s what we’ve always assumed, especially since giving up plane travel and SUVs. This belief has been ingrained in me since childhood – since the days when my mum ignored my protests for sugary chocolate cereal and insisted on putting organic muesli into the supermarket trolley instead. The lesson to me was clear: When you choose to go organic, you’re paying extra for peace of mind and a healthy lifestyle, but not necessarily for more enjoyment. Aren’t you?

Perhaps I’ve been mistaken all these years. Elmar Braun, for example, is someone who sees things very differently. The 40-year-old family man runs the Pennhof certified organic hotel on the sundrenched western slopes of the Eisacktal valley in Barbian/Barbiano, where we had the privilege of staying for a few days. After spending many years living and working as a vegan head chef in Portugal, Thailand and the Netherlands, Elmar felt compelled to return to South Tyrol, “the most beautiful place in the world,” as he puts it. “The mountains, the lakes, the vineyards, the wonderful food – just being here makes you feel happy to be alive!”

Elmar was just ten years old when his parents decided to turn their family farm organic. Years later, after staying at an organic hotel during his travels, he decided to build on what his parents had done by bringing the concept to South Tyrol. He takes care of the guests, while his parents and brother continue to manage the adjoining farm. Here, visitors can watch dairy cows gently licking their calves, feed bread to pigs and goats in the petting zoo, and marvel – from a safe distance – at a clucking brood of organic laying hens scratching around outside. You get a good feeling about the place as soon as you arrive. The Pennhof offers all the services expected of a luxury hotel – a sumptuous dinner menu and Alpine sauna, to name just two – combined with the feeling of holidaying on a farm. It’s a fantastic mix.

The once globetrotting Elmar – who still retreats to his small property in Colombia twice a year – wants to be more than just a successful hotel manager. He wants to prove that it is possible for holidaymakers to enjoy a luxurious trip while also being sustainable and not racking up a huge carbon footprint. But is that really possible?

To help us find out, we headed to a place where all we could hear was birdsong and the trickling of a mountain stream somewhere in the distance. Here, in the foothills of the main chain of the Alps, we followed retired hiking guide Raimund Gietl through meadows and evergreen forests until we reached a small wooden hut bearing all the hallmarks of 500 years of exposure to the Alpine elements. We could

hear something clattering away behind the weatherworn walls, and on stepping inside, we discovered a wonderful feat of engineering turning grain into flour purely by harnessing the power of water.

Without any complicated mechanics, electricity or human strength, this extremely heavy millstone has been providing a source of nutrition for centuries. I glanced over at our guide and noticed that we weren’t the only ones who were amazed by what was in front of us. As Raimund explained how the water mill works, he could hardly conceal his deep admiration for this once vital piece of technology. With delight, he explained how the interlocking cogwheel and pinion convert power from the horizontal main shaft into vertical energy; how the steady vibrations cause the grain to trickle through the mill hopper into the gap between the millstones; and how only a few small adjustments are needed to change the coarseness of the milled flour.

The fact that there are so many ❶ flour mills here near Terenten/Terento is no coincidence. “This region was the granary of South Tyrol for generations,” explained Raimund. However, when the small-scale grain farmers on the high plateau realised they could no longer keep pace with imports from abroad, the majority of them switched to dairy farming from the 1950s onwards. Instead of grain, they grew lush green grass on the meadows, so that they could provide their dairy cows with a nutritious diet.

It’s only in more recent years that a few daring young farmers have followed in their ancestors’ footsteps by giving grain a go again – this time growing it organically. And their gamble has paid off. Once again, the region is growing its own grain, milling its own flour and baking its own bread.

After our visit to the old flour mills, we called in at Tötscherhof farm in Terenten and discovered that the flour is not only zero emissions, but tastes delicious too. The farm bakes its own sourdough bread in an old rustic oven housed in a covered outbuilding in front of the farmhouse. Following a traditional recipe handed down through the generations, ❶ up to 500 loaves of bread can be baked here in a single day when the oven is fired up early in the morning.

It’s only in more recent years that daring young farmers have followed in their ancestors’ footsteps by growing grain again – organically.

The Terenten mills

An excursion to the Terenten flour mills is a fascinating journey back in time and gives you the chance to explore old traditions and learn more about these impressive water wheels. Plus it’s a beautiful walk! Starting from Terenten village centre, the easy and educational Mill trail takes you across meadows, through pine forests and past surreal natural earth pyramids, reaching the first mill in around 45 minutes. On Mondays during the summer months, a mill is open and can be visited. The Terenten tourist association can arrange guided hikes with local experts.

www.gitschberg-jochtal.com

Farmer Georg Feichter explained how, even within his lifetime, farming families once needed huge ovens like this to feed their many children. Georg himself was one of eight children and remembers how he and his siblings used to hungrily wolf down the crusty bread with speck ham and cheese. We could see why – the freshly baked farmhouse bread was delicious!

These days, however, traditional products made using old recipes and methods are no longer the preserve of farmers. As we strolled through Brixen’s vibrant and picturesque old town, we soon discovered a myriad of small shops selling regional and sustainable products, such as the ❷ Pur Südtirol gourmet food shop, where we found organic eggs from our host Elmar’s farm sitting alongside organic flour milled from South Tyrolean grain. Most of all, we were surprised by how much Brixen, the oldest town in Tyrol, has retained its unique charm. Instead of the same-old international chains which sadly dominate the shopping streets of more and more European cities, Brixen is home to an array of local shops and retailers which uphold the values of fair fashion, such as ❸ Kauri Store, or focus on upcycling, such as ❹ WiaNui.

