travel guide bregenzerwald - vorarlberg

bregenzerwald

b rege n z e rwald

su m m er 2011

travel guide

Bregenzerwald Tourismus Mon – Fri: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat, bank holidays: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun: closed

su mm er 2011

Impulszentrum 1135 . 6863 Egg . Vorarlberg . Austria T +43 (0)5512 2365 . F +43 (0)5512 3010 info@bregenzerwald.at . www.bregenzerwald.at

Ideas and Addresses.

Your guide through the Bregenzerwald.

Editor:

Photographs:

Bregenzerwald Tourismus GmbH,

Adolf Bereuter (cover, p. 33/84/88/92/96/99),

Impulszentrum 1135, 6863 Egg

Franz Fetz (p. 2), Andreas Riedmiller (p. 8/23/38/47/53/ 63/66/71/90/98), Christoph Lingg (p. 10/11/12/13/17/

Design by:

19/20/24/25/26/27/29/36/40/41/50/56/72/76/94),

broger grafik, Andelsbuch

Sulzberg Tourismus (p. 14), Hittisau Tourismus (p. 15), Bregenzerwald Tourismus (p. 16), Christa Branz (p. 18/55),

Printed by:

Kevin Artho (p. 21), Monika Albrecht (p. 22),

Druckhaus Gössler, Bezau

Lingenau Tourismus (p.28), Archiv LexLupo (p. 30), Frank Broger (p. 44), Dietmar Walser (p. 46),

Text by:

Armin Bischofberger (p. 48), SFG (p. 51), Archiv Almhotel

Kinz Kommunikation

Hochhäderich (p. 52), Peter Mathis (p. 54),

Florian Aicher (p. 6–7, 66–67, 68–69, 72–74)

Lingenau Tourismus (p. 62), Peter Rohner (p.64),

Kurt Bracharz (p. 88–89)

Roswitha Natter (p. 68/93), VKW (p. 70), Markus Tretter (p. 74), Bregenzer Festspiele (p. 77),

Carthography:

Archiv Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg (p. 78),

Aries Werbegrafik-Design

Ludwig Berchtold (p. 58/59/85/91), Foto: Robert

Text and planning of hiking routes: Dr. Rudolf

Fessler. Copyright: Angelika Kauffmann Museum,

Berchtel

Schwarzenberg (p. 80), Hanno Metzler (p. 81),

© Land Vorarlberg für Geodaten

Riefensberg Tourismus (p. 82), Bruno Klomfar (p. 85), Archiv Gasthof Schwanen Bizau (p. 95), Maria-Anna

Data and prices subject to change. Typographical

Moosbrugger (p. 101), Krumbach Tourismus (p. 102),

errors cannot be excluded. Edition: February 2011

© Österreich Werbung (p. 103)

contents

land & lives................................... 2 The Bregenzerwald 2 For your orientation 4 Living space 6 Bregenzerwald Guest Card 8 hiking.............................................. 9 Things to know 10 Panoramic routes 12 Alp paths 17 Summit tours 20 Water routes 22 Cultural tours 25 Nordic walking paths 29 Hiking with dogs 30 active summer............................. 31 Mountain biking & cycling 32 Mountain biking 33 Cycling 36 Climbing 38 Outdoor specialists 40 Fishing grounds 42 Paragliding 46 Bregenzerwald Golf Park 47 Indoor & outdoor tennis courts 48 family tips.................................... 49 Rambling with the pram 50 Kids’ programme 55 Day trip tips – Bregenzerwald 59 Day trip tips – Around Lake Constance 60

barrier free................................ 61 Barrier-free rambling 62 Barrier-free viewing experience 64 culture.......................................... 65 Architecture 66 Bregenzerwald werkraum 68 Journeys to architecture and the culture of wood 70 Everyday culture 72 Antony Gormley: „horizon field“ 74 Schubertiade Schwarzenberg 76 Bregenz Festival 77 Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra 78 Exhibitions & museums 79 Cabaret & village culture 84 Cultural trips 86 dining out.................................... 87 Bregenzerwald culinary delights region 88 KäseStrasse 90 BERGGUT – good things from the Bregenzerwald 91 Culinary hike 92 Exceptional specialties 93 well-being ................................... 97 Health hotels 98 Wellness hotels 99 Water and Moor 101 Vorarlberg........................................ 103 How to reach Vorarlberg............ 104

1

2

the bregenzerwald

To start with, let us introduce you to the Bregenzerwald. Around 30,000 people live here, in 22 villages in total. The Bregenzerwald locals – “Wälder” as they are known – are confident, independent people, proud of their roots yet receptive to new things too.

You will notice the successful, ­courageous blend of the traditional and the modern when you look at the architecture and experience the craftsmanship. Both disciplines are closely interwoven, and are a symbol of that which the locals of the ­Bregenzerwald are experts in: ­appreciation of art, of beauty, the creation of pleasure, both well thought-out and practical.

This interplay is both visible and ­perceptible in many places.

Sensitive Many of the hotels, guest houses and farms combine the old with the new, or have been completely rebuilt with sensitivity in recent years. Wood plays an essential part in all this. In the well-tended inns and restaurants, the chefs are masters of pepping up regional specialities, making them into ­magnificent ­creations. Most of the produce used comes from local farms. They are all small farms, and are managed carefully and ­imaginatively by ­families. The bestknown ­Bregenzer­wald speciality is cheese, especially the tasty alpine cheese. The informative stations and delight­­ful events of the KäseStrasse ­Bregenzerwald impart impressions of cheese culture.

the bregenzerwald

3 land & lives hiking culture dining out well-being

Tip: Bregenzerwald Travel Magazine Tales about the region and interesting people. www.bregenzerwald.at

barrier free

Soothing The Bregenzerwald landscapes are balsam for the eye – and the soul.

A shapely combination of ­gently undulating hills, expansive ­plate­aux, romantic river valleys and ­impressive peaks – ideal for active people and ­lovers of nature. The farmers are largely responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the cultivated landscape. Typical of the ­Bregenzerwald is the three-layer cultivation of the fields: (valley – mountain pasture – high mountain pasture).

Informative This brochure is your companion on your journey of discovery through the Bregenzerwald. It contains numerous addresses – from sights and day-trip destinations – and a multitude of tips for stimulating leisure activities: from selected thematic hiking paths through to outdoor and family-­orientated programmes, right through to pampering wellness days offered by some of the hotels. We also inform you about the highlights awaiting you in our cultural calendar, the special features of our architecture and craftsmanship, and share with you interesting facts about culinary delights and the Bregenzerwald cheese culture.

family tips

Inspired For a rural region, the cultural calendar in the Bregenzerwald is anything but provincial! The major festival in the region is the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg. Many guests combine visits to the Bregenz ­Festival – known for its spectacular opera ­performances on the lake stage – with holidays in the Bregenzerwald.

active summer

Klausberg mountain pasture, Schwarzenberg

4

for your orientation Widderstein

Karh

2533 m

A

l

l

g

ä

u

e

r

A

l

p

e

241

Lechtal Innsbruck Reutte

n

Lech

WARTH 1495 m

Hoher Ifen 2230 m

Diedamskopf 2090 m

Hochtannberg 1676 m

SCHR 12

SCHOPPERNAU 860 m

Schönenbach 1025 m

Hirschberg 1834 m

AU 800 m Damüls

Winterstaude 1877 m

SIBRATSGFÄLL 929 m

Niedere 1711 m

Baumgarten 1620 m

Balderschwang (D)

Son 1 Hochhäderich 1566 m

SCHETTEREGG 1066 m

ANDELSBUCH 613 m

HITTISAU 790 m Koyen 1300 m

Hochlitten 971 m

GROSSDORF 662 m LINGENAU 687 m

KRUMBACH 733 m

RIEFENSBERG 781 m Aach (D) Oberstaufen (D)

EGG 564 m Tannerberg

MÜSELBACH 585 m

Dress

LANGENEGG 695 m DOREN 709 m

SULZBERG 1015 m

Oberreute (D) Buch 725 m Hirschberg Thal 598 m

1095 m

LANGEN 657 m

F 73 Pfänder 1062 m

Scheidegg

Hohenweiler

BR

Lindau Friedrichshafen München Ulm Stuttgart (D)

Lochau

B

o

d

for your orientation Zitterklapfen Mohnenfluh

2403 m

Braunarlspitze

2544 m

Glatthorn

Zafernhorn

2134m

2107 m

2649 m

Hochkünzelspitze 2397 m

Lech

Saloberkopf

Portlahorn 2010 m

Faschina 1486 m

Uga

1850 m

Körbersee

land & lives

horn

16 m

5

Ragazer Blanken

DAMÜLS 1431 m

RÖCKEN 260 m

hiking

Mittagsspitze

Kanisfluh

2051 m

Au

2095 m

2044 m

Hochblanken 2068 m

Wildgunten 1705 m

1391 m

SCHNEPFAU 734 m Hoher Freschen 2004 m

BIZAU 681 m

MELLAU 688 m

nderdach 1208 m

REUTHE 650 m

Brüggelekopf 1182 m

1463 m

BERSBUCH 612 m

Staufen 1465 m

BÖDELE 1139 m

SCHWARZENBERG 700 m

slerberg

family tips

Hochälpelekopf

BEZAU 650 m

H

976 m

ALBERSCHWENDE 721 m

DORNBIRN 475 m

barrier free

Karren

Bildstein 760 m

Fluh 30 m

Kennelbach

REGENZ

Dornbirn Süd Feldkirch Basel (CH) Zürich (CH) St. Gallen (CH)

LAUTERACH

400 m

Bre gen zer ac he

s

e

e

St. Gallen (CH)

ein

Rh

HÖCHST

dining out

n

Dornbirn Nord

WOLFURT 412 m

culture

SCHWARZACH 438 m

Pfändertunnel

e

active summer

Roßstelle

well-being

6

living space

Travelling the Bregenzerwald always means having to overcome dizzy heights to start with: from Bregenz you take the Pfänder, from the Rhine Valley the valley side which ascends 500 m, from the north you take the Sulzbergstock, from the east the Riedberg or Hochtannberg pass, from the south the Furkajoch or Faschinajoch.

spectrum which, right at the start of tourism, had travellers extolling the “charming landscape” as an “enclosed park” whilst at the same time shuddering at the “Siberian exile” on the wild, upper course of the Ache. A valley area of contrasts, borders, crossings.

Crossings Cross-border experiences also leave Up and over is the way to go – the most their mark on the locals – they know how to set themselves apart from impressive views are from the north outside. Yet the scarce rural areas and the west – and a space is revealed which, in all its diversity, is completely have never been sufficient to feed the population. The locals had to get different to all that surrounds it, with moving, cross borders, leave behind the Bregenzerache uniting it all. Your their homes and families. This took route takes you through gorges and on many different forms: the nomadic flat hollows – wide between the hills existence of alpine animal ­husbandry of the foothills of the Alps around Alberschwende and ­Lingenau, narrow (home, mountain pasture, alp → between the mountains of the foothills page 88), or in the form of seasonal migrant work, outbound commuting of the Alps around Andelsbuch and Bezau, squeezed in between the alpine or even emigration (to America in the 19th century in particular). Flexibility, peaks of the Kanisfluh, Diedams­ ideas and self-help were essential to kopf, Zitterklapfen and ­Widderstein stave off poverty. around Schnepfau, Au, Schoppernau, The area was only sparsely populated Warth and Schröcken. This correlates for a long time: only plot names with the division into the Vordergive rise to assumptions about the wald, ­Mittelwald and Hinterwald border between Celtic and Rhaeto(front, central and rear regions of the Romanic cultures. It was not until ­Bregenzerwald) – a topographical

living space

7 land & lives hiking barrier free culture dining out well-being

This culture has succeeded in maintaining its vitality. Innovation and flexibility based on the acquired continue today in initiatives such as the werkraum (→ page 68) and have turned the Bregenzerwald into a model European region.

family tips

Hard cheese and lace It was during this time that the region developed in the form you see today. Rational, mercantile methods gained importance in agriculture, desertedness became characteristic of the Vorderwald to the Mittelwald, production of hard cheese grew (alpine dairy → page 72) to such a sustainable extent that the first dairy

farm school in the Habsburg Empire was established. The new rulers were the cheese barons who amassed staggering wealth with the products of the new form of agriculture, and textile manufacturers who supplied material produced by the textiles home industry (decoration and taste → page 73) before the railway provided factories in the Rhine valley with workers after 1902. Such changes were also accompanied by resistance – Franz Michael Felder, author and spokesman of the revolt, is still considered an exceptional character (Franz Michael Felder Museum → page 83) in the valley today, and which is why one’s own house and home are tenaciously clung to. New sources of income have to be continuously developed – the multitude of manual skills is proof of this.

active summer

Damüls’ Mittagsspitze

the High Middle Ages that Mehrerau ­Monastery in Bregenz encouraged the population of the area upwards of the Bregenzerache. From above, coming the opposite direction, you come across a second wave of population with the Walsers. The particle “Wald” (forest, wood) found in many of the names of places makes it clear how undeveloped this settlement area was for a long time. Naturally, the locals gladly take advantage of this remoteness: interesting as a hunting ground at best for the feudal rulers, extensive autonomy was allowed to develop which went down in literature as a “peasants’ republic”. It ended with the brief Bavarian occupation (1806 – 1814) as a result of the realignment of Europe by Napoleon.

