On Monday (31 August), after a sunny morning it was mostly cloudy at 21C/70F but felt warmer because of high humidity in the air, and of course even more so during the steep first uphill part of the hike we'd decided upon.
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| View from our balcony at 7:25 that morning. |
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| Looking the other way, along the valley. |
The car was safely parked by the hotel, where it would remain for almost all our stay, and we left after a sumptuous breakfast directly from the front door, walking through part of the village until we reached the edge of the wooded ridge separating Bizau (our village) from Schnepfau (at the bottom of the next valley).
We had done this hike back in September 2023, and clicking on the link will take you to my post and photos from that time. I remembered how much I loved the view from Schnepfegg past the Kanisfluh across the valley and wanted to see it again.
As before, the first part through the woods was steep, but I managed well.
We arrived at St. Wendelin's Chapel to find it locked just like in 2023, but were able to see inside from the unlocked ante room.
Schnepfegg was very quiet with the hotel-restaurant (Berghaus Kanisfluh) closed for the day, and although it was a much cloudier day than what it had been like three years ago, I still found the view into the valley beautiful.
Downhill from there is the small village of Schnepfau with its Baroque church; I went inside before we started on the long straight walk at the bottom of the valley into Mellau.
The river is the Bregenzer Ache (sometimes just called Ach), and now at the end of a long, warm summer with little rain, it doesn't carry much water:
From there, we took a bus to Reuthe, a settlement at the entrance to "our" valley, and opted to walk the rest of the way from there, stopping briefly to visit the small church with its medieval murals. This time, I didn't take any pictures of the murals; you can see them here.
Back at the hotel with about 15.5 km under our hiking boots' soles, we rested for a bit, then showered and changed for dinner.
For the first time this season, I spotted autumn crocus on a meadow and found the first horse chestnut on the ground - a sure sign of summer quietly slipping into autumn.
The holiday destination looks very up your street and a pleasant and interesting place for hiking. I note the picture of the bed in the previous post which looks to me extremely uncomfortable but I am sure you will say to me it wasn't! How lovely to be returning to this destination this time as husband and wife! You will be thoroughly refreshed and ready to return to work, holiday over for another year. Rachel x
ReplyDeleteYou are right on all accounts, Rachel. The bed really is comfortable, only the duvet was a little on the warm side for the summerly temperatures we were still having.
DeleteNever before have I had only four working weeks between two major holidays (Yorkshire and Austria), and one could argue that I hardly "needed" the September holiday, but it all was down to coordinating with my husband's colleagues at work.
I'm having a hard time choosing a favorite from these photos, Meike. The view from your balcony is high on the list, but I especially love the view of the valley at Berghaus Kanisfluh. They're all gorgeous, like something out of a Grimm's fairy tale.
ReplyDeleteThat view of the valley from Berghaus Kanisfluh is one of my favourites, too!
DeleteI just couldn't get over how GREEN everything was, compared to where we came from, and then of course it's a lot quieter there, and the air so clean.
Such lovely views and I hope the clouds helped keep you cool on your long hike.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't too bad; I break a sweat and puff and pant on the uphill bits no matter what, but for the rest I felt very comfortable in my long hiking pants.
Delete15.5 km is what we call do-able. I could manage it myself.
ReplyDeleteBalcony view, beyond superlatives. I can smell the night air like wine.
No other landscape for me. Equal to Scottish Borders, Cotswolds, W Ireland & Tuscany.
I recall St Wendelin's Chapel, locked, from 2023 (which I'm about to reread).
Amos Oz said places can't be holy, only people. Chapels celebrate holiness.
Baroque church at Schnepfau feels deja vu. Bregenzer Ache in low flow, drought.
In 1985 BBC did a mini series of Tender is the Night, a favourite novel of mine.
Peter Strauss as Dr Diver the psychiatrist is walking home from his clinic.
I remember this as the closing scene of one episode.
He's in a valley like this one and in the darkness where no one can hear, he screams.
It's not in the novel. Dennis Potter inserted it. Is Diver damned in Paradise ?
I'm not familiar with "Tender is the Night", although I know of it.
DeleteYes, 15.5 km is entirely doable. I often walk 10+ km afer work (my usual path to Benningen). But it's completely different on this kind of mountain path; even a much shorter distance becomes a lot "more" than what it would be on even terrain.
How beautiful! It all looks so quiet and peaceful. We're there any others around or did you just take your photos very early? That first photo with the view from your balcony? You could frame it and sell prints to tourists!
ReplyDeleteWere not we're!!
ReplyDeleteI got it, Kay :-)
DeleteWe mostly had it to ourselves, there really were very few other people about. It was a Monday morning when most people would be at work or not out yet; also, the clouds may have deterred some hikers, expecting rain. Last but not least, that first tour we did isn't very touristy in the first place.
St. Wendelin's looks like a beautiful little chapel, and the baroque church in Schnepfau is impressive.
ReplyDeleteSchnepfau's church is amazingly big for such a small village. Maybe it had more importance in the past; I have not looked into its history.
DeleteMore lovely views, thanks for taking us along... :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming along :-)
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