Adventure Diary

Not all those who wonder are lost…

Category: Austria

Winter hiking

We are now deep into the winter and the conditions become more stable as it gets colder with less avalanche risk, so I thought I would share some winter tours of my favourite local (ish) mountains.

The mountains in winter can be a scary proposition for some but if you have good summer hillwalking experience, good fitness levels, the right equipment and most importantly, a good grasp and understanding of navigation (and I don’t mean just having the latest iPhone in your pocket) then you can safely enjoy the winter conditions and experience the mountains in a new season.

This is not a lesson in winter kit and mountaineering techniques as I assume that anyone who ventures into the mountains in winter without a guide is not stupid enough to go there without such experience and skill. But maybe some inspiration to try a new mountain or plan a new route or even just for you to see these beautiful places in a new light.

Bodental – 8,5km 590 hm

Bodental is a nice dead end valley located just off the Loiblpaß road from Ferlach. There is a small Ski Slope there and a really beautiful Loipe together with some guesthouses and holiday homes. Its more famous for the Meerauge, a small pond with lovely turquoise water, but apart from a nice photo theres not much more you can do as swimming in it, as most things in Austria, is firmly “Verboten”.

The hike that I prefer is an easy tour that takes you first up through the quiet northern forests of the valley on the Südalpenweg which after a little climbing brings you out on to the Ogrisalm. From here you have wonderful views of the sheer cliffs of Kosiak and Wertatscha to the south, before dropping back to the valley floor and following the Loipe back to the Meerauge and the car.

This is a relatively easy winter tour and unless there are severe weather conditions offers little exposure or technical difficulties. So a lovely morning or late afternoon option.

Saualpe – 19,5km 990 hm

The Saualpe is a group of rolling hills and quite a favourite of mine as it closely resembles the mountains where I grew up in Wales and where my mountaineering life was formed. They could almost be identical with the grassland, rocky outcrops and constant winds with free flowing mountain streams and dampness underfoot. But in winter they are a bit of a different proposition. The hiking is generally easy going but the weather can change very quickly with strong winds and low clouds. So with its vast featureless terrain and openness, navigation can be important.

In winter you can gain height with the car on the Lading Straße and park near the Alpengasthof Gießlhütte. From here you take the hiking path to the Wolfsberger Hütte (closed in winter) and then onto the ridge line at the summit of Speilkkogel. Then heading north on the Eisenwurzenweg 08 you pass the Zingerlekreuz and reach the summit of Gertrusk. Doubling back on yourself you get to the summit of Ladinger Spitz and then on to Sandkogel.

After enjoying the beautiful views and remoteness of these mountains in quite perfect winter conditions I headed back south/south east past the Offnerhütte and picking up the path back to the car park. A lovely remote hike on a mountain that has very good snow and ice conditions in the winter months, although the weather can be temperamental, so be prepared.

Koralpe – 12,7 km 610 hm

My preferred tour on this mountain first heads north from the car park at the ski lifts on the start of the 591 Wanderweg, passing the Poms Wasserfall before heading south through the forest bringing you to the open bowl under the main summit. This area is normally quite sheltered but as you start to climb this traverse can be very treacherous and not to be taken lightly.

The wind can be incredibly strong and combine this with low cloud and either soft snow or sheet ice (depending on the weather and wind direction the previous days) the traverse to the Großer Speikkogel can be very difficult and uncomfortably exposed. So experience of various winter conditions are really important to get you to the summit safely.

After a big effort you reach the summit where visibility can come and go in seconds but as the descent is on a graded ski piste there is no immediate danger except for the exposure to very strong and gusty wind conditions which is almost guaranteed on this summit in winter!

Petzen – 12,9 km 1715 hm

Climbing the mountain from the Talstation car park is a nice challenge in winter as there is snow and ice from the off, so firstly following the piste past the Mosthütte and at the bottom of the black run take the wanderweg on the south side.

When you reach the top of the steep piste continue across it with care to the path on the other side and then on to the blue piste to the top of the lifts then onto the wanderweg to the Kniepssattel. From here you would not believe that you are on the same mountain as the piste ends and the mountain starts to take the feel of a remote range. It’s a nice easy hike then to the summit at Kordeschkopf where you have beautiful views across Slovenia to the South.

Unfortunately you must return by the same way but I usually take the gondola back to the valley as the walk down the piste is so boring and hard on the knees.