8

bregenzerwald guest card

View from the Diedamskopf towards the Vorderwald

There is lots to discover in the Bregenzer­wald mountains. Rambling and hiking paths take you to the loveliest spots, and tell stories. Events are held. The Bregenzerwald Guest Card is your “ticket” to these mountain experiences. The Bregenzerwald Guest Card is available to all visitors who spend at least three nights in the Bregenzerwald, and is included in the accommodation price. validity 1 May to 31 October 2011 partner municipalities Alberschwende, Andelsbuch, Au, Bezau, Bizau, Damüls, Doren, Egg, ­Hittisau, Krumbach, Langenegg, Lingenau, Mellau, Riefensberg, Schnepfau, Schoppernau, ­Schröcken, Schwarzenberg, Sibratsgfäll, ­Sulzberg, Bildstein, Fontanella and Sonntag issuing offices Bregenzerwald Tourismus (Opening times → see reverse), from all cable car ­operators and tourist offices in the partner municipalities.

Includes the following public buses “The Bregenzerwald rural bus” as far as Bregenz and Dornbirn (except the town bus), Lech, Raggal and ­Fontanella/­Sonntag cable cars • Brüggelekopf chair lift, ­Alberschwende • Andelsbuch cable cars • Bezau cable cars • Mellau cable cars • Diedamskopf cable cars, ­Au-Schoppernau • Uga Express, Damüls • Steffisalp Express, Warth • Großwalsertal cable cars, Sonntag • Faschina cable cars swimming pools Au, Bezau, Egg, Hittisau, Mellau, Schoppernau, Schwarzenberg You are also entitled to numerous reductions from our partners.

9 land & lives hiking active summer barrier free

Hiking and rambling are the best ways to discover the beauties and mysteries of the Bregenzerwald. Miles of clearly and uniformly sign-posted paths take you to alpine 足pastures where cheese is made, across 足historical wooden bridges, to magnificent vantage points, to herb gardens.

family tips

hiking

culture dining out well-being

10

things to know

Hikers above the mountain pasture settlement of Schönenbach

Uniformly signposted paths and ­hiking maps make it easier to find your way around the mountains.

Practical: the ramble and hiking packages offered by Bregenzerwald Tourismus.

Hiking deals You can book selected hiking deals directly from Bregenzerwald Tourismus. For more information, see the Bregenzer­wald Travel Magazine and www.bregenzerwald.at/uk

Bregenzerwald hiking map All hiking routes and important information to do with cable cars, huts and alpine inns are enclosed in the hiking map. The hiking map is available from Bregenzerwald Tourismus, in tourist offices and in hotels.

Signposting of the hiking paths All hiking paths are clearly and ­uniformly signposted according to the Vorarlberg hiking path concept.

The hiking paths are divided into three degrees of difficulty:

Hiking paths on the Internet Numerous hiking tips and routes can be found at: www.vorarlberg.at/wanderwege

Walking or rambling paths: Easy

Mountain hiking paths: Non-slip footwear suitable for wearing in the mountains is recommended

Recommended reading: “Wanderbuch Bregenzerwald“

by R. Berchtel, ­published by ­Tyrolia Verlag (in German only)

Steep alpine trail: Suitable only for those with mountain experience, who are sure-footed and have no fear of heights

things to know

11 land & lives hiking culture dining out well-being

Respect your boundaries Forests, fields, rivers and lakes offer precious space for leisure and relaxation activities. Forests in particular have an important protective function. The Vorarlberg state government’s “Wohngemeinschaft Natur” initiative to encourage living in harmony with nature offers locals and visitors information about how to deal respectfully with nature. It is in with this in mind that we also appeal to you to respect preservation and conservation areas. The most important recommendations are that you stay on signposted paths and keep the countryside clean.

barrier free

Action in the event of an emergency 1. Move the injured person from the source of danger (rockfall, ­further fall) 2. Check the vital functions 3. Use your mobile to call the emergency services: • 144 alpine emergencies, ­Vorarlberg • 112 European emergency number, from all networks: switch off your mobile phone, switch back on.

Instead of your PIN, dial »112« 4. Administer First Aid

family tips

For your safety • The correct equipment is a central safety factor: mountain or hiking boots, good outdoor clothing worn in l­ ayers, a functional top to change in to, sunglasses and sun cream.

• Don’t embark upon a tour on your own. Always inform others about your tour.

• Only set off into the mountains if you are in good physical condition.

• Take (hot) drinks and a snack with you.

• Set off in good time so that you are back when it is still light. It gets dark relatively early in the autumn, for example.

• Check the weather forecast before you set off. Stay in the valley if it is misty. Should the weather deteriorate, return to the valley.

• Take orientation aids with you: a hiking map, perhaps an altimeter.

• Stick to signposted paths.

• Applies particularly to tours in the high mountains: take with you a bivouac sack, a head light, mobile phone and First Aid kit.

active summer

Out and about in the area of Mellau and Damüls

12

panoramic routes

The Niedere with a view of the Vorderwald

Andelsbuch – float like a butterfly Andelsbuch’s very own mountain – the “Niedere” – is known not only for its magnificent view from Lake Constance as far as the Swiss mountains: paragliders also appreciate its fantastic thermal currents. When the weather is good, you can see them floating like bright butterflies around the mountain and across the valley.

starting point Andelsbuch mountain station cable car destination Andelsbuch mountain station cable car itinerary mountain station cable car (1,530 m) – panoramic circular route (Baumgartnerhöhe – Niedere Höhe, 1,711 m – Niedere mountain inn) – mountain station cable car chances to stop off for a drink/food Niedere mountain inn, Baumgarten mountain restaurant

Difference in altitude: 180 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 1½ hours Opening times of the cable cars T +43 (0)5512 2540

panoramic routes

13 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting point Mellau mountain station cable car destination Mellau mountain station cable car itinerary mountain station cable car (Roß­ stelle, 1,395 m) – Kanisalpe – ­Kanisfluh (2,044 m) – Wurzachalpe – Kanisalpe – Roßstelle cable car chances to stop off for a drink/food Wurzachalpe (during the alp season from mid/late June through to midSeptember), inns at the mountain station

family tips

Mellau – in the land of the ibex The Kanisfluh is one of the most striking mountains in the Bregenzer­ wald. The rocky north side is visible from the valley, the southern slopes are green and sunlit. It offers the ideal habitat for ibex as well as for 930 different species of butterfly.

The first part of the hike is easygoing, and follows an agricultural path. After you have passed the Kanis alp, the ascent begins on a narrow path which takes you to the top of the Kanisfluh. To descend, take the Wurzachalpe option back down to the mountain station.

active summer

Kanis alp, close to Mellau

culture well-being

Opening times of the cable cars T +43 (0)5518 2222-0

dining out

Difference in altitude: 650 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 3½ hours

14

panoramic routes

Sulzberg with its Empire-style church

Sulzberg – protected by St Lawrence The gentle panoramic hike at an ­altitude of over 1,000 m takes you along the nature trail into the gently undulating hills of the Upper Bregenzer­wald. The return journey is taken in good, pleasantly cool forest air. The church on the village square, renovated in 1828/29 by Alois Negrelli, the planner of the Suez Canal, is worth a visit. The church, ­constructed in Empire style, is dedicated to St ­Lawrence, the patron saint of pub landlords, cooks and brewers.

starting point Sulzberg centre of town destination Sulzberg centre of town itinerary Sulzberg centre of town (1,013 m) – ­Hochsträß (1,025 m) nature trail – Sulzberg forest path chances to stop off for a drink/food Hochsträßstüble ramblers’ café, inns in Sulzberg

Difference in altitude: 15 m Trail category: yellow-white Total hiking time: 1½ hours

panoramic routes

15 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting point Hittisau-Reute destination Hittisau-Reute itinerary Hochhäderich (via Streichbrunnen­ alpe and Lochalpe) – ­Leckenholz­alpen – Reute chances to stop off for a drink/food Hochhäderich mountain inn, Gasthof Alpenrose (Reute)

family tips

Hittisau – along the Nagelfluh rock face on Hochhäderich Hochhäderich offers a magnificent view to the north as far as the Allgäu and, to the south, to the ­Bregenzerwald. You pass large rock faces made up of Nagelfluh rock which are very distinct here. In 2008, 14 towns and villages in the border area of Allgäu and Vorderwald established the “Nagelfluhkette National Park” which covers an area of around 400 km².

active summer

Nagelfluhkette National Park

culture well-being

information www.naturpark-nagelfluhkette.at

dining out

Difference in altitude: 735 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: approx. 3 ¼ hours

16

panoramic routes

View from Hochälpele

Schwarzenberg – poetic ramblings The famous poet Eduard Mörike (1804 – 1875) and his wife spent a ­summer holiday in ­Schwarzenberg in 1857. On the occasion of his 200th birthday, the municipality of Schwarzenberg built the “Eduard Mörike rambling path”. The full-day ramble takes you to the Hochälpele, whose magnificent view is a delight for visitors, including the Mörikes in their day. The path has signposts ­bearing poetic remembrance boards.

starting point Schwarzenberg-centre of town destination Schwarzenberg-centre of town itinerary Schwarzenberg-centre of town (696 m) – Hochälpele (1,463 m, via Gmeind, Hütte) – Gschwendtsattel – Lustenauer hut– Klausbergvorsäß – Schwarzenberg chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Schwarzenberg, Hochälpele hut, Lustenauer hut

Difference in altitude: 770 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 4½ hours Detailed directions are available from the tourist office.

alp paths

17 land & lives hiking barrier free culture

starting point car park Schönenbach destination car park Schönenbach itinerary car park Schönenbach – ­Schönenbachvorsäß (1,020 m) – Unterspitzalpe – ­Almisguntenalpe – Stoggerten­nalpe (1,500 m) – Ostergunten­alpe – direction Kretzbodenalpe to Hänslervorsäß – car park chances to stop off for a drink/food Egender inn and alps (during the alp season from mid/late June through to mid-September)

family tips

Bezau – from the loveliest mountain pasture to the alp Schönebach is only inhabited from June to September, and is one of the loveliest mountain pasture settlements in Vorarlberg. The village is located on a plateau between the Hirschberg and the Diedams­ kopf, home to a meandering brook. The ramble takes you to the Almisgunten­alpe, which lies isolated in a col beneath the Diedamskopf.

Just before the newly built Stogger­ tenn alpine hut, you arrive at the highest point on the ramble. The path along the Osterguntenbach takes you down to the car park.

active summer

Mountain pasture settlement, Schönenbach

dining out well-being

Difference in altitude: 530 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 3½ hours

18

alp paths

Lecknersee in Lecknertal

Hittisau – the village with most alps The Lecknertal is located in Hittisau, the village with the most alps in ­Austria. A toll road takes you to the hiking car park. The route takes you along the sunny slope of the Hochhäderich-Hochgrat mountain range up to the Rohnehöhe (at 1,639 m).

