Today is another bright and sunny day, so we decide to do
option three of Inntravel's suggested walks around Kastelruth. The notes say
that this option is for the experienced fell walker confident on steep ground
and should only be undertaken in good weather. Well we've got the weather!
Despite having done lots of walking in Scotland, the Lake
District, New Zealand and the Pyrenees, Alistair & I never get too cocky
about our abilities. Walking in a bad storm in the Pyrenees & being caught
in the mist in the Cairngorms has left us both with a healthy respect for
mother nature. Seriously though, we know we should be fine with this walk and
carry the usual bivvy bag, medical kit, warm clothing and waterproofs. We also
take a good bit of water with us.
We know it's going to be a long day, so cheat and take
two and three quarter hours and 400 meters in height off our journey by taking
the bus to Panider Sattel. We purchased the tickets yesterday and think them
good value, as for €1.50 we can travel on any local buses all day.
The first part of the walk goes up over a meadow and
through the woods, where it contours round. The views are great. We walk for a
while until we get to a shrine and some seats - this is Pufels Bula. We then
join path 24, where in the next 1.5km we gain 506 meters in height, as we climb
the Schnuristeig to the Fillne Kreuz at 2130 meters. It is a long hard climb,
but we've all day, so we take it nice and easy. There are more thoughtfully
placed benches on the way, which we make use of.
Alistair and I have very different techniques when it
comes to climbing hills. He tends to keep the same tempo all the way up,
whereas I sprint a bit, then rest and sprint up another bit. I've learnt here
though, that the best way is to amble up as slowly as possible, it hurts my
legs a bit, but I'm not so out of puff.
After a time the trees begin to thin out a bit and the
ground gets quite rocky. The walking notes get put in my rucksack, as I need
both hands to haul myself up the hill. In fact there are four sections where
there is either steel cable or rope to cling onto. I don't trust this though
and carry on scrambling up using all four limbs. I'm a little bit scared at
this point, as the contents of my rucksack seem to keep changing my centre of
balance, but there's no way I'm going down this slope! Eventually I reach the
top and a wide plateau at 2130 meters, where I have great views in all
directions.
There are around fifty or so other people up here,
including small children and I realise we have come up the most difficult way,
many of the people have come most of the way by car! Still, I bet they don't feel
the sense of achievement we do, as we jostle for position to take some
pictures.
We then continue following the path and reach Mount
Bulacia, which at 2174 meters is our highest point today. We pass by the
Hexenbanke and gradually descend to the mountain cafe at Arnica Hutte. The
place is crowded, not surprisingly as it's a beautiful Sunday, but a kind
German couple let us share their table. It takes an age to order, get served
and pay, but we are very hungry after our climb up.
Finally we set off down to Tschonadui Hutte and
Schafstall Hutte traversing over some boulder strewn terrain on the way. There
are wooden walkways and steps over the worst of it, but these are still quite
slippery. We decide to carry on down to Marinzenhutte and take the chairlift
down to Kastelruth. This seems like a good idea, until we get on the chairlift
and Alistair gets his rucksack caught in the safety apparatus. There we are
dangling a fair way from the ground and he is bent at an unnatural angle. I
tell him to stay still as his jiggling about is making me scared. He says he
can't breath as he's so squashed, but he makes a lot of noise for someone with
little breath! Luckily we make it down to Kastelruth in one piece. I tell
Alistair that I am in shock after that experience and need a reviving icecream!
In fact we both partake of an ice-cream to calm our nerves!
Back at the hotel, Alistair shows me his arm, which
appears to sport two big bruises. I feel a bit bad that I wasn't very
sympathetic earlier. Post-shower though, the "bruises" have
disappeared - they turn out to be just dirt!
Even with the drama at the end, we both agree that it's
been a brilliant day.
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