Dobratsch – 18,5 km 1420 hm

I have been on Dobratsch quite a few times but mostly in summer and always from the Alpenstraße. A very easy walk and something nice to do for an evening stroll. But in winter I like to actually climb mountains so it was time for a new route up.

After some research I found the perfect track but I also found some links to a Hot Spring phenomenon that seems to appear only a few times a year and was near to where I was heading.

This Quelle appears just behind the town Villach and on the stream Maibachl. People have built up some stones to make a pool and from the photos of the previous years it seemed like a nice place to visit and try. But me being me I didn’t want to go there when it was overrun so I decided to go there first before I climbed, which turned out to be quite exhilarating.

I arrived at the location I found online around 5:00am. Pitch black and with no actual fixed knowledge of where this thing was or even if there was any water in it. So I stumbled around the forest with my torch for 15 minutes until I finally stepped in some water and then was immediately surrounded by clouds of steam. Still with only the tiny beam from my torch I could make out a pool of water and with the steam I guessed I was in the right place.

Entering an unknown pool without being able to see the edges or even knowing how deep it was or what was in there took a little bit of self discipline… But wtf eh… So I stripped off and took the plunge and I am so glad that I did.

It was -10 degrees air temperature and +25 degrees water temperature and it was one of the most exhilarating and energetic experiences I have had for many a year. Complete darkness, complete stillness in the forest, no distractions (apart from me trying my best to take photos!) and just lying in the water totally still and with only my breathing was quite beautiful and stayed with me for quite a while. The water is meant to have mystic energy and I am not sure if that is true or not but it didn’t half give me some power and appetite to climb the mountain later that morning.

After my amazing early morning experience I drove to Bad Bleiberg for some breakfast and then returned to Heiligengeist which was the start of my tour.

From here I had planned to follow the ski tour path but when I got there I didn’t realise that this was actually a prepared piste for them and not a real wilderness touring route and I could not believe the amount of people that were there at 8am on a Wednesday morning! So I quickly left that path and made my own way through the forest in beautiful deep, soft, unbroken snow in the general direction of the tour that I had planned.

Eventually I headed back into the trees and a very, very steep climb onto the summit plateaux. From here is a very easy couple of km’s until you reach the mountain hut.

Another few hundred meters further and I had to take off the snowshoes and put on my crampons as the ridge to the actual summit is incredibly treacherous at around 30cm wide and with hundreds and hundreds of meters drop on each side. Calm nerves are required but once over you are rewarded to be in a place that only one or two people will go even if there are hundreds of them back at the hut.

After my packed lunch and coffee and sitting enjoying the incredible views all around me for quite a while, it was time to return to the car in the same sort of general direction that I had climbed it earlier. A really tremendous day out.

Hochobir – 12,3 km 1090 hm

The Hochobir is probably my favourite mountain of the region in Winter. With no roads open to drive up and no ski lifts the people you meet up there in complete winter conditions are people who really want to be there and have made a decent effort to get to the summit.

The path from Schaidasattel is a tough one with always an icy start through the forest and then the probability of very deep snow on the plateaux before attempting the summit climb which could be anything from deep snow to sheet ice depending on the weather. Either way its a tricky ascent and when I was there recently I pretty much had 4 seasons in a couple of hours.

The wind always blows hard and the weather sweeps in waves so you can go from beautiful blue sunny skies to zero visibility in the matter of seconds but this only ads to the feeling of exposure and achievement.

I have climbed this mountain many times in all seasons and also camped on the summit often (diary entry). Its a beautiful mountain with 360 degree views and it really should be on your list of climbs if you love the mountains.

Summary

I hope that amongst all this is some inspiration for you to get out into the hills in winter, improve your skills, learn some navigation or even decide to take a winter mountaineering course. If you want some more detailed information about the actual tours then please feel free to get in touch with me.

Enjoy the mountains in winter but ultimately be safe and turn back if in doubt. The mountains will always be there tomorrow.

Sankt Oswald – DNF

I thought that I would just add this as an extra to prove that not everything goes to plan and not every time is always a great day out…

Yesterday I had plans to drive to Sankt Oswald above Bad Kleinkirchheim and climb the horseshoe. This is a really amazing hike and I wanted to get the full winter experience. The route goes first to Falkert – Steinnock – Klomnock – Mallnock before returning to the car via Brunnachhöhe. A full day and a big effort was required and I was very prepared as always.