It is worth taking a short detour to the nearby Lecknersee. Along this mountain hiking path – whose 660 m difference in altitude makes it hard-going – are six alps, four of which are where milk is processed there and then.

starting point car park Lecknertal destination car park Lecknertal itinerary car park Lecknertal (980 m) – Juliansplattealpe – Schwarzenberger ­Plattealpe – Plattentischalpe – ­Rohnehöhe (1,639 m) – Rohnealpe – Glockenplattealpe – car park chances to stop off for a drink/food alps (during the alp season from mid/late June through to mid-­ September), Höfle inn ­

Difference in altitude: 660 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 4½ hours

alp paths

19 land & lives hiking dining out well-being

Opening times of the cable cars T +43 (0)5510 600

culture

Difference in altitude: 700 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 4½ hours

barrier free

starting point Damüls-mountain station Uga-Express destination Damüls centre or valley station Uga Express itinerary mountain station Uga-Express (1,800 m) – Ugaalpe – Hochblanken (2,068 m) – Ragazer Blanken (2,051 m) – Sünser Joch – Oberdamülser Alpe – Damüls (1,430 m) chances to stop off for a drink/food mountain inn ­Elsenalpstube, ­mountain inn Ugaalpe, Oberdamülser­alpe (­during the alp season from early July to late ­September), inns in Damüls

family tips

Damüls – around the Wals settlement At an altitude of over 1,800 m, the Damüls circular tour starts with two peak crossings. After walking for about 1¼ hours, you reach the Hochblanken and then follow the mountain ridge at an altitude of almost 2,000 m for about 45 minutes until you reach the peak of the Ragazer Blanken. From here, the descent commences: via the Sünser pass as far as the Oberdamüls alp and on to Damüls. The mountain church in Damüls, with its exceptional fresco wall-painting depicting the Biblia pauperum dating back to 1484, is well worth a visit.

active summer

Damüls round trip

20

summit tours

Ascent to Zitterklapfen

Au – climbing up to the Zitterklapfen The Zitterklapfen is one of the most beautiful mountain peaks in the ­Bregenzerwald, with an impressive panorama. At the end of the idyllic Dürrenbachtal, the rocky massif arises. The first section takes you along a windy agricultural path in the forest up as far as the A ­ nnalperaualpe. It is here that the mountain hiking path commences. The final section in the rock to the peak demands that climbers be sure-footed and not afraid of heights. The length and the difference in altitude make this into a very arduous ­mountain tour!

starting point Au-tourist office destination Au-tourist office itinerary Au-Argenau (tourist office 810 m) – Bodenvorsäß – Annalperaualpe – Zitterklapfen (2,403 m) – return to Au via the same way chances to stop off for a drink/food Inns in Au, Bergkristall hut (at ­Bodenvorsäß)

Difference in altitude: 1,600 m Trail category: white-blue-white Total hiking time: 9½ hours

summit tours

21 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting point Schröcken-centre of town destination Schröcken-centre of town itinerary Schröcken-centre of town (1,250 m) – Fellealpe – Fürggele – ­Braunarlspitze (2,649 m) – ­Butzensee – Jägersteig – Schröcken chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Schröcken

family tips

Schröcken – up to the highest point The Braunarlspitze is the highest mountain in the Bregenzerwald. An agricultural path leads from Schröcken to the Fellealpe. This is the start of the mountain hiking path to the Fürggele, a pass to the Große Walsertal. From here, the alpine trail (which demands that hikers be sure-footed and not afraid of heights) takes you through the rocky part up to the peak, continues to the idyllic Butzensee and, via the Jägersteig, back to the Fellealpe. From here, you take the same path back to Schröcken.

active summer

Körbersee with Braunarlspitze

culture dining out well-being

Difference in altitude: 1,400 m Trail category: white-blue-white Total hiking time: approx. 8½ hours

22

water routes

Auer Ried with the Kanisfluh in the background

Au – delicate plants and wooden huts The path leads you from the Argen gorge into the Auer Ried nature reserve. The power of water, geology, nature conservation, ancient cultivated landscapes and the mighty Kanisfluh provide the subjects and the stations of the hike for those interested in nature. Over 50 rare species of plant thrive in the Auer Ried. Watercourses, gallery forests and damp biotopes run through the humid rough pastures and upland hay meadows with their numerous characteristic old hay huts.

starting point Au parish church destination Au parish church itinerary Au-Jaghausen (parish church, 791 m) – Auer Ried (1,050 m) nature trail (via Argenbachtal) – Jaghausen parish church chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Au Tip: The volume of poems by Birgit Rietzler invites you to a literary hike through Auer Ried. “Berberitzen” puts in words the externally visible and the internally perceptible. Available in the tourist information offices in Au and Schoppernau.

Difference in altitude: 260 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 2½ hours Detailed directions are available from the tourist office.

water routes

23 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting point Hittisau-centre of town destination Hittisau-centre of town itinerary Hittisau-centre of town (790 m) – Känzele View (Häleisen, 820 m) – Kommabrücke (760 m) – Engenlochschlucht – Hittisau chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Hittisau

family tips

Hittisau – across bridges, through the gorge At the end of the Ice Age, a lake emerged at the foot of the Hochhäderich. The Bolgenach carved its path out of the cliffs which formed the “dam wall” of the lake. And so the Komma gorge arose. For almost 300 years, the Komma bridge has been crossing the river and the gorge at a height of 15 m: this bridge is the oldest covered bridge in the ­province. Along the Bolgenach, the water ramble takes you across a suspension bridge, past the wild yet romantic Engenloch gorge.

active summer

Covered wooden bridge, close to Hittisau

culture well-being

Detailed directions are available from the tourist office.

dining out

Difference in altitude: 60 m Trail category: yellow-white Total hiking time: 1½ hours

24

water routes

Calc-tufa area in Lingenau

Lingenau – when water turns to stones The calc-tufa in Lingenau is one of the most unique calc-tufa ­formations north of the Alps, making it one of the outstanding geological phenomena in Vorarlberg. The water flows in small flumes over rocks as far as the ­riverbed of the Subersach, forming canopies and sinter curtains. Five information boards describe the ­geology and ­vegetation of this spectacle of nature. The nature trail takes you mainly across a passable gravel path with wooden bridges and steps.

starting point Lingenau swimming pool car park destination Lingenau swimming pool car park itinerary Lingenau swimming pool car park (680 m) – calc-tufa nature trail (610 m) – Rain – St. Anna chapel – car park swimming pool chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Lingenau

Difference in altitude: 70 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 1½ hours Detailed directions are available from the tourist office. The wooden bridges can be slippery when wet.

cultural tours

25 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting point Schröcken parish church destination Warth itinerary Schröcken – Alpe Felle – Auenfeld – Körbersee – Hochtannbergpass – the old salt road to Warth chances to stop off for a drink/food Hotel Körbersee, inns in Schröcken and Warth

family tips

Warth-Schröcken – on the trail of the Walsers The villages of Lech, Schröcken and Warth are typical Walser ­settlements. In the 14th century, the Tannberg area was populated by the Walsers, who came from the West Swiss canton of Valais. In cultivating the alpine terrain, these pioneers developed a first-rate, fascinating cultivated landscape. Robust benches point out the stations along the trail. A book is available which describes the objects that tell the history of the Walser settlers on the Tannberg.

active summer

Having a rest at Kalbelesee

culture well-being

Opening times of the cable cars T +43 (0)5583 3601-0 Detailed documentation in the form of a book is available from the tourist offices in Lech, Schröcken and Warth. www.tannberg.info

dining out

Difference in altitude: 450 m Trail category: yellow-white Total hiking time: 4 hours

26

cultural tours

Hay landscape in Au

Au-Schoppernau – "Alpgang" Insights into farming in the ­Bregenzerwald are afforded by the 14 stations on the “Alpgang” thematic trail. For economical reasons and in order to maintain the mountain’s sensitive nature, farmers in the Bregenzerwald have been farming their fields in several stages for hundreds of years: in the early summer, Alpine dairymen and their cows leave the valley and head for the mountain.

They spend the summer on the high mountain pasture, and return to the mountain pasture in the autumn, and finally back to the valley. Texts on life in the alps and the cultivated landscape are to be found in stones.

starting point Au/Rehmen church destination Au/Rehmen church itinerary Long tour: Au/Rehmen church – Berbigen mountain pasture – Upper Sattel­alpe – Liegstein – Alpe Sattelegg – Wika – Holand – Au/Rehmen church Short tour: Au/Rehmen church – Berbigen ­mountain pasture – Wika – Au/­Rehmen church chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Au, Alpe Sattelegg (from midJune to early September)

Difference in altitude: approx. 750 m long tour, approx. 350 m short tour Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: Long tour approx. 6 hours, Short tour approx. 2 hours.

A detailed brochure is available from the tourist offices in Au and Schoppernau.

cultural tours

27 land & lives hiking dining out well-being

information Tourist office Langenegg T +43 (0)5513 4101-14 www.langenegg.at

culture

Difference in altitude: 230 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: 3 hours

barrier free

and oral traditions. Continue along the forest trail to the Tranquillity Portal with its barefoot ­spiral made from natural materials. A wooden swing and comfortable wooden loungers invite you to rest and relax a while.

The cool hiking path through the forest, which follows the white-redwhite signposts through the lovely marshland and flora, offers the chance to hike further downwards towards the mouth of the Weissach. Now the lovely Achtal leads to the art portals created by wood artists along the Bregenzerache. From the old station, the trail takes you back along the road into the centre. chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Langenegg

family tips

Langenegg – energy hike For years, the village of Langenegg has been involved in sustainability, and the protection of energy and the ­climate. In 2010, Langenegg was a ­ warded the European Village ­Renewal prize. The various “energy portal paths” make energy comprehensible, and hands-on. The hike starts at the village hall. Through the red portals, it takes visitors to the sundial, and through the Wind and Water Portal with its energy works. At the Hotel Krone, the trail crosses the country road and continues to the Mythical Portal: modelled on a small coliseum, the spot in the forest offers sufficient space for delivering myths

active summer

Barefoot spiral in Langenegg

28

cultural tours

Station on the Rotenberg wood thematic trail

Lingenau – Rotenberg wood thematic trail Rotenberg wood is the property of 170 owners – one of the smallest structured forests in Austria. The thematic trail comprises 20 stations, a forest room, an upland moor, and a natural arena of Nagelfluh. Forest path, root path, woodland path, mud pits and stone steps follow one another.

starting point Lingenau village square destination Lingenau village square itinerary Long tour: 19 stations with forest room, Nagelfluh arena and Bruggmoos as the highlights Short tour: 12 stations chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Lingenau

Difference in altitude: approx. 270 m long tour, approx. 230 m short tour Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: Long tour approx. 3 ½ hours, Short tour approx. 2 hours.

A detailed brochure is available from the tourist office in Lingenau.

nordic walking path

29 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting point Sibratsgfäll-car park Krähenberg destination Sibratsgfäll-car park Krähenberg itinerary car park Krähenberg (843 m) – Towards Schönenbach via ­Iferalpe as far as the crossing over the Subersach – ­Auen­alpe via ­Hengstig – towards Sibratsgfäll via Nußbaumers Krähenberg – car park ­Krähenberg chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Sibratsgfäll, Snack station Bilgeris Krähenberg

family tips

Sibratsgfäll – along the Subersach Sibratsgfäll has six signposted trails of varying degrees of difficulty. This tour takes you through the forests and alps along the Subersach. From the car park, the roadway goes up steeply to Bilgeri’s Krähenberg. An agricultural path goes across the Iferalpe as far as the crossing of the Subersach. The return journey takes you to the Auenalpe, before you cross back over the Subersach (waterfall). Via Nußbaumer’s Krähenberg alp, you take the agricultural path back to where you started.

active summer

Nordic walking in Sibratsgfäll

culture well-being

Arduous stretch with some steep climbs/descents, sometimes across ­difficult surfaces. For experienced nordic walkers and the very fit.

dining out

Difference in altitude: 355 m Trail category: white-red-white Total hiking time: approx. 3 hours

30

hiking with dogs

Out and about with dogs

Man and his best friend can benefit from taking a hike together. Both see, experience and learn new things.

Especially when guided by an expert.

Trainers Christoph Rüscher and Erwin Kohler have long since “gone to the dogs”, literally! They are also hiking guides, mountain rescuers, agility and companion dog examiners. Together, they offer specific dog training in the heart of the Bregenzerwald mountains, since hiking in the mountains with your own dog can intensify the relationship between man and his dog.

summer hiking day also on offer Date: 21 August 2011 Duration: approx. 4 to 5 hours (takes place in any weather) Price per person: € 45 also on offer Package deals, one two-day adventure hike including camping, and a guided crossing of the Alps information Lexlupo T +43 (0)5515 2311 www.lexlupo.com

31 land & lives hiking active summer barrier free

There are only a few regions in the world where you can try out and perfect so many different types of sports. Outdoor specialists accompany you to ensure your safety when you go mountain biking, rafting, paragliding, caving, canyoning and climbing.

family tips

active summer

culture dining out well-being

32

mountain biking & cycling

1

8 2 12 3

4 10

5 11

9

6 13

14

15

7

mountain biking

33 land & lives hiking

7: tannberg tour Distance: 15.5 km Difference in altitude: 650 m Highest point: 1,792 m Starting point: Schröcken

well-being

8: brüggele-kaltenbrunnen Distance: 11.3 km Difference in altitude: 405 m Highest point: 1,090 m Starting point: Alberschwende

dining out

3: balderschwang tour Distance: 24.5 km Difference in altitude: 700 m Highest point: 1,434 m Starting point: Sibratsgfäll

6: mellental tour Distance: 17.8 km Difference in altitude: 700 m Highest point: 1,325 m Starting point: Mellau

culture

2: schetteregg tour Distance: 20.2 km Difference in altitude: 580 m Highest point: 1,080 m Starting point: Egg

5: weissfluh tour Distance: 21.4 km Difference in altitude: 795 m Highest point: 1,367 m Starting point: Bezau

barrier free

Mountain bike tours for beginners 1: hochhäderich tour Distance: 21.2 km Difference in altitude: 790 m Highest point: 1,520 m Starting point: Hittisau

4: berchtoldshöhe Distance: 20.5 km Difference in altitude: 700 m Highest point: 1,154 m Starting point: Andelsbuch

family tips

The Bregenzerwald is still something of an inside tip for mountain bikers: The wide range of easy and highly demanding tours is exceptional.

