Breakfast was excellent; the hotel does not only offer a wide range of cereals, nuts, fresh fruit, dairy products, breakfast meats and sausages, cheeses and various breads and rolls, but also has its own egg cook who takes your order at the counter and cooks eggs to your specification right there in front of you. The coffee was also very nice. Everything served there is organic, by the way.
We put on our hiking clothes and left the hotel on foot, leaving the car to rest in the car park after yesterday's exhausting drive.
From Gargazzone/Gargazon to Postal/Burgstall is only about 3 km, but to reach the starting point of our tour, we had to find the church first. It was easy enough, though - no need for a satnav or map!
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| View from our hotel at 9:00 in the morning |
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| On the road between Gargazon and Burgstall. This is a living, working area, not just there for hiking tourists - but as soon as you leave the bottom of the valley with its endless rows of apple trees, you are in the middle of beautiful nature. |
Starting behind the church and an abandoned school house (intriguing!!), the path lead steadily up until we reached another path leading along the top, further away from "our" village, past farm houses also serving food and drink, until we stopped for a break (and a shandy) at a marvellously quiet and sunny place.
More great views across the valley of the river Etsch and across to the snow-covered mountains followed.
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| Old olive trees in front of the deanery |
When we arrived back at our hotel late in the afternoon, we took advantage of the cold water Kneipp pool to cool off our feet - so refreshing! There was just enough time for a shower and to change into fresh clothes before another wonderful dinner was being served.
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| Ten hours later than the first picture of this post |
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| Beetroot carpaccio with goat cheese, herbs, flowers and crispy bread |
Oh, that looks so beautiful. What a wonderful day's hiking and then a delicious meal and comfortable room at the end of it. My ideal day!
ReplyDeleteOurs as well, JayCee! It was exactly what we wanted of this holiday.
DeleteI am sure that after this you will return feeling fantastic. It all looks so beautiful (including the food).
ReplyDeleteIt really made me feel very good, and although the first week back at work was a rather turbulent one, I still have the relaxing effect.
DeleteOh, this day looks absolutely a delight. Such natural beauty all around you and the chance to hike out and see it and then return to another excellent dinner all ready for you - after a shower and change of clothes.
ReplyDeleteYou said it, Kristi, it was truly delightful from morning to night!
DeleteThis looks like a perfect day to me! You had me at the very beginning with the cook standing there waiting for my egg order. (Poached,please.) Your photos, just so beautiful! The one with lizard on the rock could be at Arabia or Panola! Happy you both had this perfect day together.
ReplyDeletePerfect on all accounts, Kay! It was just what we wanted (and needed) for our holiday.
DeleteWhat a beautiful day, and such lovely views, with the fresh greens of spring!
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, spring was further advanced there than in our home areas, but gerting higher up in the mountains, the daffodils were still in full bloom. It was beautiful no matter how high or low.
DeleteYou stopped for a break (and a shandy) ... what is a shandy please.
ReplyDeletePS ... I love this trip; everything about it.
Glad you're enjoying it, Jill!
DeleteA shandy is beer mixed with lemonade. I do not like beer on its own, and would not mix it with other soft drinks such as coca cola or so, but with lemonade, it is utterly refreshing.
Well thank you much. I will definitely try that.
DeleteYour photos are so crisp and clear that I can imagine how pure the air is in South Tyrol. What a lovely holiday!
ReplyDeleteIt really is pure and crisp! When we started on our hike, it felt as if breathing this wonderful mountain air was like spring-cleaning for my lungs.
DeleteSounds absolutely delightful. It’s wonderful scenery and hiking is an excellent way of exploring it. Looks like you had a great time.
ReplyDeleteWe did, Friko! It was the second time for O.K. in that hotel, and I can imagine we will be back at some stage.
ReplyDeleteAdd a lake or a river and I'm sure that heaven could not be better.
ReplyDeleteThere is both there, Graham - the river Etsch flows along the entire valley, and at its broadwst part is Lake Kalterer. It will be just about visible in the distance in a picture taken during a hike I have yet to post about.
DeleteIt all looks absolutely perfect, the classic late spring hiking holiday, with everything as it should be! And the delicious food on top of it all... It is so wonderful when everything goes just right. I have started drinking shandy too. I always used to think it was a rather strange drink but have come to the conclusion that beer nor lemonade are much nicer together than alone.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jenny, everything that day was just right!
DeleteIt was last year, during that extremely long hot dry summer, that I discovered for myself how refreshing shandy is. Up until then, I had never tried it, because to me it was just a variety of beer, and I never liked beer.