Sustainable shopping is great, but when it comes to heavier equipment, an even greener option is hiring rather than buying. Hiring an electric bike is especially popular and e-biking is a fantastic, environmentally friendly way of exploring the region without the fear of aching muscles the following day. The Lüsner Tal valley has become a mecca for electric bike enthusiasts in recent years. Located to the north of Brixen between the Plose mountain and the Lüsner Alm Alpine pasture, it curves gently to the southeast and ascends to the Würzjoch pass, where the majestic Dolomites begin.

For many years, the valley avoided being taken over by conventional winter tourism due to the lack of ski lifts. And as we learnt from Franz Hinteregger, whom we joined for a guided electric bike tour on the ❺ Lüsner Alm, the locals were originally afraid of the impact tourists would have on the region. From the Lüsner Alm, we enjoyed panoramic views of the mighty Peitlerkofel mountain, the Geisler peaks and the Dolomites behind, the Eisacktal valley to the south and the snow-covered main chain of the Alps to the north. Sweeping pastures stretched out in front of us, punctuated by fragrant stone pine forests and cows grazing on the horizon.

❷

Sustainable shopping in Brixen

② Pur Südtirol

Pur Südtirol sells a wide selection of regional and organic South Tyrolean delicacies, ranging from wine to speck ham. It also stocks locally made handicraft products and cosmetics.

www.pursuedtirol.com

③ Kauri Store

If you are looking for fashion which is bang on trend but also sustainable and fair, then look no further than the range of clothes brands stocked by Kauri Store.

www.kauristore.com

❹

④ WiaNui

“As good as new” is the motto of the upcycling initiative WiaNui. The high-quality items sold by the shop in Stadelgasse/ Via Fienili in Brixen are the perfect example of how sustainability and beautiful objects can go hand in hand.

www.wianui.eu

❺

E-biking in Lüsen/Luson

Besides traditional bike rental shops, numerous hotels now also rent electric bikes to their guests. The Lüsner Alm Alpine pasture, which forms a plateau together with the Rodenecker Alm Alpine pasture, is an ideal spot for e-biking. With its 20 square kilometres of gently rolling meadows and spectacular panoramic mountain views, it’s not to be missed.

www.luesen.com

In these idyllic surroundings, it quickly became clear what Franz meant when he talked about the potential damage that tourism could do. However, in the Lüsner Tal valley, the people recognised this risk and took an environmentally friendly approach, creating a diverse network of hiking trails and forest tracks, which are ideal for tobogganing, winter hiking and snowshoeing in the colder months. The valley is the perfect spot to unwind and get back to nature and is a shining example of sustainable tourism. Franz himself has also developed a taste for this lifestyle. At least once a week, he takes his guests on an electric bike ride in the local mountains, returning to his hotel tired but happy.

And that’s exactly how we felt that evening in the Pennhof after enjoying an exciting, action-packed day in the mountains. We were tired, but not exhausted, and felt at peace yet at the same time invigorated. After so much exertion, the mouth-watering dinner menu was certainly the perfect way to recuperate!

Through the dining room’s panoramic veranda windows, we could see the Dolomites ablaze in fiery shades of red in the evening light. Our eyes drifted to Elmar, who was throwing old wooden crates on to the fire pit together with a colleague. Always with the environment in mind, Elmar likes to recycle whatever he can and therefore uses combustible waste instead of firewood. The fire was soon flickering and crackling away and, as dusk fell, we watched mesmerised as our view of the glowing mountains gradually faded, replaced by the flames of the fire. After a holiday like this, it seems that sustainability, happiness and life’s little pleasures can coexist after all.

Sweeping pastures stretched out in front of us, punctuated by stone pine forests and cows grazing on the horizon.

Farm shops in and around Klausen

Tschotthof

This farm in Villanders/ Villandro sells jam and syrup made from homegrown cherries, apricots, apples and berries as well as herbal and floral salts, speck ham and dried fruit.

www.tschott.com Radoar

To enter the small shop at Radoar farm in Feldthurns/Velturno, you first need to give the farm bell a good ring. Once inside, you can choose from a range of wine and schnapps, apple juice, vinegar and dried fruit as well as fresh organic chestnuts and nuts in autumn.

www.radoar.com Obergostnerhof

In Pardell near Klausen, the Gasser family sells an array of home-made specialities in their small farm shop, such as honey, apple cider vinegar or dried pears known as “Kloazn”.

www.gasser.bz.it

Tötscherhof farm bakes its own sourdough bread following a recipe handed down through the generations.

Sustainability for children

Bühlerhof

How do we turn milk into butter or grain into bread? At the Bühlerhof farm in Raas/Rasa (NatzSchabs/Naz-Sciaves), children have fun learning about local production cycles and even get to try some home-made products. The petting zoo, farm Olympics and child-friendly farm tours are a great way for little ones to discover what sustainable farming is all about.

www.buehlerhof.it