Many of the trails follow the tracks of the locals’ way of life: to mountain pastures and high mountain pastures, the home of the delicious Bregenzerwald alpine cheese. The following describes 15 recommended tours for beginners, the advanced and professionals.

active summer

Mountain bike tour in the Kanisfluh area

34

mountain biking ountain bike tours for M the advanced 9: around the mittagsfluh Distance: 28.3 km Difference in altitude: 900 m Highest point: 1,440 m Starting point: Bizau

Mountain bike tour for professionals 15: diedamskopfneuhornbach haus Distance: 25 km Difference in altitude: 1,370 m Highest point: 2,020 m Starting point: Schoppernau

10: schetteregg-schreiberesattel Distance: 38.3 km Difference in altitude: 1,330 m Highest point: 1,526 m Starting point: Andelsbuch

Safety advice Mountain bike routes take you through terrain which requires a great deal of responsibility from the biker. Our recommendations for correct conduct in the mountains: 11: schönenbach-schreiberesattel • Responsible cycling at controlled speeds and at reduced visibility, Distance: 31.5 km especially in bends, since obstacles Difference in altitude: 1,200 m must be reckoned with at all times!

Highest point: 1,526 m • Hikers and pedestrians have right Starting point: Bezau of way. Considerate overtaking is done at a walking pace.

12: around the winterstaude • Agriculture and forestry have right Distance: 42.8 km of way on the usable paths. Please Difference in altitude: 1,050 m always close gates behind you and Highest point: 1,080 m respect any temporarily closed Starting point: Egg paths.

• Do not leave the planned, sign13: around the kanisfluh posted paths. This helps preserve Distance: 33.1 km natural and wild habitats (→ S. 11).

Difference in altitude: 1,200 m • Good planning of a tour takes into Highest point: 1,610 m consideration the degree of difStarting point: Mellau ficulty of the route and the cyclist’s ability. This also includes helmet, 14: damüls tour protective equipment and a techniDistance: 33.8 km cally perfect mountain bike.

Difference in altitude: 1,300 m Highest point: 1,800 m Starting point: Au

Tip: Mountain bike map of Bregenzerwald (1:50,000) with detailed descriptions of the 15 top tours.

Available from Bregenzerwald Tourismus, in the tourist information offices and in some sports shops.

Package deals on offer Make your selection from our package deals for mountain b ­ ikers.

See www.bregenzerwald.at/uk for package deals, which you can also book directly from the website.

mountain biking

family tips barrier free

Alpinschule Widderstein & Outdoorpoint Warth Christian Fritz T +43 (0)660 2149207 www.alpinschulewidderstein.com services Cycling technique training, obstacle course, individual ­mountain bike tours

active summer culture well-being

Mountain bike events: Diedams Challenge Planned for 7 August 2011 www.rlvb.at Lingenau Outdoor Trophy 13 August 2011 www.outdoortrophy.com 13th Doren 10-hour Bike Event Planned for 3 September 2011 www.svdoren.at

dining out

Outdoor Input for Life Lutz Schmelzinger T +43 (0)676 7837878 www.outdoorinput.com services Half or full-day tours from the gentle “sightseeing” category through to the demanding freeride tour, mountain bike adventure days with individual cycling technique training and realisation, GPS data material and rental of GPS equipment with tracks from the Bregenzer­wald.

Lion Events Michael Breuss T +43 (0)664 4035763 www.lion-events.at services Guided half and full-day tours, freeride and downhill tours, cycling technique training

hiking

Bike-Parcours Andelsbuch Andelsbuch Tourismus T +43 (0)5512 2565 www.tiscover.at/andelsbuch services On the mountain bike course at Gasthof Ritter, mountain bikers learn how to improve their technique. The course is suitable for both beginners and advanced cyclists.

Peter Steyrer T +43 (0)650 7811568 www.petersteyrer.at services Cycling technique training, individual tour planning for half and ­full-day tours (from 3 people), mountain bike rental.

land & lives

Cycling technique training and guided mountain bike tours Bregenzerwald mountain bike guide Georg Felder, Karlheinz Kaufmann, Veronika Kaufmann, Werner Geiger www.bikeguide-bregenzerwald.at services Tuesday and Friday (1 May to 31 October 2011): guided mountain bike and racing bike tours arranged in two proficiency levels (booking the evening before in the local tourist information office), cycling technique training

35

36

cycling

Mellau‘s Engevorsäß

Most of the villages in the ­Bregenzerwald are located on ­expansive valley floors, making them ideal terrain for journeys of discovery by bicycle. Rented bikes are available at various locations.

Tried and tested in several towns – and now also possible in the Bregenzer­wald: in Egg, Andelsbuch, Bezau, ­Mellau, Bizau, Schnepfau, Au and Schoppernau, there are rental points where you can easily rent a bike with basket for up to 24 hours.

You simply return the bike to any rental point you like.

rental points Egg (Impulszentrum), Andelsbuch (Cable car, village hall, Bersbuch Wälderbähnle station), Bezau (railway station, secondary school), ­Mellau (village hall), Bizau (church), ­Schnepfau (school), Au (village hall, Rehmen church), Schoppernau (village hall, valley station, Diedamskopf)­­­ Price: € 1 per hour € 5 for 24 hours information www.nextbike.at

Rohrmoostal cycle path The scenic cycle tour leaves the church in Sibratsgfäll in the direction of Rindberg. The road is car-free from the national ­border.

The tour takes you past the impressive Gottes­ackerwände as far as the nature reserve. The less fit amongst the cyclists can push their bicycles up the 800-metre slope. The next stage of the tour is flat, and takes you to the Aibele alp which is licensed (mid-June to mid-September). 2 km later, you pass the watershed between the North Sea and the Black Sea, and one kilometre on you arrive at the Rohrmoos plot.

Here, you can visit Germany’s oldest wooden church. The way back takes you along the same route, but with different views.

Cycling time is approx. 2 hours.

Apart from 1 km of gravel road to Café Alpenrose, all roads are ­tarmacked.

Total distance (one way): 13 km

active summer family tips barrier free culture

Krumbach cycle path From the direction of Langenegg, the cycle path commences from the ­Wolfbühl plot, and takes you across Salgenreuthe, Au and Halden into the centre of the village. From here, you can continue to Hittisau or ­Riefensberg.

Total distance (one way): 5 km

hiking

37 land & lives

Egg – Schoppernau cycle path From Egg, the Bregenzerwald cycle path takes you across the former railway line of the Bregenzerwald railway, as far as Andelsbuch reservoir, and continues through Bersbuch. From here, a cycle path runs parallel to the L 200 as far as the start of the village of ReutheBaien. Quiet side streets take you to Bezau. There, ­follow the cycle path along the L 200 as far as Mellau.

Then you need to cross the L 200.

In Mellau, the cycle path takes you through the village, to the Mellau cable cars, as far as Hirschau, where an underpass goes underneath the L 200. In Schnepfau, go over the bridge, arriving once again at the left bank of the Bregenzerache, where the most scenic cycle path section along the Bregenzerache as far as Au ­commences. The cycle path follows the Bregenzerache from the start of Au as far as Schoppernau.

Taking it easy, you need about 4 hours for the return journey.

Total distance (one way): approx. 30 km

cycling

dining out well-being

38

climbing

Aqua rope course, close to Andelsbuch-Bersbuch

Beginner or expert, young or not so young: the Bregenzerwald’s climbing and rope courses offer the perfect training grounds.

Au-Schnepfau climbing garden Degree of difficulty: 3 – 8 Lovely sun plateau, charming schratten­kalk ledge with several routes Schwarzenberg climbing garden Length/height: approx. 30 m Degree of difficulty: 3 – 7 Climbing is free of charge, at your own risk (route topos, ­equipment rental at Sport Fink T +43 (0)5512 2918) Schrofenwies climbing garden in Warth Length/height: 20 m Degree of difficulty: 4 – 8 31 secured routes, Children’s via ferrata, barbeque station Starting point: the car park ­Schrofenwies Lechleiten

Mindelheim via ferrata in Warth Degree of difficulty: medium Walking time: approx. 2½ hours to the start – from Warth-Lechleiten Difference in altitude: approx. 200 m Karhorn Warth via ferrata Length/height: 1,200 m Degree of difficulty: medium to ­difficult (B to D) Walking time: 2 – 4 hours Difference in altitude: 250 m Starting point/end: ascent with the Steffisalp cable car (walking time to the start, approx. 45 min) – ­Karhorn peak K1 climbing hall, Dornbirn 2,000 m2 indoor climbing area, 400 m2 boulder area, 600 m2 outdoor climbing area, climbing courses, taster courses, competitions, therapy programmes information www.k1-dornbirn.at

Schröcken adventure park For beginners and experts. Climbing adventure above water, in the forest, on rocks. 30 rope courses, 3 Flying Fox slides, Climbing at a height of 3 – 15 m, exciting team facilities. information Alpinschule Schröcken Josef Staggl T +43 (0)664 2525200 www.alpinschule-schroecken.at www.abenteuerpark.net

family tips barrier free culture dining out

Flying-Fox Warth On the Flying Fox slide (500 m long, 70 m high, 4 slides) which crosses the border between Vorarlberg and Tyrol, you glide down into the valley – wearing of course the correct safety equipment (helmet, harness, sling, pulley). information Alpinschule Widderstein & ­Outdoorpoint-Warth Christian Fritz T +43 (0)660 2149207 www.alpinschulewidderstein.com

active summer

Damüls forest rope course At a height of between 2 and 10 metres, ropes are stretched out between the trees and various obstacles erected: the idea is to overcome them. The highlight is the Flying Fox slide (approx. 200 m long). The course is suitable for all age groups, from the beginner through to the expert. ­Programmes can be compiled for small and large groups. information Thomas Schäfer T +43 (0)5510 322 www.das-seil.at

hiking

39 land & lives

Rope course The Aqua rope course close to Andelsbuch-Bersbuch is a national park in a picturesque location above the wild and romantic Bregenzer­ ache, flanked by rock faces. It has various via ferrate and high-rope elements. Five main tours of varying degrees of difficulty, 170 m to 750 m in length, 2 m to 30 m above the ground, 62 sections.

Open: June to September Sun, Wed, Fri 12 to 5 p.m., final admission at 2.30 p.m. no reservations required Car park: Gasthof Ritter AndelsbuchBersbuch Price: from 10 years of age: € 17, from 18 years of age: € 22 Equipment required: trainers Tours for groups (from 8 people): daily from May to October (registration at least 2 days in advance). ­During the “Canyon Park” tour, participants – dressed in neoprene – can go bathing, swimming and jump into the water from a height of between 2 m and 10 m. information Aktiv Zentrum Bregenzerwald Gerhard Feuerstein T +43 (0)664 5999698 www.aktiv-zentrum.at

climbing

well-being

40

outdoor specialists

Ascent to the Braunarlspitze

The Bregenzerwald outdoor specialists offer both the playful and the adventurous. They offer expert guided tours in the countryside.

Aktiv Zentrum Bregenzerwald Gerhard Feuerstein T +43 (0)664 5999698 www.aktiv-zentrum.at services Cave tours, Canyon Park, rope course, Adventure hikes.

