Introduction Most tourists who know anything of Austria may know the Bregenzerwald and the Brandnertal valley as a skiing resort.But there is a lot more to it than that! In the summer the area has flower-filled pastures, green mountains, traditional, wooden houses, and of course the cows which produce such a wealth of cheeses. The sound of them clanging away is omnipresent even on days of bad weather. It is a very pretty region, not of the highest Alps, but of forests and smaller pre-alp mountains with their associated Wanderweg and Bergweg footpaths. On these walks you have sweeping views from the excellent network of paths dotted with mountain huts offering great coffees, Weiss beers and Wurst lunches: Hopefully you won’t be ‘wurst’ for wear after all this lot!You will certainly be away from the mainstay of Alpine tourism, yet you will still get great Alpine views. The tour offers quality Alpine walking, with the use of cable cars and autobuses on occasion to lessen the ascents or descents. The weather, especially in the summer also tends to be slightly more stable than that of the Swiss or French Alps. Another great feature of the walk is that the landscape gets more dramatic over the course of the walk, so you visit the higher mountains on your last couple of days.
The tour takes place in the Vorarlberg, the western most federal state in Austria. It borders Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein as well as the Austrian state of Tyrol. The Bregenzerwald is the forest and alpine pasture region behind the famous town of Bregenz. Brandnertal is the main town of the upper valley where you end up on this tour. People mostly work in agriculture and tourism, but the importance of farming is decreasing rapidly due to better traffic connections to the Rheintal and over the last 30 years other economies have developed.
Travel Information Season: Mid June to mid-September.
The first Hotel: in Schwarzenberg. From Bregenz station there is a included transfer to Schwarzenberg. Clients should aim to arrive by 6pm.
End of Tour: The tour ends on Day 8 in Brand. Transport back to Bregenz station. There is usually a direct train to Zurich early in the morning.
Travel From Munich by train to Bregenz takes around 4 hours. Note that we do not recommend flying in and out of Salzburg as the train transfer times are significantly longer than from Munich. If you decide to drive, you may leave your car at the first hotel and then at the end of the tour, the transfer will take you back to the first hotel rather than to the station at Bregenz.
Level of Difficulty Grade & Fitness: We grade this tour as moderate; anyone used to hill walking with a daily height gain/loss of just over 3,300 feet (1000 metres) should find the tour within their capability. Note that one day is considered Moderate to Challenging. (Day: 6). On most days there are steep ascents and descents to various degrees.
Day Stages: Average duration of walking per day is about 6 hours. Some of the walks may be shortened if desired by the use of cable cars and local postbuses.
Waymarking As one would expect in Austria, the trails are generally very well marked and often signposted, but it is advisable to carry and be able to use a map and compass in case of mist etc. Waymarking is usually red and white paint marking, but can also frequently be yellow / orange and white, and Blue and white at one point. In late June and early July there can be snow patches on higher trails (above 1000m), while new snowfalls are possible in September.
General Information Baths: it is not normal for your room to have a bath, the main reason being that it takes up a lot of space, some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main it is showers.
Breakfast: usually buffet style – continental: pastries, cereals, cheeses, yoghurt and fruits. Please don’t offend your hosts by making up a picnic lunch from the breakfast buffet unless it has been specifically organised for you. It is important for you to tell us if you have any dietary requirements when you book your holiday so that we can inform everyone that you are staying with.
Single Supplements: are payable on most of our tours. 1) The single supplement guarantees the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can at times be small and in some places may not enjoy the same facilities as double/twin rooms. 2) You are not just paying a supplement on the room but the luggage transfer costs you are paying in full. The cost of moving 1 bag or 2 bags etc remains the same. On some of our trips it is possible to reduce the cost of the single supplement if you happen to be a 3rd person travelling, or have chosen a date when other clients are booked.
Language: Although most people engaged in tourism here will at least know a smattering of English, please try to learn a little German and take a phrasebook, it will certainly add to the experience.
Luggage: When staying in hotels, sometimes your luggage will have been taken to you room awaiting your arrival. However don’t be surprised if your luggage is waiting for you to take it up to your room.
Twin Rooms: In Austria twin rooms tend to be 1 double bed that has 1 or 2 separate mattresses and 2 separate duvets.
Accommodation & Meals Accommodation is on a half board basis for 7 nights (7 evening meals included); in hotels generally of 3-star standard. All rooms have ensuite facilities when available. Lunches are not included in the tour cost. However, picnic materials can be readily bought on weekdays in each of the towns and villages we stay at. The hotels if requested the evening before can also provide packed lunches. In addition, there are a few inns and cafes along the way, which serve lunches.