I arrived there nice and early, checked the forecast which was for stable conditions but high winds, so lots of ice at the summit ridge and extra precautions with crampons and axes. No worries. But I didn’t feel right. I got cramp in my arm leaving the car which is a big sign to me as I know my body very well and thats not good.

I headed up the valley and everything seemed uncomfortable. I was not stable, my pack and clothes were annoying the crap out of me and mentally I was switching plans and routes as I was walking. Also not great.

So I took an alternate route which was half the distance which helped a little with my mindset and then after about 6 km and getting out of the protection of the forest the wind started to hit me hard. So I had some fuel and then tried to make my way up the main ascent to the ridge line.

After maybe another km I was not only frustrated with fighting the wind and difficult snow conditions but also fighting with myself. Which for me is a much bigger effort than fighting the weather or the physical effort required. So I made the decision to call it quits and return the same way.

It didn’t go as planned. I didn’t get my big day out. I didn’t get the energy from the mountains and outdoors. In fact I was left empty and low when I returned. But this is how it goes and this is life. You can try all you want and be as prepared as you can, but it just doesn’t always work out as you want.

Nevertheless, I still managed to get out and have a nice view for my lunch and I look forward to the next attempt.

17/02/2025
Toni Peter – Peter Toni

Last year we visited the wine region in Styria a couple of times and over the weekend we decided to re-visit the lovely Buschenschank of Toni Peter.

Now you would think with two first names that he would be a male hairdresser but this lovely gentleman had been running his independent vineyard and restaurant his whole life and we were looking forward to having a meal there finally as last year we were unable due to parties going on. But this time we had no luck either as it was closed. He had just retired!

After arriving and talking to him we found out that he had rented the property out to new landlords who would re-open in a month or two and that he and his wife and their 2 cats would be taking his campervan on an extended tour of Kazakstan! But he very kindly let us park-up for the weekend free of charge although we did buy 3 bottles of wine from him.

The Friday afternoon we arrived was the summer Solstice, the longest day, and also world Naked hiking day! so we took advantage of the very nice weather to take a walk through the quiet vineyards and forest behind the park-up. We were alone there for the whole weekend and enjoyed the complete peace that this area gives you with amazing sunrises each day, long bike rides through the vineyards, and evening meals with a view over the countryside.

We hope that the new owners will keep the camper van pitches available and put as much effort into the quality of them as fellow traveller Peter Toni has done over the years. If you find yourself in this region of Austria we fully recommend taking a few days to explore this beautiful corner of Styria. There are many alternate Buschenschanks that offer free or cheap parking with incredible views and fresh, local, food and wine.

Enjoy your retirement and travels Toni Peter!

24/06/2024
Graz and KöfIach Spa

Over the last holiday weekend we wanted to get away for a few days. Our choices were a little limited as the weather was terrible all across southern Austria and Slovenia. But not deterred we settled on a spa weekend and a visit to Graz.

We drove the couple of hours and parked up at Terma Nova in Köflach where we knew very well and where the quality would meet our expectations. Arriving at 15:30 we took an afternoon pass and enjoyed the wonderful facilities until they closed. Giving us enough time to have a very late dinner and a beer in the van. We stayed in the car-park overnight and although it was around -6°C we had a comfortable and quiet night.

Waking the next morning to a dusting of fresh snow we drove to Graz for the day but stopping on the way at the art store. This was Leela’s paradise and when she spent an hour going through everything there. I enjoyed a coffee and relaxed in their quiet zone.

Leaving with some fresh paints we parked the van a few km’s from Graz and walked along the river to the centre where the Christmas preparations were in full swing with kids playgrounds, markets and mulled wine.

We took a walk through town and up to the clock tower for a lovely view over the rooftops. There was a lot of people up there including tour groups from italy and beyond. A little too chaotic for us but they were getting what they came for. Christmas market, warm glüewein and all on a frozen morning with a dusting of snow on the ground. An instagramers dream. We continued our walk up to the castle then back down to town and further up the river to the Sushi restaurant where we were very much looking forward to for many days.

We took an empty booth and began the complicated task of actually ordering our meal. They have an all you can eat menu which we wanted to tqke at a slightly large fee of €25 each. But the problem was that you could not just order with the waitress but had to download an app, scan some barcode, and do everything through your mobile phone. We were both quite against this situation but the waitress said that there was no other way of eating there. Strange days.

We were considering leaving as we couldn’t even get the phone to scan the barcode but she came back and took Leela’s phone to log into the App. I am sure that the restaurant now has all her private information, but at least we could eat finally.