Alpinschule Schröcken Josef Staggl T +43 (0)664 2525200 www.alpinschule-schroecken.at services • Climbing for children, introduction to via ferrate for the whole family • Adventure days for children, ­families and groups, wilderness camp for youths • Canyon tours, tours over several days • Schröcken adventure park • Guided hikes Alpinschule Widderstein & ­Outdoorpoint-Warth Christian Fritz T +43 (0)660 2149207 www.alpinschulewidderstein.com services • Canyoning, rafting in a Canadian canoe • White-water swimming, climbing courses, via ferrata tours • Alpine climbing tours, thematic hikes, adventure week • Flying Fox slide

outdoor specialists

41 land & lives hiking barrier free

HIGH 5 outdoor GmbH T +43 (0)5513 4140 www.outdoor.at services Bungee – 106 m, rafting, canoeing, canyoning, outdoor course

Holzschopf.com – Outdoor and more Jürgen Strolz T +43 (0)664 3801540 www.holzschopf.com services Canyoning tours for families, ­beginners and professionals alike; adventure days for children and youths, Group events for companies and clubs, weekend deals including outdoor programme and ­accommodation

family tips

outdoor input for life T +43 (0)676 7837878 www.outdoorinput.com services Canoe and (fun) kayak tours on ­Bregenzerache, guided cave tours in Schneckenlochhöhle, mountain bike tours

active summer

Water sports on the Bregenzerache

culture

ning, para­gliding and white-water kayaking. Between the start and the finishing line lie 62 km and a difference in altitude of 2,800 m.

Supporting programme: “outdoor night” party, family programme, base jumps from the helicopter, etc.

well-being

information www.outdoortrophy.com

dining out

Outdoor-Trophy – 13 August 2011 The Outdoor Trophy will be held for the 10th time in 2011. Olympic champions, world, European and national champions, professionals and amateurs all have one goal: to win the Outdoor ­Trophy. The Lingenau Outdoor ­Trophy is an extreme team competition in the disciplines mountain biking, mountain run-

2

1 3 4

5

8

9 7

11 10

12 6

13

14 15

16

16

17

18

20

19

For your orienatation – fishing grounds: Data subjet to change. Detailed maps and information about fishing groud boundaries are available from issuing offices.

42

fishing grounds

fishing grounds

well-being

information Fishing club Mittelbregenzerwald: www.bregenzerach.at Flyfishing Elmenreich: www.elmenreich.com Fishing Association for the State of Vorarlberg: www.fischereiverband-vbg.at­­­

dining out

7: rubach Season: 1 June to 15 September Ticket sales: village hall Sibratsgfäll T +43 (0)5513 2112

culture

6: subersach 2 Season: 1 May to 30 September Fishing club: Mittelbregenzerwald Ticket sales: Flyfishing ­Elmenreich, Egg, T +43 (0)664 4146482 Special features: exclusively fly-fishing

barrier free

2: rotach Season: 1 June to 30 September Fishing club: Doren T +43 (0)5516 2018 Ticket sales: village hall Doren

family tips

5: subersach 1 Season: 1 May to ­­­30 September ­­­Fishing club: ­Mittelbregenzerwald Ticket sales: Flyfishing ­Elmenreich, Egg, T +43 (0)664 4146482, village hall Egg, Lingenau, Hittisau and the inn Nussbaumer Sibratsgfäll Special features: fly-fishing: in the Sibratsgfäll section, blinkers with one hook without barb allowed.

active summer

1: bregenzerache from ­kennelbach to lingenau Season: 1 March to 15 September Fishing club: Bregenz Ticket sales: Tourist offices in ­Alberschwende, Doren, Krumbach, Langenegg, Lingenau, Riefensberg Special features: ban on live bait, triple hooks

4: bolgenach 2 (with reservoir) Season: 1 April to 30 September Fishing club: Hittisau T +43 (0)5513 620914 Ticket sales: village hall Hittisau Special features: only for guests from Hittisau

hiking

3: weissach 2 Season: 1 March to 15 September Fishing club: Bregenz Ticket sales: Tourist offices Alberschwende, Doren, Krumbach, Langenegg, Lingenau, Riefensberg Special features: Ban on live bait, triple hooks

land & lives

The Bregenzerwald’s rivers, streams and lakes are ideal fishing grounds.

Fly-fishermen also discover lovely fishing grounds. The waters in the Bregenzerwald are classified as the trout region. The main fish here is the brown trout, although the odd rainbow trout and grayling can also be found. Day tickets are available for all the listed fishing grounds: ­prices range between approx. € 15 and € 35. Precise information about fishing limits, minimum fish lengths, fishing ground boundaries, etc. is available from the appropriate issuing offices.

43

44

fishing grounds

Fly-fishing in Schönenbach

8: bregenzerache in egg Season: 1 May to 31 August Managed by: fishing club Egg Ticket sales: village hall Egg, T +43 (0)5512 2216 Special features: exclusively fly-fishing only for guests from Egg 9: bregenzerache from andelsbuch to bezau Season: 1 May to 30 September Fishing club: ­Mittelbregenzerwald Ticket sales: Flyfishing ­Elmenreich, Egg, T +43 (0)664 4146482 Special features: exclusively fly-fishing 10: bezegg stausee andelsbuch Season: 1 June to 30 September Managed by: T +43 (0)5512 2565 Ticket sales: tourist office Andelsbuch Special features: ticket sales only with fishing permit, ban on live bait

11: trout pond at the bregenzerache Season: 1 May – 30 September daily from 12 noon, Sundays from 11 a.m.

Managed by: Family Felder T +43 (0)664 9551652 At the Felder family in Bersbuch, right next to Bregenzerache, families discover a small idyll for p­­assing the time, a beer garden and the chance to bathe in natural water. Fresh trout, smoked trout or trout fried in butter served with home-made potato salad are the specialities offered here.

12: bregenzerache in bezau/­reuthe Season: 1 May to 30 September Managed by: fishing club Bezau/ Reuthe Ticket sales: tourist office Bezau Special features: only for guests and locals from Bezau/Reuthe and Mellau

barrier free culture dining out

17: krumbach with bregetzbach and argenbach in damüls Season: 16 June to 30 September Managed by: village hall Damüls, Hotel Adler, Damüls, T +43 (0)5510 6210 Ticket sales: village hall Damüls Special features: sold only with guest card/Bregenzerwald Guest Card

20: seebachsee – dorfsee warth Season: end June to late September Fishing club: village Warth T +43 (0)5583 3515 Ticket sales: tourist office Warth Special features: day ticket, fishing permit

family tips

16: bregenzerache/argenbach in au Season: early May to mid September Fishing club: Au, T +43 (0)5515 2288 Ticket sales: tourist office Au, fish pond Au, Hotel Krone in Au

19: bregenzerache in schröcken Season: May to October Managed by: Fischerei ­Interessenschaft (fishing club) Ticket sales: tourist office ­Schröcken, T +43 (0)5519 2670 Special features: day ticket, fishing permit

active summer

15: bregenzerache in schnepfau Season: April to September Fishing supervisor: Hubert Rüscher T +43 (0)5518 2136 Ticket sales: as agreed with the ­fishing supervisor

18: bregenzerache in schoppernau Season: 15 June to 15 September Fishing club: Schoppernau T +43 (0)5515 2495 Ticket sales: tourist office ­Schoppernau

hiking

14: bregenzerache in mellau Season: 1 May to 30 September Fishing supervisor: Bertram Haller T +43 (0)5518 2875 Ticket sales: tourist office Mellau

45 land & lives

13: bizauer bach Season: 1 May to 30 September Managed by: fishing club Bezau/ Reuthe Ticket sales: tourist office Bizau, T +43 (0)5514 2129 Special features: only guests in Bizau from 3 nights’accommodation

fishing grounds

well-being

46

paragliding

Pleasant thermal conditions enable great flying experiences

The Bregenzerwald flying area (­Niedere close to Bezau-Andelsbuch and Diedamskopf close to Au-­ Schoppernau) is well-known for its laminar upwind and its pleasant thermal conditions.

Ever since paragliding started, ­Bregenzerwald flying school has been training pilots in the perfect terrain for it. The high-altitude sites in Andelsbuch, Bezau and on Diedamskopf present a multitude of opportunities, launching sites in practically any direction, a fantastic view of Bregenzerwald, its mountains, and the region of Lake Constance.

services Training, further training, sale, consultancy, checks Tandem passenger flight with the Bregenzerwald Guest Card: € 90 Tandem passenger flight: € 100 Thermal currents passenger flight: € 125 Sunset passenger flight: € 150 Taster course: from € 90 information Flugschule Bregenzerwald Jodok Moosbrugger T +43 (0)5514 3177 T +43 (0)664 5127765 (tandem flight reservation) www.gleitschirmschule.at

bregenzerwald golf park

47 land & lives hiking dining out well-being

information Golfpark Bregenzerwald and Golfschule ­Bregenzerwald T +43 (0)5513 8400-0 www.golf-bregenzerwald.com

culture

Bregenzerwald Golfing School Learn how to play golf with head pro Walter Partel. The motto according to the latest teaching and learning methodology is: “The simple way to learn golf”. Includes important tips on driving, strategy, tactics and mental training. The golfing permit is also recognised in Germany and Switzerland.

barrier free

The undulating landscape and the numerous little inlets to the Weißach have been perfectly integrated into the game. Artificial lakes and selectively positioned bunkers complement the natural obstacles.

Along with the slopes and slants, the corridors and the impressive view, they make golfing in this park into an experience which never fails to leave a lasting impression.

Discount green fee The “Unlimited golfing fun” green fee entitles the holder to a discount of up to 30%, and applies to two 18-hole courses: the Bregenzerwald Golf Park in Riefensberg and the Oberstaufen-Steibis Golf Club. The green fee is available at the founder and partner hotels of the two golf courses. Guests of the golf partner hotels also benefit from discounted green fees at five other golf courses in Vorarlberg.

family tips

The internationally renowned ­architect Kurt Rossknecht designed the first 18-hole golf course in ­Vorarlberg in its time between Riefensberg and ­Sulzberg: not only that – it is one of the loveliest golf courses, nestled as it is in the country­side.

active summer

Bregenzerwald Golf Park in Riefensberg-Sulzberg

48

indoor & outdoor tennis courts

Indoor tennis court in Mellau

With its indoor and outdoor tennis courts, Mellau has been THE tennis centre in the Bregenzerwald for years. The Hotel Post in Bezau also houses an indoor tennis court and clay courts. The impressive wooden construction is one of the loveliest indoor tennis courts in Austria.

Tennis-Center Mellau 4 indoor courts with granulated surfaces 3 training channels with automatic ball collection 3 outdoor clay courts Tennis courses information Tennis-Center Mellau Aktivhotel Kanisfluh T +43 (0)5518 2256 www.aktivhotel-kanisfluh.at Tennis in Hotel Post Bezau 2 indoor courts 2 roof-top courts 2 clay courts Free play, individual, group and team training according to the TULOT method, tennis package deals information Hotel Post Bezau T +43 (0)5514 2207-0 www.hotelpostbezau.com

49 land & lives hiking active summer barrier free

Climbing, discovering gorges and caves, learning more about herbs, visiting the cows on the farms, riding the “Wälderbähnle” – there is any amount of things for families and kids to do! Heart-felt supervision included.

family tips

family tips

culture dining out well-being

50

rambling with the pram

Herb garden in Holdamoos, close to Au

Au-Schoppernau – in the fragrant herb garden The Holdamoos natural experience illustrates 400 years of alp history.

A “Vorsäßhütte” – a mountain pasture hut – dating back 400 years and still in its original condition, a suspension bridge, a small lake, a Kneipp ­facility and a herb garden boasting over 150 different herbs lie in the middle of the cultivated, natural landscape. This is a gentle ramble on wide paths along the Bregenzerache and through the ­settled region of Au.

starting point Au-tourist office destination Au-tourist office itinerary Au-Argenau (tourist office, 810 m) – Rehmen – direction to Schoppernau via Halde to Holdamoos (890 m) – Lebernau – Lugen – Au centre of town chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Au rest & play Hazelnut spot, small lake, BBQ ­station, paddling basin, herb garden, old mountain pasture hut

Difference in altitude: 90 m Trail category: yellow-white Total hiking time: 2½ hours Detailed directions are available from the tourist office.

rambling with the pram

51 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting point Bizau-centre of town destination Bizau-centre of town itinerary Bizau-centre of town (681 m) – ­ Oberdorf – Brandegg – ­Wetzsteinhöhle – Moosrundweg – centre of town chances to stop off for a drink/food inns in Bizau rest & play game reserve, Wetzsteinhöhle (cave)

family tips

Bizau – circular ramble including game feeding The ramble takes you to the Brandegg plot, where you can feed bread to the fallow deer. On a three-minute detour, you arrive at the Wetzsteinhöhle (the cave is not accessible with the pram).

active summer

Bizau circular ramble

culture dining out well-being

Difference in altitude: 20 m Trail category: yellow-white Total hiking time: 1½ hours

52

rambling with the pram

Adventure playground next to Almhotel Hochhäderich

Hittisau-Riefensberg – cross-border circular ramble on Hochhäderich This gentle ramble takes you along a wide, secure path right through the Kojental nature reserve, a natural upland moor. The alpine adventure path offers some variety: waterdrawing, barefoot trail, footbridge across the upland moor, information plaque on the “Smugglers’ Trail”.

