Oostenrijk - Austria - Österreich

The Bielerhöhe Pass (also known as Silvretta Pass) has an elevation of 2.032 m. The pass lies just north of the Silvretta Lake (an artificial lake). The famous Silvretta High Alpine Road (a toll road) connects the valleys of Montafon in Vorarlberg with the Paznaun Valley in Tyrol (PiP 1). The part from Partenen to the pass has 34 bends (PiP 2). During winter (PiP 3) the pass is closed for normal traffic, but still can be reached from Partenen by a cableway and a ‘tunnelbus’. The Bielerhöhe is on the watershed between Rhine and Danube.

The Fuschlsee (Lake Fuschl) is a lake in the Salzkammergut, not far away from Salzburg. The lake has an area of 2.7 km², a maximum depth of 66 meters, a maximum length of 4.1 km and a maximum width of 0.9 km. Lake Fuschl lies at an altitude of 664 meters above sea level. It is owned by the Forest Commission of Austria. The lake get its water from de Ellmaubach and Hallbach. It flows via the Fuschler Ache into the Mondsee and via Attersee, Ager and Traun into the Danube. The lake has excellent water quality (it is the clearest and cleanest of the lakes of Salzkammergut; in fact it has drinking water quality) and exceptionally well preserved underwater vegetation in its natural state.

This was my first picture of Innsbruck after arriving by bus from Igls in the Old Town Area. Took the picture from the Marktplatz . Was there at the right moment in the morning, having the sun in my back and the beautiful light on the houses. The colourful row of houses in the Mariahilf area lies directly on the river Inn. They are typical for Innsbruck. The impressive Nordkette (North Chain) in the Karwendel range enthroned behind it with the beautiful houses must be a classic one among the city motifs. The buildings near the river Inn developed since the 12/13th century and preserve a true treasure of original Gothic spaces, even if some houses were largely rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries or their facades were renovated in the Baroque style. The relatively strong, varied colouring of the individual houses dates back to the 1950s.

The Hoher Ifen - also called Hochifen - is a 2.230 meters high summit of the Ifen plateau, which is part of the Allgäu Alps and located just west of the Kleinwalsertal. It lies on the border between Austria and Germany and can only be accessed by road from Germany (Bavaria). Hoher Ifen is part of the European Watershed, where water is separated between the North Sea (Rhine River) and the Black Sea (Danube). Although not that high Hoher Ifen is a prominent landmark of this part of Austria and can be seen from everywhere in Kleinwalsertal. In winter the mountain plateau is an impressive backdrop for the Ifen ski area. Main picture was taken from the Schäfalp ski slope and the PiP’s from a footpath from Söllereck to Riezlern in Kleinwalsertal.

The Hoher Ifen - also called Hochifen - is a 2.230 meters high summit of the Ifen plateau, which is part of the Allgäu Alps. It lies on the border between Austria and Germany and can only be accessed by road from Germany. Hoher Ifen is part of the European Watershed, where water is separated between the North Sea (Rhine River) and the Black Sea (Danube). This Dolomite-like rock formation with its steep walls is the natural landmark of the Kleinwalsertal. In winter the mountain plateau is an impressive backdrop for the Ifen ski area.

Deckchairs on the terrace of mountain restaurant 'Adlerhorst' waiting for sun lovers.

View from terrace of the summit restaurant at the Walmendingerhorn (1950 m - PiP1) towards the Muttelberg ski area (PiP 2) and the Austrian and Swiss Alps. On the left hand side the glass panorama lift. (This breathtaking panorama is a stitch of four pictures.)

Soon after their immigration to Kleinwalsertal the Walser - coming from the Swiss canton Wallis - started building a first place of worship in Mittelberg. A stone with the year 1302 on the outside wall of the choir should be considered as proof of the existence of a small sacral building. In 1390, a new chapel with altar and cemetery was inaugurated. In 1391 Mittelberg was raised to an independent parish. Until then, the place belonged to the parish of Fischen in Allgäu (Germany). Over the years the church became too small and in 1460 the construction of the new church in Mittelberg was started. It was built in gothic style and consecrated in 1463 with three altars. Sankt Jodok (Saint Judoc) - who lived in the 7th century - was chosen as the patron saint of the church. Its current appearance became the church in 1693 by a seven meter extension and the construction of the sacristy and a gallery. An avalanche had invaded the nave that year, so the main entrance was walled in and two side doors were opened. The slender tower of the church - with a height of 66 meters - is a real architectural landmark of the Kleinwalsertal . The interior offers some amazing wall frescoes, dating back to the year of 1470. The restored late-Gothic murals give the parish church a special atmosphere; they once represented the so called "biblia pauperum": the Bible for believers ignorant of reading.

The Bärgunt-Hütte is an more than hundred years old alpine mountain cabin in the Bärgunt valley. It lies in a wonderful alpine landscape, directly at the foot of the mountain Grosser Widderstein in the Austrian Alps. The Bärgunt-Hütte - the oldest and largest alp in the Kleinwalsertal - is affiliated with an alpine cattle range with appx. 200 cows. Nowadays also a popular destination for hikers - in summer (PiP1) as well as in winter - who can enjoy the surrounding mountain scene from Grosser Widderstein to Walmendingerhorn (PiP2) on the sunny terrace of the mountain hut. The hut can be reached from the car park (1.220 m.) at the end of the dead-end-road through the Kleinwalsertal in Baad. The 2,5 km walking path follows the Bärgunt valley (PiP3) to the Bärgunt-Hütte at an altitude of 1.408 m.