Kitzbuhel to Kirchberg - Austria 15 Aug 2012.

Hotel Edelweiss to Kirchberg Return via Seidlalmsee
Austria
Distance 18km
Wednesday 15th August 2012

Today there was a flower festival and a public holiday in Kirchberg, so it was decided that we would have an easy day and walk along for the 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 today.

Walking through Kitzbuhel 761m we saw that they were making the preparations for a bike race, it all looked very interesting.  Our route to Kirchberg was the same route that we had walked when returning from Kirchberg on the previous Sunday, only in reverse.  North West out towards Schwarzsee then follow the train line West before walking West beside the river straight into Kirchberg 837m.

Part of Schwarzsee

Kirchberg 837m was very busy and full of local people in their traditional costumes. Many sitting on long tables eating and drinking while folk groups played traditional music.  We saw a few floats all decorated in flowers and crowds of people just pouring into the small town.  Another very hot day.  We decided that probably the easiest way back to Kitzbuhel and the Hotel Edelweiss, due to the crowds and possible delays to the bus, would be to use the cable car up the Fleckalm and walk across to the Hahnenkamm as the station at the bottom was quite close to the Hotel Edelweiss.

As we left Kirchberg we saw an old UK telephone box

As we were on our way to the Fleckham Cable Station 807m I suggested to Anne that she use the cable car and I would try and walk up, Ehrenbachhohe, then across to Hahnenkamm and down to Kitzbuhel.  So I left Anne at the cable car station.

Anne on the cable car as I walked beneath.

The hill was quite steep in places, the problem I had was that I did not really have a lot of time.  We had left Kirchberg quite late for me to do the walk I had planned.  I followed the signs and took into account the timings on the signs and was having to change my plans as I walked up.

I came to a junction where I could either go up to Fleckalm and then up to Ehrenbachhohe, but at the time I thought I would be pushing it to get up then get across to Hahnenkamm and back down in the time.  So I turned East towards Niedere Streifalm and I thought I might still be able to get up to Hahnenkamm?

Niedere Streifalm looking East

Niedere Streifalm looking West

Seidlalmsee 1360m

I arrived at the junction just passed Seidlalmsee and I recognised where I was, I had been here a number of times during our visit last year.  At this junction again taking into account the timings on the signs it would have taken an hour and a half to go up Hahnenkamm and back to this point.  With a further hour and three quarters to get down.  I thought again I had started too late, if I went up Hahnenkamm I would have been late, late enough to cause people concern so I made the decision just to head down.  Writing this now I wish I had gone up but it is too late now, at the time that seamed the sensible decision.

Seidlalm 1206m

I got back to the Hotel Edelweiss just in time to catch a cup of tea.  Klaus reminded me I was on holiday and there was no reason to try and run up and down the mountains as they would still be there tomorrow.  Not that I was doing any running up, but sometimes due to the steepness on the way down when I stumbled, I may have given the appearance I was running but this was only to stop myself falling on my face.

I had walked about 18km.

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 Pass Thurn to Kitzbuhel
Follow link to previous walk Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn
Follow link to another walk to Kirchberg 2013

Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn return via Stanglalm - Austria 14 Aug 2012.

Hotel Edelweiss to Kitzbuheler Horn Return via Stanglalm
Austria
Distance 23.5km
Tuesday 14th August 2012

Again at breakfast we had no idea where we were going to walk.  Previously we had heard of other couples who had taken the cable car up the Kitzbuheler Horn, then walk down into St Johann and return to Kitzbuhel by train or bus.  So we decided to make full use of our cable car tickets and do the same, in that Anne would use one of the tickets to go up the Kitzbuheler Horn and I would walk up, we would meet up at the top and walk into St Johann.  While I was walking up Kitzbuheler Horn it would also give Anne some time to look around the shops and the town.  

Before we left the Hotel Edelweiss, we spoke to Klaus and Veronika who as always had some useful suggestions.  Klaus suggested instead of walking down Kitzbuheler Horn and turning right to St Johann we could turn left towards Stanglam, then Haslach and then follow the Romerweg (Roman Way) back into Kitzbuhel 761m.  So that is what we did.

With pack lunches and bottles of water I set off leaving Anne to peruse the shops and town at her leisure.