Please note that we are not able to guarantee the accommodation exactly, but the descriptions of the hotels and guesthouses below are the normal ones used.
Night 1: In Schwarzenberg: We use a gem of a hotel with a 250-year tradition. The guesthouse, together with the Baroque church and some impressive farmhouses make up the historic center of Schwarzenberg. Feel the charm of the turn of the century in the house’s drawing room and banqueting hall. All rooms have a warm and cosy atmosphere. Excellent cuisine (Gault Millau awarded) and ‘extraordinary wines’ are served (their quote not ours!).
Night 2: Our accommodation is in the center of Mellau. You have a very nice view over to the mountains around the hotel. It is a typical chalet style hotel and there is a restaurant and a large terrace. The rooms are all with shower or bath, WC, hair dryer, telephone and balcony. In the morning we have a breakfast buffet and for dinner we serve a four course meal with three dishes to choose from, one is always vegetarian. As a hotel guest you can use the indoor swimming pool with hot whirlpool, sauna and steam bath free of charge.
Night 3: In Fontanella, we useaquality hotel; rooms are en-suite with a breakfast buffet, 5-course dinner, sauna, steam bath and solarium. A family hotel with a personal atmosphere. At an altitude of 1,200 m in a small mountain village that is surrounded by wonderful mountain scenery. In summer you can also enjoy yourself with tennis (free of charge).
Night 4: Near Blundenz. We use a small town hotel about 15 minutes to the pedestrian precinct of this small Alpine town. The rooms are spacious, but there is no restaurant here and you will normally eat at a 4 star hotel in the center where you can enjoy famous Austrian food on one of the most beautiful terraces in the area. Rooms are equipped with bathroom facilities, satellite TV, minibar and safe. Some rooms also have a balcony.
Night 5: At Dalaas. Our Guesthouse has 12 rooms, which are well equipped. There is an original rustic dining room dating back to the golden times of romantic carriages and an ‘À la carte’ restaurant.
Night 6: In Tschagguns. Our hotel would like to be your home! Simply enjoy that extra piece of personal free space with an individual atmosphere. Our rooms are equipped with every comfort and allow you the room to move that you need to relax. All rooms are made of natural spruce wood and display a comfortable interior. Each room is equipped with colour TV, radio, telephone, minibar and safe.
Night 7: At Brand. We stay at a ‘sports hotel,’ that is nevertheless one of the most traditional hotels in the area. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna, tennis court etc. Very good dining facilities and rooms as you will expect from a hotel of this standard.
Itinerary Day 1: Train to Bregenz. We will need to be informed of your approximate arrival time in Bregenz so that you can be met by the transport to take you to Schwarzenberg. This taxi transfer takes approx 25 minutes (included in cost). Settle into your hotel, there are numerous hiking paths nearby if you want to go for a ramble. Dinner at hotel.
Day 2: Schwarzenburg to Mellau. Ascent: 667 m / Descent 1090 m. Distance: 16 km approx, 5 hours walking. In the morning catch the public bus, which comes up from Dornbirn to Bodele above Schwarzenburg(1140m). From here you should get beautiful views over the Bregenzerwald. Take a series of paths up to a viewpoint at Hochalpele 464, with an opportunity for drinks. A wide gravel trail thentakes you past the alp at Alpele to the Lustenauer Hut at 1250m for a break; you then follow the “Weibenfluhweg” trail to the Weibenfluhhutte, which serves some regional speciality dishes, such as clear soup with dumplings. If it is clear, you can enjoy a great view of lake Constance and the Swiss mountains, before continuing on the forest road towards Hangspitz. There follows a descent on a gravel trail and then road to the village of Mellau.
Day 3: Mellau to Fontanella via Damuls. Ascent: Assuming Gondola is used going up, but not coming down: 1010m / Descent: 1234m. Distance approx: 23 km (HoBstellalpe to Damuls 11 km & Damuls to Fontanella 12km) Time: 7 hours to do the whole route. You start by taking the cable car up from Mellau to the RoBstelle mountain station with great panoramas. At 1390m and follow the trail to Kanisalpe 1463m. This area enclosed with mountains, presents one of the most beautiful vistas of the tour. If you feel fit you can climb the Mittagspitze 2095m. It is a climb on steep gravel secured with wires. Descend to Uga Alp by foot or chair lift. If you feel you have had enough, there is the possibility of shortening the day and catching a post -bus to your hotel in Fontanella. Continuing on from Damuls and then take the Unterdamulser Weg footpath around Turtsch Alpe to and Fontenella via Mittleberg. New mountain vistas open up all the time!
