Alberschwende to Bregenzer Hütte on E4 Alpine route: Day 1

A short first day with some steep mountains to climb.

Alberschwende is where the E4's southern and northern routes across Austria separate. As I had previously walked the northern alternative, the village was the obvious place to begin the southern, Alpine variant. To reach this starting point I walked into Bregenz and caught a bus from the Railway station. The Sunday bus wound around numerous suburban streets picking up ladies at the frequent stops. One of their dogs looked at me with inquiring eyes from beneath the seat in front of me.

Eventually the bus left its winding route through houses and headed up a steep tree lined valley beside a cascading stream. The sign for Alberschwende appeared and I left at its centre. From here I started walking, uphill from the beginning, following a small road which wound its way up the steep hill among green slopes on which hay was being cut. Periodically there were dark brown, multi-storey wooden farms that looked like they had far too many rooms for the likely inhabitants judging by the number of lace trimmed, shuttered windows. The smell of cows in their barns alternated with that of freshly cut grass.

Looking down from Bödele.

Eventually the tarmac of the road decayed, then the route headed up a very steep path through woodland. Mountain Bikers were also using the trail. I passed a party pushing their bikes uphill, then they passed me at speed as they raced down the other side. At times bikes racing down hills made me nervous of being hit.

Bödele was a scattered settlement with a few restaurants. Not wanting a heavy meal I carried on. Much of the rest of the route was through tall conifer trees. They gave welcome shade as the day was hot, sweat accumulating on my tee shirt. 

Forest on way to Bregenzer Hutte.

I stopped at Lustenauer Hütte for a coke and topfenstrudel. The latter was a new experience. A creamy cheese filling in a flaky pastry case served warm with a "wild berry" sauce. Apparently a traditional Austrian dish, I might have preferred it served cold...

Bregenzer Hütte where I had booked to stay the night was not much further on. After a shower I settled in the open air terrace to listen to a group playing guitar and accordion and singing songs that were vaguely familiar to me, and well known to some in the audience.