Ordering on the phone was strange but the items we wanted did arrive quite quickly each time, still hot, and very tasty. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and for two slim people who normally don’t eat very much we managed to get through a total of 37 different dishes which was quite an achievement.

Leaving the restaurant Leela was stopping me making her laugh as she was seriously worried that she would explode. But after the 5k walk back to the van she felt much better and we drove the 30 minutes back to the spa carpark and enjoyed another peaceful night.

We were up and having breakfast and ready for a full day in the spa early the next day. First we headed for the training pool and slotted ourselves in amongst the Ironman training much to their disgust.

Leela was accepted immediately by the men as she is very attractive and was in her full and eye catching training kit but they were not too happy with an old guy with grey hair wearing baggy board shorts cruising past them all lap after lap.

After a couple of km’s the sauna world was opening and we found ourselves a quiet spot and enjoyed the spa for the day especially the roof top sauna and jacuzzi which were especially nice in the minus temperatures. Reluctantly dragging ourselves away late afternoon we drove the couple of hours back home through the dense fog after a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

11/12/2023
Autumn tour

Summer had gone by without even noticing it was here in the first place. Terrible weather, storms, devastating local flooding. So it was time for us to take a break and spend some time together away from our area. I was in a situation to take some longer time away but Leela not so much, so we had to make a Tour Plan.

Part I – Millstättersee

First was a weekend at Millstättersee to try to unwind for a couple of days. We visited this FKK campsite last year (diary entry) and liked the views and the Lake side bathing area. This time we didn’t do any cycling but only ran in the mornings, spent the day at the lake, and the evenings at the van. Nice and simple and just what we wanted.

The campsite was as the previous time and we had a lovely couple of days together and at 5pm on Sunday we said our goodbyes. Her returning to home and me heading in the opposite direction to continue to my next destination.

Part II – Italian Dolomites

Leaving Kärnten late on Sunday afternoon I had quite a lovely drive through East Tyrol to the Italian border at Cillian and then into the Dolomite Mountain range where my first stop was to see the towers of Tre-Chime.

I had a nice plan to park-up at a location where it should have been quiet and hike up to the hut and around the towers the following morning. Wow was I in for a surprise! It’s the second week of September and already off-season with the kids back in school. So I fully expected to only see like minded outdoor enthusiasts and maybe some retired people on tour, but I was not prepared for the sensory onslaught and sheer amount of people on the mountain. I did eventually find a parking place and enjoyed a couple of beers watching Wales win their first game in the World Cup, before going to bed way too late for me and slightly drunk!

Waking early it was full gas to have breakfast, make sandwiches and be on the trail by 7am. But incredibly the toll road was already queuing for over a KM at this time. Fortunately my hiking path took me away from the road and a very pleasant hike through lush forest to the hut. And heres where the fun starts.

I have no actual idea how many cars, vans, campers and buses were parked up there but I have never seen anything like it before. There was also every conceivable person here as well. Everything from flip flops, trainers, sweatpants, jeans, a girl in a dress, the Instagram hunters in full matching luminous gear all the way through to complete winter mountaineering packs. Not to mention the E-bikes, dogs both on lead and being carried in handbags and a Chinese man in full black Burka. Presumably to stop the sun. Quite unreal if you weren’t there. Oh and didn’t I mention the Drones… The F * * * * * G drones! Even though there is a complete ban on them in the national park.

The views up there are quite spectacular in every direction. The mountain range is quite unique from any other with the rock formations giving an incredible vista against the crisp blue morning sky. The weather was just perfect and although it was still relatively early it was getting quite warm. So after a quick sandwich to re-fuel as I had already hiked over 5km, I began the circular walk around the towers so you can get a full idea of how large these rocks are.

The path begins like a road which takes you to the next hut but then its a short climb to the viewing platform from where you get a first glimpse of the 3 towers. It really is an incredible piece of rock and well worth the physical effort of getting there. Or just drive there like everyone else.

As you drop down some meters you get an even better view of the scale of them and as the sun was still behind, a marvellous view of the outline against the blue sky.

From here the main path (basically a road) heads further away to the Instagram photo platform but by this time I had enough of the crowds and took the more difficult path through the boulder field and re-joined the masses again at the next hut before a last gimps of the rocks and returning to the start.

