Neustift, Austria June 9, 2024

The forecast for today was rain and thunderstorms which is actually the forecast for most of this week.  It also sounded like this could be the best day of the next few.  After much mulling over in my mind about what to do, I just went for it, I took the Elfer cable car which is almost out the front door of my home away from home.  That’s the cable car station.

 view after stepping off the cable car at the top

I set the app to navigate then I set off to hike what is called “Scenic Nature Walk: Gratzengrubel” as named by the company I am doing this Neustift portion of the trip through.  Happy to be high and ready to hike!

Right from the get-go, the climb was on the steep side so thankfully you accomplish that via switchbacks through the forest.  There were teases of mountain scenes through the trees.  Once I popped out of the forest, the views were forever.  This little guy was a cute sight as I arrived at the Elferhutte,

 view down to Neustift from the picnic tables at Elferhutte

The route carries on higher with even grandeur views down to the Elferhutte and Stubai Valley.

Even high yet!  Looking back at the trail and the valley below!

The trail is marked with the Austrian flag painted on large rocks.

By now the climbing is done and it’s all downhill from here yet the scenery begins to get even better.  I see something in the pasture below and realize that is the viewpoint the app talks about.  I’ve never seen something like that before!

What an amazing spot!  Each square is a seat and their is a large circle of them.

the green sign says this

It was a rough route to descend on after leaving this viewpoint behind. I thought I heard bells which lead me to say “what the heck!”  After rounding a corner, this is what I saw!  There were about a dozen Austrian goats with bells on, a way the heck up and beyond out in the middle of no where! They were such a delight to see!

There is lots of steep ground to cover on the way down. I eventually need to be down there somewhere.  There were hiking routes everywhere, lots of trail signs, and thankful my navigation app was working like a charm.

Now I see where I need to get to and it’s that grey trail in the middle bottom below that slope.

still descending 

I arrived to where I needed to be.  The next eight kms are a very gradual scenic descent along a gravel path / narrow road.

Austrian cows beside the trail

How fun was this to see!  I joined in on the effort!

European Robin

restaurant along the trail 

The descent was almost complete. I stopped here to have one last look back.

Around the next turn, I can see grassy slopes with homes on them. 

 I knew I was getting closer to Neustift.

arriving at Neustift 

last bit of trail

Five more minutes to my home away from home which is between the two parasails,

The orange line shows the cable car route and the red is where I hiked with the green dot being where I started.

There was no rain not even a sprinkle.  The thunderstorms did not materialize, so thankful I just went for it.