From the Alpstüble Moos, you can take a 3-minute detour to the “Stony Gate” natural monument.

starting point Car park at Almhotel Hochhäderich destination Car park at Almhotel Hochhäderich itinerary Almhotel car park – towards Hochwiesalpe – alpine adventure trail – Alpe Moos – Alpe Kojen – Almhotel car park chances to stop off for a drink/food Moosstüble Riefensberg, Almhotel Hochhäderich rest & play Adventure playground at Almhotel Hochhäderich, alpine adventure trail with barefoot path, water drawing station and other varied stations and information plaques, playground at Alpstüble Moos

Difference in altitude: 40 m Trail category: yellow-white and white-red-white Total hiking time: 2 hours Detailed directions are available from Almhotel Hochhäderich.

rambling with the pram

53 land & lives hiking barrier free culture

starting point Mellau-centre of town destination Mellau-centre of town itinerary Mellau-centre of town (688 m) – Unterrain – Bengath – Buchen ­pasture – Bengath – Unterrain – ­Mellau village centre chances to stop off for a drink/food Buchen goat pasture rest & play Hüslarbündt playground, ­swimming pool, bathing in the Mellenbach, visiting the goats and cows on Buchen pasture

family tips

Mellau – hike to the goat pasture This hike along the Mellenbach stream takes you to Buchen goat pasture, home to around 150 goats, 20 cows and a few alpine pigs during the summer. The Mellau village circular path takes you first of all along the Mellenbach. In front of the new fire station, you turn to the left, and walk through the Unterrain and Bengath plots. Cross Bengath bridge, and you will be on the agricultural path which meanders along the Mellenbach through Mellental. Once you have arrived at Buchen goat pasture, you can still your hunger and quench your thirst over a substantial alpine snack accompanied by a glass of milk.

active summer

On the goat pasture

dining out well-being

Difference in altitude: 172 m Trail category: yellow-white Total hiking time: 1 hour

54

rambling with the pram

Kalbelesee, close to Schröcken

Schröcken – from lake to lake The two lakes on the Hochtannberg mountain are your guide on this ramble. The Batzenalpe is a licensed alpine pasture. Here, in the alp museum, you discover what life in earlier times was like. From the Hochtannberg pass, an extended, wide path takes you to the Körbersee, which lies at approximately the same altitude as the Hochtannberg pass. From there, a wide agricultural path takes you downwards across the Batzenalpe to Schröcken.

starting point Schröcken-Hochtannbergpass destination Schröcken centre of town itinerary Hochtannbergpass (1,675 m) – ­Kalbelesee – Körbersee (1,670 m) – Batzenalpe – Schröcken centre of town (1,250 m) chances to stop off for a drink/food Hotel Körbersee, Batzenalpe (during the alp season from mid/late June to mid September), inns in Schröcken rest & play Short trip in a rowing boat on the Körbersee, brooks, Batzenalpe

Difference in altitude: 450 m Trail category: yellow-white Total hiking time: 2 hours Opening times Alpmuseum T +43 (0)5519 2670

kids’ programme

55 land & lives hiking culture dining out well-being

Experience cattle grazing On the Grunholz cattle pasture, children can watch how the farmer milks

Pony riding Once you have become acquainted with and groomed the ponies, we go to the riding ground, where various games with and on your pony await.

The children are led on ponies and may also lead a pony themselves.

Place: Sulzberg Date: 13 July until 18 August every Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Duration: approx. 1½ hours Price per child: € 5 information & booking Barbara Baldauf T +43 (0)664 6327820

barrier free

Hut magic and magic herbs The children listen to stories about the very old mountain pasture hut and, in the herb garden, find out which herbs (medicinal plants) can soothe a bee sting, which can make you strong as an ox, and which ones are delicious on bread. Then you cross the fun wobbly bridge to the mysterious hazelnut spot.

Place: Au-Schoppernau Meeting point: church in Au-­Rehmen Date: 21 July to 25 August every ­Thursday at 9.30 a.m.

Duration: approx. 2 hours Price per child: free of charge with the Bregenzerwald Guest Card information & registration Au-Schoppernau Tourismus T +43 (0)5515 2288 www.au-schoppernau.at

and feeds his cows. They can try out the fresh, “cow-temperature” milk straight away.

Place: Au-Schoppernau Meeting point: tourist office Au Date: 5 July to 23 August every Tuesday at 6.15 p.m.

Duration: approx. 1.5 hours Price per child: free of charge with the Bregenzerwald Guest Card information Au-Schoppernau Tourismus T +43 (0)5515 2288 www.au-schoppernau.at

family tips

Variety and playful enjoyment are on offer in the form of the supervised programmes held in several villages.

There is a great deal of interesting information out there to learn and discover.

active summer

Watching the farmer at work

56

kids’ programme

Adventure Day in Schröcken

Adventure Day A day full of sights and sounds: abseil training, the Flying Fox slide, barbequing, etc.

Places: Au-Schoppernau and WarthSchröcken Available: 6 July to 7 September every Wednesday Includes: supervised adventure day (7 hours) for children between 7 and 15 years of age Meeting point: 8.30 a.m. at the tourist office in Au, 8.45 a.m. at the tourist office in Schoppenau, 9 a.m. at the tourist office in Schröcken and Warth Return: approx. 4 p.m.

Price per child: € 19, including equipment, barbeque sausages and transfer for guest children from AuSchoppernau and Warth-Schröcken, € 30 for children from other places Equipment required: rucksack, full water bottle, climbing boots, rainwear registration by 12 noon on Tuesday (in the tourist offices) Warth, T +43 (0)5583 35150, Schröcken, T +43 (0)5519 2670, Au, T +43 (0)5515 2288, Schoppernau, T +43 (0)5515 2495 www.au-schoppernau.at and www.warth-schroecken.at

The Bunny Club, Damüls Depending on the weather: forest rope course, Indian camp, creative afternoon or short trips. Supervised kids’ programme – including for the parents.

Place: Damüls Meeting point: Damüls tourist office Date: 11 July to 26 August Mon – Fri 1 to 5 p.m.

Price per child: free information Damüls Tourismus T +43 (0)5510 6200 www.damuels.at Treasure hunting by GPS Armed with the coordinates of the treasures, GPS devices guide you to unique places in Bregenzerwald.

From the rental through to the guided treasure hunt, each and every trip is an exciting experience for young and old. Naturally, there is also any amount of official caches scattered throughout Bregenzerwald to keep geocachers busy!

Place: Schnepfau Meeting point: Outdoor input, ­Schnepfau Date: 15 May to 15 October

kids’ programme

hiking active summer family tips barrier free culture dining out well-being

­ xcursion! ­Minimum age: 10. e Place: Bezau-Schönenbach Date: according to registration, min. number of participants: 5.

Includes: guided tour, approx.

6 hours, including ramble to the cave, approx. 1¼ hour (difference in altitude: 250 m), approx. 2 hours in the cave. Participants must be fit and sure-footed during the walk there and during the tour of the cave.

Outdoor programme for kids Price per child: € 38 including caving in Warth-Schröcken equipment Canyoning for kids and teens – an Price per adults: € 50 including adventure programme for the whole family. Start the tour by jumping into caving equipment, Family tickets: € 150 including caving equipment the crystal-clear water! information & registration Date: every Tuesday and Thursday Aktiv Zentrum Bregenzerwald (June to September 2011) T +43 (0)664 5999698 Price per person „Kids“: € 20 www.aktiv-zentrum.at Price per person „Teens“: € 30 Indiana Jones Tour: to start, we use Climbing for children a bit of voodoo magic to get up our Josef teaches children their first courage and ensure that we banish any fear of heights. On the Flying Fox ­climbing moves, several knots and how to abseil down the rock face. above the deep gorge, then quietly Place: Au-Schoppernau and peacefully on mysterious paths through the forest, past the house of Meeting point: 9.15 a.m. at the tourist the miners to the old cave of Empress office in Schoppernau and 9.30 a.m. at the tourist office in Au Sissi…

Date: 4 July to 5 September, every Date: every Friday and Sunday (June Monday from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to September 2011) Programme: supervised climbing Price per person: € 15 (3 ½ hours) Minimum age: 6. information & registration Price: € 10 for guest children from the day before: Holzschopf.com – ­Au-Schoppernau. € 22 for children ­Outdoor and more from other places. Included in the T +43 (0)664 3801540 price are rented climbing equipment, www.holzschopf.com and a knotted rope for the children to take home with them.

Through the Schneckenloch cave Equipment required: climbing boots This programme is even fun on or trainers with treaded sole, full bad-weather days. Gerhard takes water bottle, snack you to explore the largest cave in information & registration ­Vorarlberg, the Schneckenloch natuthe day before until 9 p.m.: ral ­monument. Rambling inside the Alpinschule Schröcken mountains, the cave explorers climb T +43 (0)5519 271 and crawl through ­breath-taking www. au-schoppernau.at ­tunnels and halls. An exciting

land & lives

Programme: guided GPS treasure hunt including rented GPS ­equipment Price per person: from € 19 information & registration the day before: Outdoor input, Lutz Schmelzinger T +43 (0)676 7837820 www.outdoorinput.com

57

58

kids’ programme

Out and about in the mountains with kids

Didi’s children’s adventure land The mountain station of the ­Diedams­kopf cable car boasts a supervised children’s adventure land with a surface area of 300 m2.

Opening times: 10 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. every Fri, Sat, Sun; daily from 9 July to 11 September when the cable car is operating, for children between 3 and 8 years of age. There is a parent-child area for children up to 3 years of age.

Price per child: € 1.50/h, free for guest children from Au-Schoppernau. information Bergbahnen Diedamskopf T +43 (0)5515 4110-0 www.diedamskopf.at Children-Climbing and crossing a gorge Guide Hans and the children take the Mellau cable car to Roßstelle, where a programme involving crossing a gorge and climbing awaits the kids.

Meeting point: Mellau cable car valley station Date: 4 July to 12 September, every Monday at 1 p.m.

Programme: supervised climbing and crossing a gorge (approx.

3½ hours) for children from 5 years of age

On bad-weather days: climbing in the mountain rescue hall, meeting point: Mellau tourist information office Price per child: € 3 plus ticket for the cable car information & booking by 10 a.m. on Monday in Mellau ­tourist information office T +43 (0)5518 2203 www.mellau.at Adventure morning for children in the Women’s Museum Pedagogically sound, informative and, above all entertaining: the kids’ afternoons in the Women’s Museum in Hittisau. The children’s programme deals with the theme of this summer’s exhibition: “CELEBRATIONS. STRUGGLES. 100 years of Women’s Day”.

Place: Women’s Museum in Hittisau Date: mid-July to mid-September, every Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m.

Programme: 2-hour creative ­programme with supervision Price per child: € 4 information & booking Hittisau Tourismus T +43 (0)5513 6209-50 www.frauenmuseum.at

day trip tips – bregenzerwald

59 land & lives hiking culture dining out

information & booking Verein Bregenzerwaldbahn T +43 (0)664 4662330 www.waelderbaehnle.at

information T +43 (0)5572 25079 www.hirschberg.at

barrier free

The „Wälderbähnle“ The “Wälderbähnle” is a ­carefully maintained nostalgic railway which runs between Andelsbuch-Bersbuch and Bezau. The railway, pulled by ­historical diesel or steam engines, runs on weekends between 28 May and 9 ­October, and also on Thursdays between 28 July and 1 September. Please see the website for special trips and journeys to witness the bringing down of the cattle.

Departure: 10.45 a.m., 1.45 p.m. and 3.45 p.m. from Bezau.

Journey time: return trip: approx. 1 hour

Summer toboggan run in Bizau Take the chair lift up, and the ­summer toboggan run back down into the ­valley. The summer ­toboggan run is 1,850 m long and has 80 bends. Only open on dry days, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

(May to October).

family tips

Popular day trips for the whole family include the lovingly restored ­“Wälderbähnle” and the nippy ­summer toboggan run in Bizau.

active summer

The Wälderbähnle on its way from Andelsbuch-Bersbuch to Bezau

well-being

60

day trip tips – around lake constance From Vorarlberg, it doesn’t take you long to reach the loveliest day trip destinations for the family in the neighbouring area where three ­countries meet.