By now it was swarming there with bus fulls of tour groups and the late sleepers. The noise for me was getting too much as a group of 20-30 German Porsche “enthusiasts” were hearing up and down the street showing off their overly priced and quite pointless private parts. So it was time to head back into the forest, eat the rest of my food by a beautiful river and make my way to the van.

I guess you should take the time to visit Tre Chime if you are in the Dolomites as it really is truly magnificent. But if you love nature and peace and quiet. You are going to be very disappointed.

After a shower and a cold beer by a lovely lake I had a couple of hours in the afternoon sun deciding what to do next. And after a nice hot meal with a view I put everything away and was on the road to my next destination.

Lago di Sorapis is probably second behind Tre Chime on the Instagram to do list so I was fully not expecting to be alone there. Nevertheless I took the short evening drive to where I was expecting to park but as per the previous night there was just no chance. I have never seen so many cars and campers on a mountain pass and I have followed the Tour de France many times! So I drove 2 km further to the huge car park of the ski lifts and although there was a lot of construction work going on, had a very peaceful night with a spectacular view from the van window.

Up a tad later than I would have liked due to the previous days energy output and a couple of beers, I was packed and on the trail a little before 8am. The extra couple of km’s done and I was at the trailhead reasonably alone still with just a few people who generally looked like they knew what they were doing.

The trail starts, and indeed continues, in just the most spectacular scenery. The mountains are incredible in every direction which means making progress can be a little disjointed due to all the stopping to look at the views and photo taking. The first sections are through lush forest on easy going paths before it becomes steeper and more technical in places as you get closer to the lake. But easily manageable if you are fit and have a good head for heights as well as sure footing.

The weather once more was perfect with very warm temperatures no wind and blue skies and on reaching the lake these conditions made it look even more picture perfect. I was a little surprised to see the amount of people already hanging around but most I think had been staying at the hut and were viewing it after their breakfast.

I stopped for a while to eat my lunch and take in the surroundings but unfortunately again the peace and tranquility was spoilt by the general loudness of the new generation in such environments, but by far the worst is the constant flying of drones. What an absolute nuisance to the mountaineer and nature lover. The bans and fines should be somehow enforced. But after my lunch I took one last walk around this majestic lake and made my way back down the mountain and back to the van for a welcome shower and food.

It really was a fantastic trail and to have that lake at the end of it a delight. Both Tre Chime and Lago di Sorapis are must sees if you are visiting the Dolomites and are a mountain lover. Just have the patience of a Saint whilst on the trail, even in so called off season.

Over my dinner I could see that the weather was really changing for the worse the next two days so I decided to leave a day earlier than planned and head to the ocean for the next part of the plan.

Part III – Baška or maybe Punat…

It was a beautiful drive down through the Dolomites on a lovely evening. The traffic was kind and even the Highway was no stress all the way to Traviso, even if there was a little anxiety with the fuel range reading zero and me having a further 50km to get to the border with Slovenia for 50 cents a litre cheaper Diesel.

Stress over and as it was still early enough and a lovely evening I decided to continue driving to Croatia and stopped for the night at a lovely spot under the KRK bridge and watched the sunset drop slowly behind the boats in the Harbour.

The next morning was an early start so after a coffee I was on the road down to the south of the island. First stop was to wash the van as it had taken some collateral damage the last weeks driving then to a supermarket just outside Baška where I was very surprised that at 8am they had no fresh produce and very little alcohol. So I just bought the very basics and made my way to Bunculuka camp site a further few minutes down the road and when I arrived I realised why the supermarket was so empty. The place was absolutely rammed.

We both have been going to this camp for many, many years, and I have never failed to get a choice of pitches at any time of the year. But the receptionist said “No” absolutely full, every single pitch taken or reserved and already a queue of vans lined up to take the next one out’s pitch. Just total and utter chaos and a very unpleasant atmosphere everywhere.

So I hung around for a couple of hours, used the showers, took a dip in the amazing ocean and bought some bread from the bakery. Wondered around searching for a place but to no avail. Enough was enough so I returned to the receptionist who could not understand why I was leaving, picked up my passport and was unexpectedly on the road again a lot sooner than I would have liked.

Next on the original plan would have been to go to camp Konobe in Punat which is only 30 minutes drive to the west of the island. There we have also been many times and indeed we got engaged there last May. So after a normal arrival, a choice of nice pitches, and a quick look around, I was already setting up in a beautiful pitch with an amazing view and hopefully not moving for the next week or so.

