Diarikom : The Hochsteinalm

Saturday 11 January 2014

The Hochsteinalm

Sabine Ammering - photo by Nigel A JAMES

“Brad'l in der Rein”

Sepp and Sabine Ammering and the Hochsteinalm

listen to ‘The Hochsteinalm’ on Audioboo

The Austrian mountains are full of surprises, and the best ones of all are the ones reached by ways of expected suspense. It was just after Christmas. We were a small group of 5, and the sometimes hard - and sometimes easy - one hour upward winding trek through the cold winter darkening forest provided just the right feeling of thrill for where we were going. And the magic arrived at a turn in the forest!

By now we had switched on our torches and lamps. The darkness was total, and the going, because of ice under foot was slow and we had to be careful. But then came the lights of a hut! Like welcoming beacons, they were shining out from the darkness and calling us on! And there was our goal, the Hochsteinalm and its hut - and only ten more minutes to go. And, thanks to the trek and the cold mountain air we were hungry. And it was worth every step!

One can only reach the Hochsteinalm by foot, and this is its charm. Being away from the smell and the noise of everyday life it has all that everyone needs. There is the peace of the forest, there is the calm of the silence, and, at the hut there is food! And this is sensational!

Whilst Sepp Ammering the land-lord was busying himself with his guests, his wife Sabina whose mother was a cook before her was creating incredible food in the kitchen. And, that which we chose was sensational. It was a typical Upper-Austrian dish called “Brad'l in der Rein” which roughly translated means pork, potatoe dumplings, and cabbage all roasted together in the same dish in the oven. A dish just right for the fine cosy atmosphere of this hut. Of course, there isn't only roast pork, there are other things too, but, whatever your choice, everything is good, and the Schnaps that round off the evening are just the right thing for the going back down the mountain. And, here, too, there's a choice. If there's enough snow you can either go down by sledge or carefully walk, and, if you're too tired or simply too lazy, there are comfortable rooms to be had, too.

But, of course, there's much more to the Hochsteinalm than just fine mountain food on cold winter nights. It's not only a wonderful place for hiking in summer, it's also home to an assorted menagerie of interesting animals. It has something for everyone and especially for children. For them there's something behind every tree! The Hochsteinalm near Gmunden and Traunkirchen in Upper Austria is a great place to go! Maybe, one day we'll meet on the Alm!