A perfect last day in Bregenzerwald for a hike up in Schoppernau. There is big entertainment at the top of the Diedamskopf cable car every Sunday ala the Mellau video. Unfortunately, it rained yesterday (Sunday) and we postponed the hike for today.

The cows were coming down from the alpine pastures on the way to Schoppernau and we dallied to watch the procession for a while before getting to the bottom of the Diedamskopf cable car. My spirits are high and we’re ready to ….climb every mountain… on this last brilliant Austrian day. Farms along the trail (this trail was really a small road) with little children playing a game and chasing each other up the incline and back down the incline over and over again…

children playing tag along the trail in Austria 

…People picking wild blueberries from patches scattered along…a dilapidated old cabin, leaning to one side…

this old cabin looked like it was ready to fall over, Austria
…workers clearing new ski runs of pine trees….View image…which they then neatly stacked…View image. It was up and up and up for four hours, 10 kms/6 miles and a 3,800′ altitude gain…(Not that I’m keeping track!)…until we reached the top of the Diedamskopf cable car. The Austrian Alps were spread out, radiating in all directions. I could pick out Au, Schoppernau below, the trails we hiked up and over to Mellau, the mountains towards Lech, the Bergcristalhutte from the first day, and it brought tears to my eyes with the realization that this very enjoyable trip in Bregenzerwald was over. Back to Chicago with totally flat scenery to look forward to. Boo-hoo.

the Austrian Alps
A heck of a lot easier sitting in a comfortable cable car going down with time to reflect with pride on today’s accomplishment…and watch people on the trail below walking down with their baby buggy/pram. …View image… Remember? You can take bicycles and prams on the lifts up and ride/walk down.