A unique, beautiful sunset at the Brunnenkogelhaus (2,738 m) with a 360-degree panorama over Sölden, the Ötztal Alps, and the highest peaks of the Stubai Valley. The hut sits like a crown on a mountain peak and can be reached via physically demanding and partly steep, but hardly exposed, mountain trails. Over 1,300 metres of ascent must be overcome. However, for moments like these, I gladly carry the extra weight of my camera equipment. Read more
The Teufelsmühle (908 m) rises above the Murg Valley near Gernsbach in the Black Forest. At the beginning of the 19th century, a viewing tower was built there by the Black Forest Association. From the platform, the view stretches far into the distance over the Rhine Plain, the Palatinate Forest, Alsace and the Vosges, as well as the Northern Black Forest up to the Hornisgrinde. Read more
The dry, warm Föhn wind makes for a perfect late October day in the Bavarian Alps with temperatures up to 20 degrees and clear views. The golden rays of the low afternoon sun highlight the vibrant colours of the autumn leaves on two venerable oaks, which overlook meadows and forests, rivers and lakes in the Loisach Valley. Behind a landscape shaped by agriculture, the mountains of the Bavarian Alps rise up – Benediktenwand (left), Jochberg, Herzogstand and Heimgarten (right), with the Karwendel Mountains visible in the far background. Nestled between them lie Lake Kochel and Lake Walchen. This area is part of the so-called Bavarian “Pfaffenwinkel”. Read more
Lake Walchensee lies at an altitude of 800 m in the Bavarian Prealps and is, for me, one of the most beautiful Bavarian lakes. At 192 metres, it is also the deepest lake in Bavaria and, with a surface area of 16 square kilometres, the largest mountain lake in the German Alps. It owes its often turquoise-green colour to the limestone dissolved in the water. It is completely surrounded by mountain forests and mountain ranges and, on sunny days, treats visitors to a Mediterranean flair that is quite unique for the Northern Alps – which is why it is also marketed as the Bavarian Caribbean. Read more
After the solitary sunrise over the Sesto and Braies Dolomites from the summit of Dürrenstein, I wanted to get a personal impression of the famous, much-visited and photographed Lake Braies for myself. I have to say, the lake is beautifully nestled in a rocky high-mountain landscape – the dark blue-turquoise water, the autumnally coloured yellow-golden larches, the blue sky and the towering, rugged rock faces of the Seekofel. Read more
On a cool, clear autumn night, I ascended to the summit of Dürrenstein (2,839 m) in the Prags Dolomites before dawn. In the bright light of the full moon – I didn’t even need a headlamp for the ascent – an impressive alpine panorama unfolded with every step upwards: the Sesto Dolomites with the Three Peaks, the rock towers of Cadini di Misurina, the mighty Cristallo Massif, the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Mountains and below, my starting point and last night’s camp, the Plätzwiese high plateau. At the summit itself, the missing part of the all-round panorama to the north, across the Pustertal valley to the main Alpine ridge, was added. Read more
The Drei Zinnen are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a magnet for tourists, hikers, climbers or photographers from all over the world. Therefore, don’t expect solitude. You can drive to the Auronzo Hut at 2,300 metres above sea level and can also stay overnight there by bus, camper van or similar. A stop at Lago Antorno is worthwhile. A toll or parking fee of EUR 30 (car, van, bus) to EUR 45 (motorhomes) per day is charged; for overnight stays and arrival before 7 pm, two days are counted – that’s quite a hefty price. Nevertheless, on fine days, the large car park is overflowing. If you move a little away from the main paths and choose less frequented times, you can still experience quiet and magical moments. The charisma and grandeur of the famous rock towers remain despite all the hustle and bustle. Read more
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