F1. Klagenfurt region 24 Sept

Started today with a bicycle ride with the Himmers into the city to visit the markets. Here we were joined by three other Austrian friends who had come to our choir practice while they were holidaying in Australia last year. In the afternoon our whole group of nine drove to the Nocky Mountains. After the gondola ride up we walked down to the berg resturant for lunch of authentic Carinthian food. While we were waiting I helped Gabi to collect a bag of wild cranberries from the bushes nearby. We the walked back up to the gondola around 4 pm. Stopped for a photo opportunity at an old school house which has been converted to a guest house and other old wooden houses nearby. The another stop at a resturant for coffee and a variety of superb Austrian cakes!  

   

E2. Sargans to Klagenfurt Austria 23 Sept

We had some time in the morning for a quick walk to the old town of Sargans and up to the Schloss with great views over the surrounding city and country side. All the while watched over by the towering Gonzen Mountain.   We then boarded the intercity train to Austria passing through Innsbruck and changing trains at Schwarzch-St.Veit before alighting in Klagenfurt just after 5pm Spent a lovely evening with our friends - went into the city for ice creams and a wonder around the local attractions illuminated at night.  

               

               

E1. Wandergruppe 22 Sept

Had breakfast with our host then she and Chybo walked us to the station. In Thun we stowed our luggage and met with the people we walked with back in 2014. There were a few new faces but many remembered us and we enjoyed catching up with them again. It was worth the long journey across Switzerland. The day was absolutely perfect - warm and sunny but not too hot.  

The leader Peter took us to Visp and on to Salgesch in canton Valais. From there walked up through the vineyards with their old dry stone walls and ancient looking vines heavy with various varieties of grapes. At one point we saw the grapes being pressed.   We passed a natural outcrop of rocks know as the Pyramids of Raspille and a variety of old churches. We had to reluctantly leave the group at afternoon teatime and continue down to Sierre station to get back to a Thun for our luggage and catch the train to Zurich and on to Sargans. For the second half of the journey the train line followed the lakes of Zurich and Walensee with the mountains fully visible today. Certainly got value from our Swiss Travel Passes today.

  Our Airbnb tonight is situated directly under the Schloss Sargans and right beside it another old church whose bells are currently ringing for 6 o'clock as I wait for the dawn to break over the mountains.

 

D2. Bischofszell to Uttigen 21 Sept

Bid a fond farewell to our hosts and the little Bijou Sitterblick which has been home for the last 4 days. I am using the Internet photo as it has more roses in it and includes a web address for anyone who wants to rent it!

Travelled to Weinfelden and changed to an IC train direct to Thun. After a grocery stop there we made the short train journey to our Airbnb in Uttigen. Once again we have a comfortable room and welcoming hosts. We went with Karl to walk their handsome dog 'Chybo' a Entlebucher-Sennenhund cross. This gave as the opportunity to see the Aare River and some of the local buildings and hear about their history.

D1. Walensee 20 Sept.

An early start with the bus from Bischofszell. Train to St Gallen, then to Uznach, Ziegelbrücke, Walenstadt and bus to Unterterzen. Across the road we caught the cable car up to Oberterzen. From here we wandered down through the village of Quarten delighting that the sun had broken through the clouds as we looked down on Walensee and at the tall mountains that enclose it on all sides. Thinking of our Aussie friend who comes from this beautiful Canton of Glaurus!

 

We made our way to Murg Ost but had just missed the boat to Au so we had breakfast at the kiosk of the nearby camping ground before walking around to Murg West. From here we took the boat to Au, got off and enjoyed the short walk (partly through forest with lots of wild cyclamen flower) to Quinten. Walked up through the vineyards admiring the view from all angles. Had lunch in the sun on the terrace of the Schifflände resturant before going back across to Murg and the return journey to Bischofszell - with a few less train changes this time.  

  Had one more wander around the old town area of Bischofszell. So many beautiful old buildings that the cameras were kept busy. In the evening we caught up with communication thanks to our hosts great efforts in restoring internet access.