The rest of the day was spent doing chores that a week on the road and in the mountains catch up on you. Camper service, washing clothes, essential shopping and a clean up of the van so that it was at least respectable for when Leela arrived for the weekend.

I spent the next couple of days in very pleasant weather, running, SUP, listening to music, reading and just hanging around in this incredible location. And when Leela arrived, we done exactly the same. A wonderful time together that went way too quick and a sadness when she had to leave on Sunday evening.

I spent the rest of the week there alone in sometimes nice but mostly bad weather with a very wet font all around. But nevertheless it was very nice just to sit and enjoy the view and do some planning for our Trips in 2024.

17/09/2023
A night under the stars

Summer has passed by in a blur, it’s now September and already it feels like Autumn has its firm hand upon my shoulder. But before it completely disappeared I did manage to have a beautiful night enjoying the magic of the outdoors.

The new and hip term for it these days among men who have groomed beards, spend their weeks in suits and weekends in expensive outdoor gear is ‘Micro Adventure’ I believe. I just call it a night in the hills…

Spending the night in the mountains is quite daunting for some and I can understand this as I recall my first ever evening in the wild. A very young man, alone on a Welsh hillside, lying awake all night listening to every single noise and wondering when I was going to be hacked to death by some lunatic ice axe wielding mountaineer or worse still savaged by an out of control rabid Welsh Sheep.

The truth though is that its one of the most rewarding and fantastic ‘free’ experiences that you can have. You don’t have to do it alone, go with a friend or in a group. If you pick your location wisely and are confident with the weather then you don’t need too much expensive gear or expert knowledge, just make sure that you think it through and then enjoy it for what it is.

Late one hot afternoon I drove with the car to the Eisenkappler Hutte, which sits on the south slope of the Hochobir, enjoyed an ice cold Beer, and then made my way along the testing path for around 90 minutes to the summit at 2142m.

The Hochobir is a really beautiful mountain with views all through southern Carinthia. The weather was immaculate with 25 degrees for the late afternoon hike and after passing everyone making their way down the mountain, I found myself alone on the summit.

Setting up camp didn’t take long as I just had a tarp, thermal mat and sleeping bag to lay on the ground and then I could sit back and enjoy the majestic summers evening and the solitude of the mountain.

As the sun and the temperature slowly faded, I dived into my sleeping bag and watched the sky change through a myriad of colours before the Milky Way finally made its appearance. The night sky was just so unbelievably amazing that I found myself trying to stay awake all through the night to gaze at the colours across the horizon line and the incredible clarity of the stars from this high altitude vantage point.

The night went by way too fast but soon I had the excitement of waiting for the sunrise… For this the silence and solitude on the mountain was broken by some early hikers making their way to the summit who had made the effort to experience it from this viewpoint.

Packing up my gear after the sun was already blazing its way through the sky, I made my way back down in time for the first coffee at the hut and I was able to sit in the early morning sun and think about this amazing night under the stars. Sitting there I realised something that has been nagging me all year. Stop looking for excuses. Just go out and do it.

Happy adventures. Ryan

02/09/2022
Feuerberg Mountain Resort

Middle of December, freezing cold, snow, ice and constant fog. Lockdown and restrictions putting a stop to any thought of travel. General feeling of emptiness and impending world doom in the air… Then Saviour!

Leela was still holding in her possession a 2 year old, Covid induced forgetfulness voucher for the Feuerberg resort. And with Hotel restrictions being lifted on 17th December she amazingly was able to book a room and a 2 night stay with the voucher for the opening day in what they call their most basic single room.

Let me just start by saying nothing is basic in this place. It’s one of the most sought after destinations in the whole of Austria. Booked years in advance by wealthy travellers from around Europe and a single (cheap) room will set you back a cool €200 per night, per person. And thats if you can even get one in the first place.

The Hotel is located at 1700 m on the Gerlizen Alp in Southern Austria. The road to it is difficult especially if it has snowed recently but we were fortunate that it had been cleaned and we did not need the snow chains.

Arriving in the first hours of it re-opening after lockdown was always going to be a little chaotic but they are so well drilled and smooth that only the other impatient guests were the problem.

Going to our room and worrying that the “basic” option may be a little cramped was not worth the energy as even their most basic room was very large. Nice bed, WC, separate bathroom and enough space for all our unnecessary packing. Ok there was not the view which the South facing rooms and suites command but it was also half the price.

