Saturday 20 September 2008

OBERSTDORF 2 - SURROUNDINGS

Dietrich drove us to the beginning of a most amazing walk through a deep canyon called the Breitachklamm the beginning of which is not far from Oberstdorf. The depth and geological formation show up rather well in this photo I took (thinking that it would be too dark, deep in the canyon). After walking through the gorge we continued on up the river and ended up at a lovely hut called Waldhaus which is actually in Austria.


The owners are friends of Dietrich's. Unfortunately I have no photos of the lovely young couple with their school-age son and the mother-in-law who live there. The family run the inn. They have a website www.waldhaus.de.cx (It doesn't seem to work. However other various websites - mostly German - have photos and descriptions of the area).

I was impressed that they make their own marmalade and many other hand-made foodstuffs which they sell in the inn. It is definitely worth a visit!

The whole of this area is surrounded by mountains so Iain was in his element!

Dietrich (right), Sabina (left) and Iain had a long climb and then a ridge walk in the Nebelhorn area. The rest of us took the cable car to the top of the Nebelhorn where we all met for a barbecue meal.

These lads were great fun. In the minutes before the cable car descended for the night, they came out on to the roof-patio and played for all of us. Their forte was good ol' fashioned German polkas and marches! Knowing it was heading for 8 o'clock and the ride back down we got them to join in 'Auld Lang Syne'. They picked up the tune easily, of course, but heaven knows what they made of our singing!

As we were eating the weather socked in - just like Scotland - and then cleared giving this wonderful etherial lighting. I took this shot as the cable car was moving down the mountain.

There are many hiking trails and pleasant woodland walks along the icy rivers that come down the valleys. This is Reingart beside a covered wooden bridge. Sometimes the bridges get swept away in the spring run-off and have to be replaced.

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