Day 6 Scharnitz

After yesterday, today had to be a bit of an anti-climax, and it was. To be honest after three nights in huttes all I wanted was to get down to civilisation, have a shower and wash my clothes. I was in Scharnitz by 1 so all wishes met.

Drietorsptzgatterl

Day 5 Meilerhutte

Hard case walkers arrive at the huttes late, rolling in about 7.30. They give the impression that they have been walking all day, have crossed the Alps, and in a not so subtle way suggest that johnny come earlies are not really cutting it. Late arrivers also mean that you just can't count your "I've got this room to myself" chickens until they finally hatch. The tiny little loft space, room 13, which I thought belonged to me had, by lights out at 10 o'clock, 5 other occupants. Despite being packed in like sardines, I did actually manage to get some sleep, at this rate I might even get used to it.

Climbing up to Feldernjochl Pass

Day 4 Coburger Hutte

Brilliant days walking, only problem was it was too short. Weather was perfect, scenery amazing but the next hutte was five hours away, got there just a bit too early. The way my schedule works, it's either a mega day today or tomorrow - it's 10 hours plus tomorrow.

Wolfratshauser Hutte

Day 3 Wolfratshauser Hutte

Fantastic breakfast at the Hotel Florence, almost made up for the fact that there was a thunder storm going outside and the rain was pouring down. Despite an early breakfast everything conspired against an early start: the weather; an unsuccessful search in the village's two shops for some ohrstopsel (earplugs); and then going west out the village instead of east; by the time I was walking on the route proper it was 10.30.

The rain didn't stop until midday and the first part of the walk, a climb up and along a forest trail to the ski resorts of Rinnen and Berwang, was not that exciting. Lots of trails around Berwang and I didn't want to believe that the correct route involved following the river out of town and loosing nearly all the height I'd gained since leaving Weissenbach.

Weittal Valley

Day 2 Weissenbach am Lech

I got to Weissenbach am Lech but somehow without going along the route of the red variant of the Via Alpina. What I hadn't realised when I set off this morning is that the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus is actually on two variants of the Via Alpina and I set off on the wrong one. In my defence both variants are marked red on the map it was only when the gap between the route I was following and the trail on my GPS (no maps on my GPS) got so large that I started to get suspicious.

On the pass at Bockkarscharte (2149 metre)

Day 1 Prinz-Luitpold-Haus

Because everyone I spoke to raved about the Carnic Way I didn't really give the rest of walk as much attention, expecting it be similar to the walking I did in Bavaria last year - good but not spectacular. Well today was a nice surprise and tomorrow, the first half at least, looks absolutely amazing.

Heading up the Oytal Valley

Today was all about getting high (most of the locals were getting the funicular to the west of Oberstdorf which takes you up nearly 1000 metres) but despite all the climbing it was a great walk. The route takes you south out of Oberstdorf along a none metalled road and then, after a couple of kilometres, west along an increasingly beautiful valley. What surprised me after last year, was how quickly you escape the trees and get into the lovely open summer pastures. The easy going at the bottom of valley meant it was busy - lots of people on bikes, some with those supplementary batteries which are popular here - and everyone heading for the huttes along the bottom of the valley for mid-morning cake and coffee. If Christine had been here I would have stopped as well but walking alone there was nothing to slow me down but the occasional Snicker.

Day 0 - Oberstdorf

In Oberstdorf, Bavaria, and on the starting line for a four week 600 kilometre hike along the red branch of the Via Alpina. The route takes me east along the German Austrian border, south across Austria and then east again along the border between Italy and Austria. The last part of trip includes the Carnic Way which is supposed to be amazing.
It's not alcohol but I feel like I have a bit of a hangover. I was in the Olympic Stadium on Saturday night and I'm still in shock. Watching Mo Farah win the 5,000 metres was the emotional equivalent of being in a washing machine on full spin. That, the slightly surreal feeling in London over the last few days (everyone being so nice to each other), a lack of sleep (very early flight this morning), and sudden arrival in the middle of the Bavarian countryside (I don't speak a word of German), has left me just a bit dis-orientated.
Christine, my wife, is partly to blame. She insisted on starting the trip today, the day after the Olympics, but then decided after the Vercors trip, which was definitely a tough one, that she needed another week off walking before hitting the hills again. This has meant getting here on my own which, given my language skills, and general inability to ask anyone the way, is always a bit of an ask.
Anyway I got here and without any incident. Easyjet from Gatwick to Munich and a direct train to Oberstdorf - bought the train ticket online and at a discount so feeling very pleased with myself.
I'm quite close to last year's Bavarian walk. The train went through Sonthofen, about 20 kilometres to the north of Oberstdorf, a stopover last year. The Maximillianweg took me along the northern edge of the Alps, the last ridge before the plains of Germany, this year I'm right in the middle of the Allgauer Alps and I'm hoping for even more dramatic scenery. Best thing, so far at least, it's not raining.

Oberstdorf is a winter sports resort which, at this time of year, is packed with German hikers wearing huge leather boots. Most of them are about my age (various shades of grey) and a few of them are dragging grandchildren up hills. Staying in a hutte tomorrow so I'm hoping to leave the crowds behind. I've had my first German meal of the trip so need a walk.


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