Stage 15 – Hiking in the Alps – Alpe Adria Trail, Austria

After I finished stage 12, 13 and 14 of the Alpe Adria Trail I really got the feeling that I could do this! This was the first time I walked alone in the mountains, the real mountains. Of course I had been to Nepal before and hadn’t had a lot of trouble there but then I hadn’t been higher than Poon Hill….and I wasn’t alone.

Now I walked again with my own luggage and also on my own, just like on the camino!

I love that! I can have a good time with my own thoughts, all the plans I have left and everything I want to rethink and in between I try to clear my mind and enjoy being alone in the Alps! So nice!

Hiking in the Alps – Alpe Adria Trail

I had a nice breakfast in Erlacherhaus on the morning of Alpine hike stage 15 where I got the most beautiful room the day before. Once again I enjoyed the most beautiful view over the valley and said goodbye to the place and people.

Hiking in the Alps will lead you through the many meadows of the Alps of course and on the first day I had ascended 1600 meters and on the second day I had experienced a descent and now I had slept at the top of the mountains so I was already on my way at altitude. First I walked on a road, then a path and soon I walked through a mountain meadow where I saw and heard the cows around me again.

Stage 15 gives you 14.4 km and 6.45 hours of hiking through the Austrian Alps!

Red/white markings on the trail in Austria

Every once in a while I saw a red and white mark on a stone and this led me a bit further up when I walked into a kind of forest at the end, which also helped me to get higher up. It didn’t take long for the forest to be swapped into an open plain, giving me a view over the meadow I had walked before. Up here I ended up at a mountain meadow. I saw a sign Nassbodensee but misjudged it and so I followed the path I expected it to give me a view of the lake as well.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get a full view of this mountain lake anymore.

By now I was still walking on boulders and the path was hard to find. On several boulders I saw the red and white markings that I had to follow. I was walking in an area where I hadn’t met anyone yet and when I took a break I saw people standing on the mountain tops around me. To be honest, I heard them before I saw them. The sound of laughter and the talking of a group of people caught my attention and I saw them standing in the distance. How strange is that!

Hiking the Alps on the Alpe Adria Trail

I really loved this part of the hike. And in hindsight this stage of the Alpe Adria Trail really was the coolest! The most challenging hike with the most amazing views!

This hike was really challenging so I really had to watch where I was walking. At one point I wanted to take a picture of a flower along the path. I leaned forward and my bottle of water fell….fortunately not so far down so I could grab it again. I bent over a bit more to the right and wanted to take the picture again. Then my walking stick slid down a whole lot. 

Really!
I wasn’t paying attention and thinking well.

I took off my backpack and carefully let myself down the path so I could reach my hiking pole. Climbing and clambering, I got back on the path and looked around me. I realized that I had to pay more attention. If this hadn’t been my bottle or stick but me, there wouldn’t be anyone to help me.  I hadn’t seen anyone all day and so I didn’t know if I would get help. I knew that the German couple had left before me. They had already passed by. I hadn’t seen the Austrian lady for a day…

Safe Hiking in the Alps

With renewed attention I walked on this great Alpine hike!

Not much later the climb started. A little later I walked over a plain along a large abyss. I now walked across from where I had just sat and where I had heard the people. When I got to the top, at the cross of course, I saw the Austrian lady just taking off her coat. She had just walked out of sight in front of me!

Hiking in the Alps – Austria

We took some nice pictures of each other at this great viewpoint, had a bite to eat and then went on, because it’s pretty cool on top of the mountain! I heard from her that she had to buy new shoes in Döbriach because she had broken her shoes with the descent of stage 13. They fitted like a clove and she was super happy with them!

Because I had planned to take it easy, especially with a descent, we only walked together for a short time and she slowly disappeared from my sight. However, I caught up with her later when she put in an extra loop to go to the top Pfannnock, I decided to skip that in favour for my knees. Moments later she caught up with me again. That way you keep meeting each other every time, cozy!

I didn’t want to put extra strain on my knee by going up the Pfannnock… Too bad!

The area I walked through now was very beautiful, the Nockberge Biosphere Park. Also very accessible for tourists and day trippers because it was crowded. The views were great and I can imagine a lot tourists will come here to go walking. There were several paths and nice resting points… That is nice and of course I made use of that.

This day no lunch at a nice mountain hut but a bar from my backpack, I also had a sandwich with cheese and cucumber in my backpack from Döbriach.

Nockberge Biosphere Park – Austria

The last part of todays hiking in the alps stage 15 to Falkerthaus was longer than expected. At one point it was marked and I got the feeling I was almost there. Then I had to walk for at least another hour. It started to rain and because of that it got colder. I walked down slippery forest paths and across plains with few signs. Then I came along a river and finally through a meadow where suddenly there was a mountain hut with the sign Falkerthaus!

The Austrian lady was already sitting on the terrace enjoying a well-deserved drink. I decided to check in first and take a hot shower. We both had a large room with many beds. We were the only guests that night. The bathroom offered me a nice hot shower! When I came downstairs a little later I chose a cappuccino and a piece of cake. I was fully recharged after this!

They offer the best cheesecake . A bit heated and with fresh cream on the side

It was delicious!!

My reward after todays hiking in the Alps!!

I could still sit outside dry, the temperature was good and it was still raining a little bit. This whole week had been the prediction for rain and so far I had had some rain at the end of the day, when I had reached my destination. So that went great!

Sleeping and Eating at Falkerthaus

The specialty of the Falkerthaus was trout so I took it… Delicious with a green salad on the side. Good food to be able to handle the next day the 19 km again. The booklet said that tomorrow I would do the stage 16 that would take me 8 hours, so sleep on time and get back on the road on time!

I had booked a five day hike online and so tomorrow would be my last hiking day. I had already checked and could book at least 1 day extra. So 5 days of hiking became at least 6 days… I loved it and didn’t want to say goodbye to this trail yet.

Do you also want to go hiking in the Alps?
How many days would you like to do that?

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Want to see more hiking inspiration?

Dutch Coastal Path Part 2

Pilgrim Path St Olavsleden in Norway

First 200 km of my pilgrimage in Spain

Hiking Tips for Women – Safe Solo Hiking

How to Prevent Altitude Sickness

Or go hike in Nepal!!

Poon Hill Trek – Nepal (8 days/7nights)

I hope you enjoy this world as much as I do!