Dizzy heights

7:30 am and the electricity team arrived, shut down the electricity and manoeuvred around our property with their trailer loaded with new poles. Not many plants suffered under the tyres on the sharpest corner. Angie had prepared thermos flasks for breakfast tea & coffee. We fled the scene and left her to deal with the team.

Yesterday Kate & Barry had picked up a hire car at Memmingen Airport which they had booked in Ireland - seems to be cheaper that way. Had the bonus of also being upgraded to a very well equipped Skoda Octavia Estate. So for the first time, I could take a backseat and enjoy the ride.

We drove down past Kempten to the southernmost part of Germany at Oberstdorf but didn't stop, driving up the valley into the Austrian enclave of "Kleinwalsertal", almost to the end at Mittelberg where we had a 5-minute stop at the (ski)lift to use their facilities. This was the place I took J skiing at Easter 2015. A quick photo taken by Barry for the album of me with Kate & the grandchildren, then back in the car to the first town in the valley, Riezlern where I had a Blip Meeting with Tochterpleach & EvelyneNC in October 2017. However, we turned off up the small tracks behind the village to the (ski)lift complex of the Ifen mountain & the Auenhütte restaurant/cafe/hut.

Possibly some explaining of words needed:

Alp/Alb: a mountain(s) in the Alps but also German word for any alpine pasture.

Alm/Alpe: a managed alpine pasture with a building(s) usually only used in summer with a person(s) resident to look after the animals. The buildings may include basic accommodation for the herd's-person (often young ladies) & animals and if milking animals, a basic milking parlour and if the milk is not collected daily, a cheese/butter making operation. The duties will often include basic gastronomic offers for walkers of drink & snacks. 

Hütte: hut - may be anything from a hut that is no more than a shelter for animals &/or walkers & mountaineers to luxury almost hotel-type accommodation. Some are ideal as rented "cottages" for families but may not have any electricity & only stream water but a large pile of logs for cooking & warmth. Likely bedding will be no more than matresses for which you bring your sleeping bag. Some of these managed huts can only be supplied by special "goods-only" lifts or helicopter. Some are reachable by tractor/car but almost always on tracks where private cars are not allowed.

A combination of the above is probably the main attraction in the Alps for many whether cyclists, walkers or mountaineers, travelling to one or in the course of days from one to the next.

We did one of the easier versions walking the 3.15 km from the Auenhütte to Alpe Melköde, a co-operative hut with about 30 milking cows, a dairy and a cheesemaking operation, a tiny one largish table indoor "restaurant" and most tables & chairs outside giving much-needed shade today. It's a light walk according to the books, 90m uphill, 10m downhill. I have to say it seemed to take ages but was very pleasant with some shade from the forest.

Just after starting, the first stop was at the "snow cannon" Herzsee (Heart Lake) built in the last few years to store water for the winter snow cannons which have come under increasing criticism for using up local villages drinking water supplies (common complaint throughout the Alps). We only took a knee-high dip, a group of (sweaty) Dutch mountain bike riders took the plunge & reckoned the water was about 20°C.

When we finally heard the cowbells, we knew the hut & a cooling drink were not far away. As they earn most of their income from food & drink, we didn't unpack our sandwiches/rolls as we sat under the umbrellas but walked the 20m to a nearby waterfall to sit on the boulders under the shade of the trees.

Beautiful setting at 1,346m above sea level & the 2,230m high Hoher Ifen mountain plateau above us. In the main photo, you may see some recent avalanche damage presumably from last winter. In February 1952, a massive avalanche killed 20 people at this spot.

Revitalised, we set off for the hike back to the car although a butterfly that had been dining with us insisted on staying with Charlotte so as to be fed with lemonade. It was extraordinarily hot - must have been pushing up to the 30°C mark. Elliot very nearly took a swim back at the lake but probably my lack of preparedness (towel & trunks) prevented him.

Drove home exhausted, stopping off at Ottobeuren for ice cream and beer for me - I wasn't driving! Back home electricity all sorted but Angie exhausted. The workers had come to enjoy the gastronomy at our place even saying it was like being on holiday after their 2-hour lunch break. When one suggested they could take a swim in the pool, Angie didn't reply, fearing they would never go home.

A lovely, unforgettable day for me, hard work for the kids & not exactly as exciting as Legoland but they did well.

PS in the last extra photo, a collage, spot the swallow in the milking parlour below the chalked saying on the wooden beam. Sadly I can't make out all the words ... something like "I live so happy & free (here?) and am happy every day, that I (a B.........?)

Facebook friends can see a video I made there - not posted for public viewing.