Day 4:Fontenella to Bludenz. Ascent 822m / Descent 1198m. 4.5 hours (3.5 hours with gondola descent). Distance 11 km (without gondola descent). Time: 4 hours. This is a straight up then straight down sort of day! From the hotel a car will take you to the little village of Raggal, with its attractive onion-domed church, where you follow the trail to Nitzkopf 1709m and have a stop at the FraBen Hutte. From here you can optionally ascend the peak of HohnerFraben 1979m. The walk continues down to the Muttersberg mountain gondola station. Having admired the views you can either take the gondola down or follow the footpath down to the small industrial alpine town of Blundez, which has an interesting mediaeval core.
Day 5:Blundez to Dalaas. Ascent 1130 metres / Descent 855 metres. Distance: 21km approx. Time: 6 Hours. This is a long lower day, passing through pastures and woodlands, under a few cascades. The footpath at Blundez takes you towards Gastastigele, following the Romerweg to Innerbraz and on to Mutheralpe then following a forest road onto the village of Mason, from where you descend into the valley at Dalaas.
Day 6:Dalaas to Tschagguns. Ascent: 1072 metres / Descent 1562 metres (without bus to Schruns / Tschagguns) Distance: 14km approx. to Fernblick Hotel (possible drink spot from where the bus can be taken, add 4 km if walking on to Tschagguns). Time: 5.5 hours to Fernblick, 6.5 hours to Tschagguns. This is the hardest day. The attractive steep alpine trail follows the ‘Kristbergweg’ to a saddle in the hills called Kristbergsattel 1484m. Should be a lot of cows clanging away! There is the opportunityto stop at a restaurant up here, and once more admire the views.With some excellent panoramas. The next part of the trail is called the ‘Panoramaweg Ganzaleita. ’This trail takes you up through the mountains to the optional wire assisted peak of Itonskopf 2099m, great views across from here to the mountains on the Austro-Swiss border, an area known as the ‘Ratikon.’ You then descend through alpine meadows to the Fernblick Hotel 1107m. At the berghotel, after a pint of beer there is a bus stop for taking the bus to Schruns and then on to Tschagguns and your hotel, or you could walk down.
Day 7: Tschagguns to Brand. Total Ascent 910m / Descent 833m. 5.5 hours. Distance: 16 km (Gruneck to Douglashutte, add 6 km if walking to Brand). Time: 5- 6 hours. This day, more than any other gets you into high alpine peaks – The mountains of the ‘Ratikon’. Start in the morning by taking the public bus up the valley to Latschau, you then take the Golmerbahn cablecar to Gruneck mountain station (1800m). Then you follow the attractive footpath to the alpine cottage known as the Lindauer Hutte, which you reach after about two hours of pretty walking. From here we follow the wanderweg to the Lunersee (a classical alpine lake within mountain surroundings) and continue along the lake bank to the Douglasshutte at 1980m. Then take the Lunerseebahn cablecar down the valley to Brand an important ski resort in the winter.
Day 8:Depart. After breakfast a car will come and transfer you back to the railway station at Bregenz. (Included in cost). Please note that you should contact the ground-handling agency earlier in the week if you need to have the transfer at another time, or perhaps to Bludenz which is the nearest train station to Brand.
Escorted Departures 2007 Sat 11 Aug – Sat 18 Aug
Included The price is based on two people sharing a twin or double room and includes bed & Breakfast accommodation and evening meals on 7 evenings. You will also be transferred from Bregenz/Dornbirn to the first accommodation and from Brand at the last accommodation back to the railway station, back to Bregenz/Dornbirn: but note that this may not be available very early in the morning, in which case it may be advisable to catch the train from Bludenz. Also included is the transfer of baggage on days where you walk to the next hotel. Please note that Sherpa pays for one piece of luggage per person to be moved. You will also get a pass, which is only valid in the Bregenzerwald-area, called the "Bregenzerwald-Inclusive-Card." This means that all cable cars and public buses are included until you reach Damüls (Day 3 and 4), which is when you move outside the region. For the rest of the tour, you will have to pay extra for buses and cable cars etc. because there is no card on which we are able to include the whole tour.
Not included: Train or cable car services within Austria / Germany apart from transfers to and from Bregenz/Dornbirn railway station and movements within the Bregenzerwald area. Packed lunches, snacks and drinks etc.
