1) It is so close to the Alps
and
2) It houses an incredibly proactive bunch of people and organise all sorts of group outings with strangers on a daily basis
So today, combining the two, Jutta and I did the thirty minute drive to the base of the mountains with a group of ten people. Wrapped in various layers of clothing we begun the long haul upwards which was so exhausting we quickly removed all but the first jacket. The rocks were slippery and much of the track was very muddy from the rain so needless to say, I slipped more than once. The scenery was however, so incredibly beautiful and overwhelming that it was all worth it a hundred times over. Our path went to the top of three mountains but at the top of the second it begun raining so we quickly retreated to a hut nearby for a much needed hot chocolate. The highest point we reached was 1344m above sea level at the top of the third mountain which is a baby mountain compared to the rest of the Alps but was enough for my Sydney lungs which are used to breathing at 0m above sea level. It is hiking tradition to eat a chocolate at every summit you reach, which is marked by a cross, and the chocolates are supplied by a member of the group. I think this is wonderful.
We begun the steep climb downwards and celebrated at the bottom with more chocolate and shots (I could get used to this) before making our way to a nearby christmas market for glühwein (warm, spiced red wine) and maroni (roasted chestnuts). The hike took us just over five hours and was AMAZING.
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| The Group |
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| Top of the first summit |
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| Who says you can´t have art on top of a mountain? |
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| Post-hiking boots |
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| Attempting to clean my boots |
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| Cheers to a good day |
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| Glühwein at a christmas market |
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