Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn Cross return via Stanglalm - Austria 18 Aug 2013.

Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn Cross return via Stanglalm 
Austria
Distance 23.5km Climb 1700m
Sunday 18th August 2013

Last year we had seen the open air mass on a crag near Hornkopfl so after breakfast at the Hotel Edelweiss we set off.  Anne would use one of our cable car tickets to go up the Kitzbuheler Horn and I would walk up, we would meet up near the top.  The idea was while I was walking up Kitzbuheler it would also give Anne some time to look around the shops and stalls that came out on a Sunday in a few places in the town.  

Walking through the town it was warm and sunny despite it being fairly early in the day. I crossed over the river, the main road and the train line before starting up hill passed the cable station at 763m at the bottom of the hill.

I had walked this way a few times, over the last three years, so I did not need to follow the signs, but they are easy to follow if needed.  The track up to the Kitzbuheler Horn is up, up then more up, I soon left the town behind as I worked my way up, the path leaves a tarmac road and goes onto a gravel path that moves through the trees, which gave me relief from the hot sun.

I reached the house that was still being built, it had not changed in the three years I had walked up here.  Never mind I cannot say anything, we still have the same tap dripping at home, I still have not fixed it.

I continue up the path which passes a pretty house at Adlern.  It always looked nice here and the views brilliant.

This part of the walk up to the Adlerhutte - the middle station at 1266m is the steepest part of the walk.  I am not saying this means the rest is flat, the walk is still climbing up with a few more steep stretches to go although they are not as bad as in the first part, they still manage to make the heart beat a little faster.

I had a quick drink of water and moved up through a patch of trees that open onto a wide track.  After a couple of steep climbs the view opens up on the right and I could see across to the Kitzbuheler Horn.  When the wind blew from the Kitzbuheler Horn I could hear the people gathering for the mass, the musicians playing their instruments on the breeze.

As I came across the rise at Trattalmen I joined the road below the Alpenhaus. I then turned right towards Alpenblumenweg.

I followed the signs up to the Hornkopfl 1773m.

Hornkopflhutte 1736m

Looking south from Hornkopflhutte

The people gathering for the mass, from Hornkopfl 1773m

I saw Anne from the top of the Hornkopfl and so walked down the hill and joined her with all the other people who were there.  After the mass as people started down the hill you could hear groups of musicians playing, taking their turns, playing the people down to the Alpenhaus cable station.  We had our pack lunches and drinks that I had carried up.  Then we moved up to the cross just below the Kitzbuheler Horn. 

 After a short rest at the Kitzbuheler Horn Cross we climbed over the fence and headed along the track to Harschbichl.  The track was not as wide or as well walked as the track I had used coming up.  In places it had cables fastened to the sides for walkers to hold if they needed the support.  The track was mostly in a Northern direction.

Look at the view!!!

After the steep track down we reached the road below Harschbichl, were we turned left, west, and followed a track through a wood.  Which took us down to the road to Stangalm 1458m.

 At Stanglalm we stopped for a drink and enjoyed the views before following the road down to Haslach 780m, it was very open.  

At Haslach we turned left and headed South West onto the Romerweg (Roman Way) and followed it into Kitzbuhel 761m.  

From the Romerweg we turned across a field that led us down a path back into the town.  Once in the town we headed towards the Hotel Edelweiss in time for tea and cake.  

We had covered approx. 23.5km with 1700m of climb and descent, a good days walking.

More to follow


Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Austria or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to next walk Kitzbuhel to Hochwildalmhutte
Follow link to previous walk Aschau to Spiessnagel
Follow link to another walk to Kitzbuheler Horn Cross return via Stanglalm 2012.

Aschau to Spiessnagel via Hirzeggalm - Kitzbuhel - Austria 17 Aug 2013.

Aschau to Spiessnagel via Hirzeggalm and Return
Austria
Distance 15km Climb 880m
Saturday 17th August 2013

We did this walk last year, it was on our last full day and Klaus had told us about it.  So as usual we prepared our packed lunches, changed into our walking clothes at the Hotel Edelweiss.  We caught the 09.44 bus from the stop at the bottom of the Hahnenkamm for Aschau. 

Arriving at Aschau we found that they had been a lot of building work since last year, so it took us a little while to find the track.  Anyway from Aschau 1006m we headed south and it took us about 30 minutes to walk up Oberer-Grund-Ache before we reached the sign for Hirzeggalm.

We turned right and headed west, we knew from last year that this route as it would be sheltered from the sun.  There had been quite a few people cycling on the Oberer-Grund-Ache, but on this track I saw only a couple of people who I soon passed.

As Anne knew the way we decided that I would go ahead and leave Anne to walk up to Hirzeggalm at her own pace.  It was a twisty windy path up the hill with a few little steep climbs which was clearly marked.  The main direction was west and there was plenty of shade.