Vorarlberg inatura – nature show in Dornbirn With Science Centre: touch, crawl in, try out, play and experiment. information T +43 (0)5572 23235-0 www.inatura.at Boat trip on Lake Constance, Bregenz Sightseeing tours and scheduled trips to numerous destinations on Lake Constance. information T +43 (0)5574 42868 www.bodenseeschifffahrt.at Schattenburg in Feldkirch The medieval castle depicts life during the age of chivalry. information T +43 (0)5522 71982 www.schattenburg.at Toy Museum in Wolfurt The loveliest toys from Granny and Grandpa’s time are lovingly ­presented here. information T +43 (0)650 5000681 www.spielzeugmuseum-wolfurt.at

Around Lake Constance Minimundus in Meckenbeuren (Germany) The small world of great attractions. information T +49 (0)7542 9466-0 www.minimundus-bodensee.de Lake dwelling museum in ­Unteruhldingen (Germany) The reproduced village on stilts depicts daily life during the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. information T +49 (0)7556 92890-0 www.pfahlbauten.de Ravensburg theme park in Meckenbeuren (Germany) The world’s biggest playroom! information T +49 (0)7542 400-0 www.spieleland.com Legoland in Günzburg (Germany) Built from 50 million Lego bricks. information T +49 (0)180 5700 75701 www.legoland.de Zeppelin Museum in Friedrichshafen (Germany) The history and technology of ­airships. information T +49 (0)7541 3801-0 www.zeppelin-museum.de Conny-Land amusement park in Lipperswil (Switzerland) Dolphinaria with sea lions and ­dolphins, petting zoo, pirate ship. information T +41 (0)52 7627272 www.connyland.ch

61 land & lives hiking active summer barrier free

There is a host of things to do in the Bregenzerwald for people with special needs: barrier-free rambling paths and a cable car plus the transfer and care 足service offered by Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg.

family tips

barrier free

culture dining out well-being

62

barrier-free rambling

Dörnlesee in Lingenau

Between the village square and the swimming pool: wellness in Lingenau Lingenau is located in the gently undulating countryside of the Vorderwald. The hospitable village has won the Vorarlberg Horticultural Competition several times, and has received awards for being a community whose buildings are suitable for the disabled. Lingenau is also well-known for its barrierfree swimming pool with adjacent hotel. It also offers various wellness treatments: from massages through to physiotherapy.

starting & finishing point Lingenau village square (car park) Variant: Vitalhotel Quellengarten (car park) itinerary Lingenau village square (685 m) – Gschwend – St. Annakapelle (669 m) – Vitalhotel Quellen­ garten – Dörnlesee – village square; ­signposted as a yellow-white rambling path barrier-free refreshments & wc Hotel Löwen, Gasthaus Traube, ­Vitalhotel Quellengarten swimming pool Vitalhotel Quellengarten, Lingenau T +43 (0)5513 6461-0 www.bregenzerwaldhotels.at

Distance: 3 km Condition of the path: pavements and roads with little difference in height, all tarmacked

barrier-free rambling

63 land & lives hiking barrier free

starting & finishing point Mellau cable cars, car park itinerary Mellau cable cars (705 m) – Engevorsäß (705 m) – Ach bridge towards Hirschau – Schnepfau (734 m, car park) – return via the same way; signposted for the most part as cycle and hiking paths barrier-free refreshments Mellau cable cars, Waldrast kiosk, with tables outside barrier-free wc Schnepfau village hall (on workdays)

family tips

At the foot of the Kanisfluh – from Mellau to Schnepfau The Kanisfluh could easily give rise to the argument whether this, the Bregenzerwald’s most striking mountain, is more impressive on the curved southern side of Au or on the northern face between Mellau and Schnepfau. On our route, the rocks of the northern face tower up to 1,300 meters above the bottom of the valley. If you take a really close look, you can detect a mosaic of completely different natural habitats.

active summer

View of the Kanisfluh, close to Au

culture dining out well-being

Distance: 10.4 km Condition of the path: tarmacked throughout, more or less level for the most part, with differences in height at stream crossings

64

barrier-free viewing experience

Taking Bezau cable car for a wonderful view

Viewing experience on the mountain Two mountains are freely accessible by disabled guests by cable car: the ­Diedamskopf near Au-Schoppernau is one of the loveliest penoramic mountains in Bregenzerwald. Two disabled parking spaces are available right at the valley station. The entrance to and exit from the cable car with the wide 8-seater gondola lift is easily accessible by lift. The restaurant in the mountain station and the sun terrace are also accessible by lift, and the WCs provide barrier-free access. information Bergbahnen Diedamskopf, ­Schoppernau, T +43 (0)5515 4110-0 www.diedamskopf.at A new, modern cable car leaves Bezau to Sonderdach and the Baumgarten mountain station, where a panorama restaurant with terrace has been established during the building of the cable car. All entrances to the cable car and the restaurant are barrier-free. information Seilbahn Bezau, T +43 (0)5514 2254 ­­­www.seilbahn-bezau.at

Professional accompaniment for people with disabilities Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg has a branch in Bezau. The team offers transfer services. It also accompanies and looks after disabled guests of any age. services • Professional care on an hourly basis by trained employees, Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

• Pick-up and drop-off ­service in a vehicle suitable for wheelchairs Price per hour: € 8.50 including lunch, snack, drinks. Excludes transfers. information & reservations Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg, Werkstätte Bezau T +43 (0)5514 4124 www.lebenshilfe-vorarlberg.at Barrier-free establishments in the Bregenzerwald are listed in the Bregenzerwald hotel ­directory, available from Bregenzer­wald Tourismus.

65 land & lives hiking active summer barrier free

Traditional, classic, modern. Music, the theatre, exhibitions – for a rural region, the events calendar is anything but provincial! The locations are atmospheric, and pleasantly informal. The surrounding countryside gets in on the act.

family tips

culture

culture dining out well-being

66

architecture

Contemporary architecture

If a ranking of the most ­significant architectural regions in the world were to be drawn up today, ­Vorarlberg would, without a doubt, be in the top ten. However, this doesn’t just mean the significance of the individual constructions, but also their number and density.

This phenomenon is ­comparatively new. Whilst it is true that V ­ orarlberg’s baroque master builders are a fixed feature in specialist literature ­whenever the Vorarlberg school of architecture or architects are mentioned, they mean the generation born since 1950 which has been influencing the architecture here for about the past 30 years. Without counting the handful of pioneers that preceded them, this amounts to over 60 ­people: considering the 370,000 inhabitants, this is an amazing number. Such a ratio is only possible in a region where architecture is appreciated, where one in four houses is designed by architects.

From construction artists to architects However, this is the result, rather than the explanation, of a develop-ment.

“Construction artists” is what the players called themselves at the start since, in the face of a ­vehement conflict with the “establishment” of the building industry and chamber, the title “architect” was refused. According to one of the pioneers, public appearances, the joining of forces and dialogue were important right from the start. The ideal founded in terms of social p ­ olicy – social, affordable, sustainable, regional – promoted the solidarity of a generation that was searching for new life forms and other ways of cultural expression, that was resisting the sell-out of their land, and that found expression in building.

The new type of architecture started off in residential buildings – by way of examining already existing buildings or as a new structure, often for residential groups – and grew into a clear sign of the cultural restoration which soon extended to the economic elite and the public sector. However, as important as this environment was, there are always people who take responsibility, and Eberle, Gnaiger,

architecture

family tips barrier free culture dining out well-being

Tip: Buildings worth visiting museums Angelika Kauffmann Museum, Schwarzenberg; Juppenwerkstatt, Riefensberg; Women’s Museum, Hittisau; Franz Michel Felder Museum, Schoppernau. inns and hotels Gasthof Adler, Schwarzenberg; Hotel Krone, ­Hittisau; Hotel Gams, Bezau; Hotel Post, Bezau; Hotel Sonne and Metzgerstüble, Mellau; Hotel ­Steffisalp, Warth. schools & kindergarten Doren; Egg; Warth. commercial buildings Molke Metzler, Egg; Wood ­workshop Faißt, Hittisau; Cheese cellar, Lingenau. municipal buildings Village halls in Sulzberg, ­Langenegg, Andelsbuch, Bizau. churches Alpe Niedere chapel, Andelsbuch

active summer

Worth a visit It is hard to list remarkable buildings, since many of them are ­private residential buildings which are not accessible. However, a walk through ­Hittisau or Schwarzenberg for ­example, can satisfy your curiosity. The village of Bizau is p ­ articularly suitable for such a walk: it boasts residential buildings from all epochs, estates, buildings for industrial, ­educational and local authority ­purposes, as well as inns: together, they form an ensemble which was awarded the ArGeAlp prize.

hiking

Landscape and wooden buildings Located somewhat off the beaten track, the Bregenzerwald was part of this development, although in a way of its own. In contrast to the densely populated, industrial and commercial Rhine Valley with its mainly suburban structure, landscape, nature and rural craftsmanship culture is of great importance in the ­Bregenzerwald. Outside of the Bregenzerwald, groups of houses and farms dominate, whereas inside the ­Bregenzerwald it is the single-ridge house (farmers’ ­palace and parlour → page 72); outside of the ­Bregenzerwald it is households which commission the building, whereas inside the ­Bregenzerwald it is the young craftsmen. The ­Bregenzerwälder have a greater ­affinity for craftsmanship in general (werkraum → page 68): for example, it is in the carpentry trade that the Kaufmann family of architects has its roots. While, following the initial years, the formal experiment is in demand outside, the tendency towards stringency and sobriety increases inside. Rural pragmatism and the discipline of construction with timber, which is now state-of-theart, appears to be more effective here.

Recently, examining the old buildings is also gaining in importance. Above all, however, the new buildings fit in with the surrounding landscape with regard to material, size and proportion. Is it this attitude that shies at the eccentric and that searches for the typical rather than the unique which guarantees this way of building a wide basis? In any case, good carpentry firms now build residential build-

ings which architects in other places wouldn’t be capable of building: it is these houses which graze casually in the field like the ­cattle which are as typical of the region as the farmhouses and the churches.

land & lives

Dietrich, Kaufmann and Ritsch have long since become international stars with chairs at renowned universities.

67

68

werkraum bregenzerwald

werkraum depot in Schwarzenberg

A festival week with an exhibition of artistic innovations, architectural delights, culinary offers, international guests – for the past decade, life in the Bregenzerwald has been richer by a major attraction. Every three years, the werkraum invites people to “­Handwerk + Form”(next held in 2012). All this arises voluntarily: the efforts put in by the countless team ­members clearly increase, to culminate in the presentation of prizes (the actual reason behind the whole thing) at a major party lasting a week and featuring an exhibition. Each year the event attracts more and more visitors from near and far.

Game and competition This is how the werkraum displays its mission: as part of a community, by means of teamwork, it accomplishes that which far extends beyond the strengths of its individual members.

And it encourages competition, challenges entrants to perform their very best. Objects created in the members’ workshops according to their own design or in conjunction with external designers are judged. The close relationship with the architects (→ page 66) is allowed to develop.

Furniture, clothing, components – they must have a practical use, be proof of the highest level of craftsmanship and exemplary design.

Construction of the Werkraum building in Andelsbuch The first cut of the spade for the Werkraum building is planned for spring 2011: the Werkraum building has been planned by famous Swiss architect Peter Zumthor and is being built along with craftsmen from Bregenzerwald. Completion is expected in autumn 2012. The building will offer everything needed by craftsmen in Bregenzerwald: opportunities to hold exhibitions and to display information, space for administration and training, lectures and events as well as spaces for social interaction. www.werkraum.at

active summer family tips barrier free culture dining out well-being

werkraum depot The werkraum depot is the ­communal Exhibition and information platform for furniture and objects from the Bregenzerwald. opening times Thu 5 – 7.30 p.m. During the Schubertiade (June, August, September): daily from 5 to 7.30 p.m. and following prior appointment by telephone. Guided tours for groups upon appointment. information & booking Werkraum office, T +43 (0)5512 26386 www.werkraum.at

cultivated to their most exquisite form, small batches in the field of furniture ­construction open up new markets, the pre-production of construction ­elements in the field of hotel construction, for example, is making progress. The latest manufacturing technologies such as CAM and CNC have been introduced, the finish of coatings is expanded, for example: ­craftsmanship meets ­omnipresent engineering. Hence, it comes as no surprise that you can find ­kitchens from ­Hittisau in Athens, that the furnishings of a hall of residence in Massachusetts come from Schwarzenberg or that, in 2008, a ­living unit from Reuthe was visible on the roof of the MoMa in New York.

Public relations work, advertising, marketing – the werkraum provides all those advantages which industry has over trade. Yet without a huge budget: instead, it has capital typical to craftsmen – brains and ability, a network, links. And so an interested public in Vienna, Munich and Paris have seen exhibitions put on by the werkraum, for example. The werkraum is also a regular subject in the specialist press, and has been described as the “landscape of knowledge”.