Again the signs are easy to follow and the track up to the Kitzbuheler Horn is up, up then more up.  You soon leave the town behind as you work your way up through the trees, which gave relief from the hot sun.

At the start of the path looking back across the town towards the Hahnenkamm

We saw this house like this last year, and it doesn't look like much work has been done since then.

The walk up as far as the Adlerhutte - the middle station at 1266m is the steepest part of the walk.  This doesn't mean the rest is flat as there are a few steep stretches to go but they are not as bad as in the first part.

Middlestation 1266m

Notice the deer and squirrel

Kitzbuheler Horn through the trees

Alpenhaus Kitzbuheler Horn 1670m

Little church near the Gipfelhaus cable station Kitzbuheler Horn

Anne at the Gipfelhaus cable station - waiting for me

The view down from Gipfelhaus back down the valley

Kitzbuheler Horn radio mast 1996m

We had our sandwiches at the top and a few drinks of water. After a short rest we moved back down to the cross where Klaus had shown me on the map where the track to Stanglam started.  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.

Anne with the track to Stanglam behind her

Hole in the rock where the track goes

Anne moving down the narrow track

Going down

After a few km North in the open the path turns West towards Stangalm through the trees.

A picture frame hanging in the trees, on the way to Stangalm 1458m.

We followed the road down from Stangalm 1458m down to Haslach 780m, it was very open and we got very sun burnt.

At Haslach we turned left and headed South West onto the Romerweg (Roman Way) and followed it into Kitzbuhel 761m.  The worry was would we make it back to the Hotel Edelweiss in time for tea and cake.  Of course we did.

I had walked about 23.5 km.  It was a good walk and I felt good to have covered a good distance.

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 Kirchberg
Follow link to previous walk Hahnenkamm to Ehrenbachhome
Follow link to the same walk in 2013

Hahnenkamm to Ehrenbachhohe - Fleckalm to Gaisberg - Kitzbuhel - Austria 13 Aug 2012.

Hahnenkamm – Ehrenbachhohe
Fleckalm – Gaisberg and return
Austria
Distance 8km
Monday 13th August 2012

Mostly a cable car day rather than walking day today, but some of the photos are too good not to include in my blog.

From the Hotel Edelweiss we walked to the cable car station and took the cable car up to the top of the Hahnenkamm.  Hahnenkamm 1668m to Ehrenbachhohe 1802m is according to the sign a 40 minute walk.
  

Anne with Ehrenbachhohe in the back ground

Anne at Ehrenbachhohe view to the East towards Kitzbuheler Horn

Ehrenbachhohe

We then took the cable car to the bottom of the Fleckalm.

We followed a route that then took us to the bottom of the chair lift at Gaisberg.

View from the Fleckalm cable car

At the top of the Gaisberg we had our sandwiches and saw the top of a new mountain bike down hill route.  While having our lunch we saw a lad come up the chair lift and ride down the track at least three times while we sat there.

Looking from Gaisberg across to Pengelstein

Looking from Gaisberg towards Kitzbuheler Horn

It was at the bottom of the chair lift at Gaisberg we saw some people with a tandem bike, that had a child's seat attached to the back with a child's buggy attached to that.  It was as long as an articulated lorry.

We also saw people working on what will have been stands for the Kirchberg in Tirol flower festival, apparently a big event and public holiday for the area.

From the bottom of the Gaisberg chair lift we followed roughly the same route back to the bottom of the Fleckhalm.  This was an interesting route through small villages and woods.

Anne with Kirchberg in the back ground

Anne on a nice path in the wood

At the top of the Ehrenbachhohe we spent a few minutes sitting by Ehrenbach-hohensee.  The lake was full of fish, some very large fish.  This did not stop people swimming in the lake, but it made you wonder how they got there.  There was signs all over telling you fishing was not allowed.

Ehrenbach-hohensee

View from the Hahnenkamm cable car

After a short while we took the walk back from Ehrenbachhohe 1802m to Hahnenkamm 1668m for the cable car ride back to the bottom.

Then back to the Hotel Edelweiss for tea and cake.

All in all we must have only covered 8 km, the only climbing was in a cable car or a chair lift.  But as I said I want to include some of the views on my blog.

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
Follow link to previous walk Aschau to Kitzbuhel