At the summit of the Hinteres Sonnwendjoch, I wait at dawn for the sunrise over the Kaiser Mountains in Tyrol. This would be the last hot summer’s day of the year. Just a few days later, around a metre of snow fell here and on the Ackernalm with the first cold front, ushering in autumn quite abruptly and intensely. Read more
After Prats-de-Mollo, Vernet-les-Bains was our second secluded destination at the foot of the imposing Canigou Massif in the French Pyrenees. Known as a health resort with a mild microclimate and thermal springs, it’s a perfect place for relaxation, culture, and outdoor adventures. The days when the town was fully booked with spa guests and summer visitors escaping the hot lowlands and coast are long gone. In the old town, rural depopulation is evident with many empty buildings. Nevertheless, Vernet-les-Bains combines charming atmosphere, historical sites, and spectacular nature, seclusion and tranquillity. This was exactly the mix we had hoped for. Read more
From Céret, we followed the Tech valley further into the Pyrenees. In Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, we found a cosy campsite run by the local council. French municipal campsites are often simply equipped but clean and, above all, authentic: when we arrived, the operators were playing boules with their guests and welcomed us in a very relaxed manner – first, settle in and choose a pitch, the formalities can be sorted out later. Read more
The Cap de Creus peninsula marks the easternmost point of mainland Spain. Like a backbone, the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean coast here. West of a line from El Port de la Selva to Roses, the coastal mountains separate Cadaqués and the Cap de Creus Natural Park from the rest of the Costa Brava. Until the construction of the only access road in the 19th century, Cadaqués was only accessible by sea. Numerous long-distance hiking trails, for example, along the main ridge of the Pyrenees to the Atlantic, begin or end here.
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In the south of France, just before the Spanish border, the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean. This is where the extensive sandy beaches of Occitania end at Argelès-sur-Mer and transition into the rocky and bay-filled Côte Vermeille. In the hinterland, the peaks of the Massif des Albères reach over 1,200 metres in altitude, a paradise for hiking and cycling. Even the first stretch of coast at Porteils, between Argelès-sur-Mer and Collioure, offers a beautiful hike. The coastal path runs in a constant series of ups and downs, past spectacular rocks and bays, to one of the most picturesque seaside resorts in Roussillion.
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The Hohenpeißenberg isn’t exactly a hidden gem, but it’s still well worth a visit. From the summit of this mountain in the Bavarian Alpine Uplands, you can enjoy an unobstructed panorama across the entire Alpine arc, from the Allgäu to the Chiemgau. The view to the north, overlooking the landscape south of Lake Ammersee and Lake Starnberg, is also lovely, but not quite as spectacular. Read more
On the way for an autumn visit to Lake Garda, I had chosen the Paganella plateau and Lake Molveno as a stopover this time. The Brenta massif has been on my tour list for a long time, so I wanted to get a first personal impression of the mountains. We left the motorway at Mezzacorona, then headed west into the narrow Noce Valley and then wound our way up and southwards via Andalo to Molveno. Read more
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