If you're wondering what the place looks like on a beautiful almost-Autumn day, then this:
Paragliding Hohe Wand
Sure enough, my first glimpse of the place was from a few miles away, and there circling above the mountain were about a dozen paragliders. A beautiful sight. Check out the video above to get the lay of the land...
Hohe Wand from a distance.
Enlarge this pic and note the swarm of paragliders.
On top of Hone Wand there are several Gasthauser where you can get a bite to eat or something to drink. We parked the car at one of these and started off hiking through the woods. From time to time we'd come to scenic overlooks like this:
There are many huts and houses on the mountain. A lot of these were built long ago by hiking and mountaineering clubs for the use of their members, sort of like a time-share. B's parents were members of one of these clubs and for years would come to Hohe Wand a time or two every year to take in the fresh air, hike, and have fun with their friends. A lot of the original huts have been expanded and updated and several of them are now in private hands...
Hiking along, we came to a beautiful cabin, guarded by evil midgets.
There are a lot of hiking trails. We left the road and walked through the woods along a trail. It was very quiet, despite it being a pleasant Saturday afternoon...we\d walk along in silence then encounter hikers coming the other way, greet each other, then silence again as we passed.
A busy bee.
Often you come upon clearings where you can sit on the rocks and look out at the valley below with its villages and farm fields and woods stretching far into the distance. We stopped at a little Gasthaus for soup and drinks. There was a small group of people being taught the basics of mountain climbing---how to tie in, etc. I took this quick shot of a boy enjoying the view before continuing with his lesson:
Maybe Mount Everest is in his future.
We walked back to the car from the Gasthaus. It took about an hour or so and the way was steep, along the forest path with its exposed tree roots and rocks. Eventually we came to a road and to a group of huts, lodges, and houses B wanted me to see.
I like these shutters.
As I've said before, there's a lot to do in Vienna, or a short drive or bike or train ride outside of Vienna. And if you want to drive an hour or so out of town, you can be in a different country altogether (Slovakia, Hungary, or the Czech Republic) or in the mountains. I'm glad I finally got to take a hike on Hohe Wand with B; I've been hearing about the place for years. I look forward to going back when I move here...
