More Trees, Clouds and Mountains

The day after our walk to Schoppernau (see previous post) was Sunday. Again, it looked like rain, but again, that did not stop us from going out. This time, our walk was more ambitious, as we did not have the time limit as on the day before when we were expected to be back at the hotel for our massages at a certain hour.

Therefore, we decided to venture further, and chose a place called Bergkristallhütte (literally "mountain crystal cabin") to walk/hike to.

To get there, we had to climb from a level height of 800 m (where our hotel was) to 1.250 m. The paths were well maintained and good enough for cars most of the time on the way up, but for the way down, we chose a different route where no cars were allowed (or possible), which was a little more difficult at times but also a lot more beautiful.

Leaving from the village where our hotel was:
 

Into the woods: 

Almost there:

An unexpected meeting - white Persian cats are not your usual mountain dwellers, are they!

When we reached Bergkristallhütte, we stopped for a plate of hot soup and a drink. Sitting in the VERY warm, dry wooden cabin was welcome, as by then it had just begun to rain and did not stop for a couple of hours. I have no pictures of the cabin itself as there were so many people about, but it was done in the traditional style of the area and very cosy.

On the way back down: (Yes, that's O.K. there in the red waterproof, and yes, I have his permission to use this picture.)

By now, it was afternoon and the rain was falling not hard, but steady. After a detour via Schoppernau and trip with the glass cabin lift to the top of one of the mountain right behind the village (where we could not see a thing due to the dense clouds) we decided to call it a day and went back to our hotel, where we spent the rest of the time until dinner at the spa. Most of the other guests had the same idea (hardly surprising), so it was a bit crowded, but still alright.

The next morning, Monday, we woke up to the rain coming down in sheets and very low, dark grey clouds. But we didn't mind too much, as we were scheduled to check out and leave after breakfast anyway.

After a long drive home with intense traffice, we concluded our mini break with excellent pizza at an Italian restaurant near my place. It was back to work for me the next morning, and another few days off for O.K.