HIKING
Take the trail take your time
&
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When the snows melt and spring comes to the mountains, you can pack away your ski boots and pull on your hiking boots to explore the Alpine scenery at a more leisurely pace
e hurtle down the slopes in winter, but in summer, on foot, we have time,to really breathe in everything that makes the mountains so wonderful. SalzburgerLand has more than 7,200km of designated and marked hiking trails – many of them highlighted with the red/ white/red Austrian flag colours, while many of the trails have their own signs. Some 30 per cent of the province is protected nature reserves, of which the biggest and most important is the National Park Hohe Tauern – home to ibex, marmot, vulture and eagle. Hiking across colourful alpine meadows and through forests, past mountain tarns and waterfalls, pausing at chapels and trail-side crosses, is what makes summer in the Salzburg hill country such an uplifting experience. From late spring the herdsmen fan out from the valleys to spend the summer on the higher pastures. It’s up here, amid the wild flowers and lush green grass, that SalzburgerLand has evolved its own distinct welcome – in the shape of the many alpine huts that dot the landscape. SalzburgerLand is home to more alpine huts than any other Austrian province. There are some 1,800 of them – and 550 open their doors to hikers, treating their guests to an array of hearty hillcountry favourites – such as fresh milk, cheese, butter, cream cheese, yoghurt, bread, bacon and home-distilled schnapps. Hiking here is a visceral experience. Quite apart from tasting the delicious local food and drink, you spend the days walking through a landscape that seems more colourful and more sharply defined than ‘normal’ countryside. The greens glisten and sparkle, while
if you lift your gaze you’ll mostly be greeted with a stunning backdrop of mountains set against the deepest blue skies. The air is clean, sharp and has that freshness you only get at altitude, and it’s filled with the scent of wild flowers and the hum of insects. Butterflies are everywhere. Enter the forests and woodlands, and you’ll breathe in that dense mossy smell, particularly after a shower of rain. And then there are the bells. The gentle knocking of cowbells is a sure sign that you’re nearing a hill farm or alpine huts, but do watch where you tread, as the cowpats – known as alpine pizzas – are another sure sign of approaching habitation. And you’ll never go thirsty here in the mountains. The water pretty much everywhere, from the bubbling streams to the impossibly blue lakes, is wonderfully pure – and it’s tested annually to ensure that it’s fit to drink. Obviously, you have to do the actual work of hiking, but it’s made as easy as possible, with clear signposting. It’s here that a few words of German would help, as there are many signs telling you about the flora and fauna you can see, and while steps are being taken to extend the use of English, many are still in German only. And if you don’t fancy walking all the way up, more than 50 of the region’s ski lifts remain open during the summer, so you can ride up in comfort and enjoy a stroll at high altitude, before either walking down, or returning via the cable car. Many car-free side valleys are served by reliable public buses and hiking shuttles. Practically every village will have its own selection of trails and treks to follow – just check out the tourist offices, or log on to the region’s local websites – but we’ve picked out a few that showcase the best of SalzburgerLand.
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06/01/2012 12:33