 

C2. Looking for the Santis 19 Sept

The Santis mountain would normally dominate the views in this area on a sunny day but today we saw only its shadowy figure through the low clouds that hung around for the whole day. Our kind host Adi and her dog Bobbie took us on a guided tour despite the weather. First through Gossau and Herisau then on to Urnsäch. Here we stopped for coffee at the resturant of her friend Ursi at Gasthaus Metzgerri Lande. Everywhere the window boxes make a colourful display to brighten up the gloom.   

  We navigated the winding road up to Schwargalp and saw the gondola disappearing up through the clouds in direction of Santis. 

 

 

  We retraced our journey back downhill and drove toward Geis and  Adi took us to Hoher Hikschberg resturant on the top of a hill where we had a delicious apple and plum tart. Here we had to imagine how beautiful the view could be. Still we enjoyed the ambience of the environment as the pictures show. 

 

 

  From here we passed Altstten, Rebstein vineyard and had a view down into the wide Rhine valley looking over to the shadowy mountains of Austria and Lichtenstein. We continued on to Bodensee passing through Roscharch, Arbon, Romanshorn and Utwil before turning inland to Amriswil. Snapping pictures here and there of the lake and the unique architectural style of the region.   

  Our final stop on the way home was Schloss Hagenwil which is surrounded by a moat and looks stunning even without sunshine!

  Our hosts invited us to a wonderful evening meal of local specialities such as home grown salat, geschnetzellesand a desert of meranque with vermicelles made with nuts. Theo is an excellent cook (and compliments also to our careful driver and guide Adi). Perfect way to end the day!

B1. Schwarzsee 16 Sept

Woke to a rainy morning but as the weather cleared a little we set off with our friends for a day of walking in the mountains and valleys around Schwarzsee. Parked at the lake and waited for lots of cows to come down past before setting off up the track to the Berg Resturant Ritzli-Alp where we stopped for a delicious fondue lunch.

Had to make our way past the sheltering goats to get to the rustic outdoor loo!

As it had started to rain we donned our wet weather gear and continued around to the next valley where we stopped for a 'Kaffee Fertig' and watched the cows come in for milking. The farm dog came to play with us once his herding duties were done. 

Although we would have preferred sunshine there is an ethereal beauty to the misty mountains. The rain cleared as we continued down through the forest to the beautiful lake where our walk began

C1. Ebenalp and Appenzell 18 Sept

Although the weather was overcast we decided to go with our planned excursion to Ebenalp. Changed trains at SG Gossau and continued through beautiful green countryside dotted with the typical Appenzeller farm houses and barns to Wasserauen station

  Across the road to the gondola station where we were advised that the track down from Ebenalp to Seealpsee was too slippery after all the rain so we opted for a return ticket (Chf30 for two - half price with Swiss pass) we were delighted to find that we did have a view through the clouds at the top and could see Bodensee in the distance.

 Walked down past the Wildkirkli to the Bergresturant Aesher clinging to the side of the mountains now increasing shrouded in mist. Sampled the homemade kucken before retuning up to the Gondola station.

 

From Wasserauen we caught the train back to Appenzell and spent an hour or so wandering through the old part of the city. We then returned to our little house for the evening.

 

As I type this blog I can just hear the church bells ringing 6am in Bischofszell several kilometres away. Lucky we are not staying in town as they ring every 1/4 hour!

B2. Gurbrü to Bischofszell 17 Sept

Still overcast as we farewelled friends and set off for our next destination. Train to Bern then caught the IC from Bern through Zurich and on to Weinfelden which was initially very crowded but thinned out a lot after the airport stop. At Weinfelden we changed to the regional train to Bischofszell where the sun had managed to break through so we did a quick tour of the alt Stadt while waiting for our bus to Eberswil which will be home for the next four nights.

 

 

 Met our hosts Theo & Adi and settled into our Airbnb Bijou Sitterblick. The little two story cabin is similar to the one we had in Heiligenschwendi two years ago.

Went for a walk along the Sitter River then fell asleep while reading at around 5pm and slept till early morning - so much for dinner! Our bodies needed to rest and catch up with local time.