Our initial pre-plan of being on the mountain hiking and snowshoeing went straight out the window when we arrived in the car park. And by midday we were already in our complementary bathrobes and wondering around the majestic spa area. Both of us are very fit and active people but we are also both very capable of doing absolutely nothing. And nothing we did for the best part of 3 days.

This place is famous for its food but also for the spa. I have been to quite a few in my time all over Europe, but this one is just phenomenal. Not just because of the location which cant be beat, but also for the diversity and sheer quality. There is literally something for everyone in there.

After getting over the overwhelmingness of the first couple of hours we finally found our way around the complexity of walkways, pools, family, clothed/non-clothed options and found what worked for us. We settled on hanging around the glorious infinity pool and then making forays to the various saunas, cold dip pools and hot pools feeding from this area. Always returning to the pool and enjoying the incredible views.

We were so lucky with the weather the whole time we were there. Snow and freezing cold temperatures with clear skies and views in all directions. And best of all as the other guests were there to ski. A notion that just baffled us as why would you spend so much money on this facility and then go away from it all day. We found that we had the spa virtually to ourselves each day until after the lifts closed and the masses returned around 5pm. Which was then time to go and get ready for dinner anyway which is a complete other story.

Coming from my background I didn’t spend time in any hotels where you didn’t stick to the carpet on entry. So this place was way out of my league. Being shown to our table and walking past the buffet which would have fed a third world country on its own, I had to take a lesson in which knife, fork and spoon to use for each course. Where I come from there is just one of each and you use them for whatever you’re eating.

In total honesty the evening meal was too posh for me with foods that I did not know existed or could not pronounce. But I really enjoyed the experience and there was nothing left on my plate after any sitting, even if I didn’t fully know exactly what I was eating. After dinner we sat in the wonderful bar area and enjoyed a superb gin and tonic whilst listening to a man trying to entertain and sing who was a cross between a really bad piano playing Billy Joel and an overenthusiastic Hoff. But nevertheless he was enjoying and so were we.

Waking early next morning after a wonderful sleep in a very comfortable bed we were nearly the first to breakfast. Where once again we were completely overwhelmed by the choice of food on offer and we just wanted to try everything. Omelettes, bacon, sausage, fruits, yogurts and exquisite coffees, all finished off with waffles and syrup. It was a workout in itself just to survive. And all the while looking out at the stunning morning sunrise views which were brought to an abrupt halt.

We were really enjoying every moment, every taste, every sense of this incredible experience and then we looked at the people that were now surrounding us. 3 tables, one family, 2 couples, mixed countries. The first thing we noticed was that they were all sitting facing away from the incredible view. Next they requested that the blinds were closed so that the morning sun did not bother them. But the most unfathomable thing was what they were eating.

Now you have to bear in mind that this was the first day the hotel was open after a long lockdown. They had paid between 200-500 Euro per person per night for this experience. And they all wanted to sit in a dark room, be on their mobile phones and eat… well this was incredible… Dry Semmel with sliced cheese and ham… And that was it. Quite unbelievable to us with the choice of organic fresh breads and locally farmed cheeses and yogurts on offer. Not to mention the fresh fruits, juices and warm products being freshly made to your every request. So we laughed together and enjoyed finishing an exotic spread whilst peering at the dawn through the slats in the blinds.

Feeling quite lethargic after breakfast we decided to sit outside and watch the dawn rise to day and on the way through the lounge to the terrace we found another coffee machine where we took two cups and noticed a bottle on the shelf that said Whiskey. After I confirmed that this was actual alcohol we fully loaded our cups and sat under thermal blankets enjoying the beauty of our surroundings whilst knocking back a few shots of coffee. And it was not even 9am!

Dressing for dinner and breakfast was enough for us, so immediately getting back to being naked we were off once again for another incredible day of relaxing, swimming and sauna. Only broken up by intermittent naps and some visits to the pick-n-mix table which had an exotic choice of nuts and fruits and really great juices. The day followed the previous and the evening meal was just as incredible as the nights before.

After Another wonderful night’s sleep, another incredible breakfast, and a whiskey on the terrace, we stayed in the spa until the latest 4pm check-out and sadly made our way home.

Two nights was most definitely enough for us as I don’t think we could have eaten like that for another day. But what a two night break it was. One of the most amazing experiences of our lives and we lived every single moment of it whilst there.

Thank you to the wealthy ex-boss of Leela for giving us this opportunity to experience something we would otherwise never have.

31/12/2021