The path then opened up onto a stone gravel track, this was new since last year, which climbed up through the woods before levelling out and leading to Hirzeggalm 1600m.  Last year Klaus had suggested Anne stop here with her book, enjoy the view and have a drink.  While I moved further up the hill, today I was already on my own and Anne was walking at her own pace.

 I continued on the track which joined an older track moving up towards Spiessnagel I was now out in the open and could feel the full heat of the sun.  After Hirzeggalm I was heading south again.  A sign said it would take 50 minutes to reach the top, but I knew from last year that it would not take that long, and it did not.

After the road the track turns into a grass path as it narrows and climbs higher.  I could hear a number of young walkers ahead of me.  The path continues to twist and turn with a couple of styles as it climbs higher.  The sky and air was so clear.

 

At the top there was a book which I wrote in, I took a few photos before heading back down, I would hopefully meet up with Anne at Hirzeggalm.  The views from the top were stunning.

Kirchberg down the valley

 At Hirzeggalm Anne was waiting so I stopped and joined her for a drink.  Last year we had a chat with the lady, she told us that this was her last summer as she was moving into Aschau.  This was one of the reasons why we had wanted to do this walk, to see if she was still there, she was not but for who ever had taken it over it was still a very busy place and looked like a good little investment. 

From Hirzeggalm, there is two ways back to Aschau, we could go down the road, which looked very exposed to the sun or we could go back the way we had come up.  We decided to return the way we had come up.  After a quick calculation we worked out how long it would take and made plans to return to Aschau for the 15.00 bus back to Kitzbuhel.

As we walked back down the stone gravel track, there were loads of butterflies and a really nice smell of wood and flowers.  We joined the twisted windy path back down to the Oberer-Grund-Ache and then into Aschau just in time for the bus, arriving back at the Hotel Edelweiss for our tea and cakes.

Arriving back at Aschau

In all it had been a very good walk we had covered approx 15km with approx 880m of climb.  

More to follow.


Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Austria or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to next walk Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn Cross return via Stanglalm
Follow link to previous walk Kitzbuhel to Kirchberg
Follow link to another walk up Spiessnagel in 2012

Kitzbuhel to Kirchberg in Tirol via Schwarzsee - Austria 15 August 2013.

Hotel Edelweiss to Kirchberg in Tirol and Return
Austria
Distance 14.5km Climb 70m
Thursday 15th August 2013

Today was the first day of our holiday and in Kirchberg in Tirol there was the annual flower festival, a public holiday.  The flower festival is linked to Assumption Day a major festival day for the Church.  So we had an easy day and walk along for the flower festival.

We prepared our packed lunches and changing into our walking clothes.  As we left the Hotel Edelweiss we had a brief chat with Veronika and Klaus as to where we were going, due to the flower festival, Kirchberg in Tirol seemed to be a popular destination for other hotel guests today. 

Walking through Kitzbuhel 761m we saw that they were making the preparations for the annual bike race up the Hahnenkamm.  Last year we missed the start of the race in our hurry to get to Kirchberg in Tirol, however this year we knew we had plenty of time so stayed and waited for the start of the race.

The cyclists started off, all smiles, we saw them lead by the fire van through the town.  Then we saw them follow the fire van through the town on a second lap.  The cyclists were no longer smiling, well it would be hard trying to keep up with a fire van driving with its blue light on. 

The route we took to Kirchberg in Tirol was through the town then north west out towards Schwarzsee.   

Schwarzsee with Kitzbuheler Horn

The path then follows the train line west before we walked beside the river straight into Kirchberg in Tirol 837m.

Kirchberg in Tirol was full of people, the locals were all dressed in their traditional costumes. Many sitting on long tables eating and drinking while folk groups played traditional music.  We found a bar away from the centre but from where we could get a good view of the procession as it passed.  The place was full of people there was crowds and crowds of people just pouring into the small town.  It was a very hot day. So we had a couple of drinks while we watched the parade.   

The parade and flower floats moved through the town one way and then back again.  Some very good imaginative floats.

Once the parade was over we started heading back towards Schwarzsee.

We left Kirchberg in Tirol down the main street, passed an old British red phone box.  After we left the town we turned left and crossed a field that took us down towards the river.  As we reached the field a para glider was folding up his chute, he asked us if we knew where the nearest bus stop was.  Fortunately they were shown on my map so we could help.   

Once we crossed the field we joined the path and headed east towards Schwarzsee.  Then took the path back to Kitzbuhel and the Hotel Edelweiss.  

We had covered approx 14.5km with approx 70m of climb.

More to follow


Boz North 

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Austria or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to last walk in Austria 2012
Follow link to next walk Aschau to Spiessnagel
Follow link to another walk to Kirchberg in 2012