Yet that is not all: the werkraum has always been involved at a local level, such as in training, in schools, in ­specific construction projects, in dealing with historical building stock. It is a contribution towards the structural change of the region, and an example of social competence.

Despite its international reputation, over 75% of all objects are still sold to clients in Vorarlberg, most of whom even live in the valley. And so these trades make an important contribution towards the prosperity of the valley community.

hiking

Qualities of craftsmanship Work on the spot, reaction to special cases, direct commissioning, closeness to customers and flexibility are quality standards of this craftsmanship, specialised skills and a creative instinct are needed, acquired in a highly developed culture of craftsmanship and naturally handed down to the next generation. This store of knowledge and skills is maintained and continually extended: raw materials – such as the silver fir – are

69 land & lives

Since its establishment in 1999, the competition has been the core of the registered society. Almost 100 firms are members, mainly involved in wood processing, such as joiners and carpenters, but there is also a handful of locksmiths, stonemasons, bricklayers, fitters, electricians, painters, upholsterers, textile processors and cobblers through to the exotic such as coppers and wood carvers.

Most of the firms have up to around five employees, some of them are one-man workshops, and only a few have double-digit employees.

werkraum bregenzerwald

70

journeys to architecture and the culture of wood

In Andelsbuch power station

There are various ways and means for discovering the peculiarities of the Bregenzerwald’s architectural and wooden culture – either under your own steam, or on a guided tour.

Art Nouveau power station During the era of the AustroHungarian monarchy, Andelsbuch power station, opened in 1908, was one of the biggest, most modern power stations of its time. Although Andelsbuch power station has been continuously renewed, renovated and extended over the decades, it still maintains its unique character.

Place: Andelsbuch Meeting point: 10 a.m. at the power station Date: every Thursday (except bank holidays) between May and September Programme: guided tour Price: free Registration: not necessary information www.andelsbuch.at

Architecture in Sulzberg Sulzberg and the part of the ­village known as Thal to the north of the Bregenzerwald are home to several architectural gems: from the Empire-style church, designed by Alois Negrelli, planner of the Suez Canal, through to the “1740 Ichs” (1740 Mes) installation of hair locks which adorns the new village hall.

Two new circular paths now lead you to 21 selected buildings and works of art, planned in the most part by renowned architects. As an accompaniment, the “Journeys to Architecture” brochure tells interesting stories: from the time the works originated, what was important to the owners and the architects, how sensitive historical works are preserved and how modern works can come into being. Guided tours with Mayor Helmut Blank are held on certain dates in the summer. information www.sulzberg.at

journeys to architecture and the culture of wood

71 land & lives hiking dining out well-being

Recommended reading: “Baukunst in Vorarlberg seit 1980” (Architecture in Vorarlberg since 1980), a guide to 260 buildings worth visiting, written by Otto ­Kapfinger (in German only)

culture

brochures, guided tours & information Hittisau Tourismus T +43 (0)5513 6209-50 www.hittisau.at

barrier free

The following can be visited: • Three wooden bridges, including the oldest bridge in Vorarlberg • Three sawmills, from the listed ensemble through to the exportorientated large concern • Workshops, including the only commercially operating master cooper for miles around • Arts centre and fire station – wooden architecture • A biomass power station which ­provides over 50 local properties with heat

family tips

Wood culture in Hittisau As a raw and building material wood has always played – and still plays – an essential role in the design of living spaces and daily functions in the Bregenzerwald. While wood had lost its significance during the course of industrialisation, today it is enjoying a renaissance. This is particularly true of the Bregenzerwald and Hittisau. Visitors can find out more about wood and the part it plays in the way of life in the Bregenzerwald during rambles and guided tours.

active summer

Carpenters at work

72

everyday culture

The cheese-makers cast a critical eye

Anyone who allows himself the ­pleasure of watching cheese being made here – such as in ­Schoppernau alpine dairy – can understand how close the ties are between rural ­activities and everyday culture.

Alpine dairy The introduction of hard cheese ­making in the middle of the 18th ­century not only opened up new sources of income, it also changed the farmers. Initial failures are evidence of how much sweat and tears went into complying with the hygiene standards, into working out the complex production stages and the precise time standards.

The alpine dairyman (hard cheese and lace → page 7) became a highly-­reputable skilled worker with extensive expertise whose circumstances demanded him to be what we these days call somewhat interdisciplinary. For Franz Michael Felder, the poet from ­Schoppernau, he is “a jack-of-all-trades: shoe mender, vet, ­launderer, carpenter, tailor, ­philosopher and much more”.

A ­century earlier, the valley com-

munity had already proven that its people knew how to help themselves in the face of adversity: in the form of the Au Guild, a new branch of industry was created from ­nothing: architecture and the building trade.

What: from nothing? Even though the background to this movement is unknown, one thing is for sure: it was born from necessity, and the resulting talent shown by the ­farmers of helping themselves.

And the architects’ contribution? ­Artistic talent (→ page 66) practiced for centuries.

Farmers’ palace and parlour However, none of the large buildings actually stand in the ­Bregenzerwald itself: they are constructed “­outside”: “inside” keeps house, tries to increase affluence and displays it with a reserved pride. When, in the early 19th century, agriculture started to prosper – especially in the Vorder- and Mittelwald – new farmhouses were built which were soon known as farmers’ palaces and which, according to the ­relevant ­literature, were amongst the most

73

magnificent in the whole of the alpine region. The log cabin was shingled, windows and doors were finely decorated in line with the ­Biedermeier period: more than anything else, however, people treated themselves to a panelled parlour, nice and bright thanks to large ­windows, cosy thanks to the tiled stove and special pieces of furniture. The sofa was one such piece: around the middle of the century, manufacture of this piece exploded, only to dwindle in a few decades: usually manufactured in the evening at home by “laymen”, today they are popular collector’s items (werkraum → page 68). The stoves, too, were ­special: the artistic tiles came mainly from local potters whose trade flourished during this century.

As a rule, these skills are practiced at home, with the individual ­members committed to the family. One is ­surrounded by one’s own craftsmanship. This is also true of the clothing. The local costume stands out amongst all those from the alpine region: ornate, strict, proud – the “Juppe” is the first thing you notice.

A four metre-long black piece of cloth is folded into numerous pleats, smoothed in several stages – this is the skirt. It is decorated only with one bright blue band. Then there are the half a dozen different pieces of headgear. The artistically embroidered blouse, which is a good indicator of social standing, is not the end of the magic. Inspired by fashion worn by 18th century courtiers in Spain, the costume still demands poise of the wearer today.

land & lives

Decoration and Taste And then there were the covers and textiles: textile processing – first of all weaving, followed from around 1760 by embroidery and lace-making for manufacturers from St. ­Gallen – soon proved so lucrative that farming was sometimes neglected: a repeated upturn was experienced from 1865 following the introduction of the “Parisian machine”. This can still be felt today: there is something ­missing in a Bregenzerwald parlour without the white, finely crocheted net curtains.

The magic becomes even more ­physical when it comes to cooking and eating (→ from page 87).

Whatever is produced by the soil and the garden is cultivated: the cheese from the largest silage-free dairy region, for example, is unique. And you can taste the meaning of refinement when you compare local cheese “knöpfle” with cheese “spätzle” from other regions. It is hardly surprising then that the Bregenzerwald has, by far, the most “chef’s hats” (culinary distinction) of all regions far and wide. Or that here, where one in three is employed as a craftsman, this refined everyday ­culture is a fixed source of income.

hiking

everyday culture

active summer family tips barrier free culture dining out well-being

74

antony gormley: »horizon field«

Antony Gormley – Horizon Field © Antony Gormley and Kunsthaus Bregenz

Along with British artist Antony Gormley, Kunsthaus Bregenz is realising the unique landscape project “Horizon Field” in Vorarlberg which can be viewed in the mountains until April 2012.

»Horizon Field« comprises one hundred life-size casts of a human body made from solid cast iron distributed over an area of 150 square kilometres such that they form a horizontal line at 2,039 m above sea level. The specific positioning of the figures has no metaphoric or thematic relevance. The positioning is the result of the artist’s experience that this altitude is readily accessible yet remote from everyday life.

It is the greatest artistic and scenic intervention in Austria to date. In the form of the »Horizon Field« project in ­Bregenzerwald and in the Arlberg area in the municipalities of Mellau, Schoppernau, Schröcken, Warth, Mittelberg, Lech, Klösterle and Dalaas, this is the first time such an art project has been realised in the mountains – and at such a high altitude to boot. Antony Gormley is one of the most renowned artists in the world and is one of the most important contemporary sculptors in Great Britain. His works are concerned mainly with man and his complex relationships with society, with architecture and nature. The focus of his work is

Guided walks to the landscape ­installations by A. Gormley Information tour on Diedamskopf, Au-Schoppernau Date: every Wednesday, 2 June – 9 October Meeting point: 10 a.m., mountain station on Diedamskopf Price per person: free information T +43 (0)5515 4110-0 www.diedamskopf.at

family tips barrier free culture dining out well-being

Sunrise ramble including alpine breakfast in Mellau Date: every Tuesday and Thursday between 30 May and 29 September Duration: 4 – 5 hours Climbing duration: approx. 1½ hours Meeting point: approx. 3.30 a.m. at Mellau tourist information office (Thursdays) or Bezau village square (Tuesdays): ascent to the Edelweiß alpine guest house in Au via your own car (car pools) Price per person: € 5 Alpine breakfast: € 8 per person information & booking by 5 p.m. the day before at the tourist information office in Mellau: T +43 (0)5518 2203 or at the tourist information office in Bezau: T +43 (0)5514 2295

active summer

Guided hike in Warth-Schröcken Date: every second Monday between 13 June and 3 October Meeting point: 9.40 a.m. at Hochtannbergpass Price per person: free for guests from Warth-Schröcken, € 10 for guests from other villages information & booking at Warth tourist information office by 5 p.m. the day before T +43 (0)5583 3515

hiking

Tip: Bregenzerwald Tourismus has an attractive deal on offer comprising four nights’ accommodation, a guided walk to the landscape installation, afternoon tea and a guided tour of Villa Maund, a guided tour of Bregenz and a visit to the Kunsthaus. information www.bregenzerwald.at

75 land & lives

on the human figure which he, starting from his own figure, presents as individual figures and as part of large ensembles in new sculptural constellations. Kunsthaus Bregenz displayed an extensive individual exhibition by Antony Gormley in the summer of 2009 which attracted great national and international attention. The exhibition made an essential contribution towards presenting Gormley’s works to a wide audience and drawing attention to the approaching sculpture project.

The field of figures is positioned in a landscape which stands for beauty and an idyllic situation yet also for sensitivity and vulnerability. Some of the sculptures will be located in places accessible via hiking paths or which you will pass by on the slopes during winter, others will be visible yet not accessible. information Kunsthaus Bregenz www.kunsthaus-bregenz.at www.antonygormley.com

antony gormley: »horizon field«

76

schubertiade schwarzenberg

Musicians on their way to the Schubertiade concert

The Schubertiade Schwarzenberg is considered the most important ­Schubert festival in the world. The music of Schubert and his contemporaries harmonises with the rural atmosphere in this choice, lovely ­village – for an atmospheric effect.

18 June – 3 July and 27 August – 11 September 2011 The programme boasts around 70 events: chamber concerts, song recital evenings, piano concerts, readings and ­master class courses.

Every year, exceptional artists and ensembles make a guest appearance in the ­Angelika Kauffmann Hall, which affords a view of the meadows and mountains. Special ­Schubertiade buses depart from many places to take visitors to the concerts in ­Schwarzenberg.

information & ticket sale Schubertiade GmbH T +43 (0)5576 72091 www.schubertiade.at Bregenzerwald Tourismus has ­compiled attractive deals for visitors to the Schubertiade (hotel + 3 tickets per person). information & arrangements & room reservations Bregenzerwald Tourismus GmbH Impulszentrum 1135, 6863 Egg T +43 (0)5512 2365 F +43 (0)5512 3010 www.bregenzerwald.at/uk

bregenz festival

77 land & lives hiking

Details are available from the programme you can order from ­Bregenzerwald Tourismus.

Bregenzerwald Tourismus has ­compiled attractive package deals for prospective visitors.

culture

information & arrangements & room reservations Bregenzerwald Tourismus GmbH Impulszentrum 1135, 6863 Egg T +43 (0)5512 2365 F +43 (0)5512 3010 www.bregenzerwald.at/uk

barrier free

20 July – 21 August 2011 The opera “André Chénier” by Umberto Giordano will be performed on the largest lake stage in the world at the 2011 Bregenz Festival.

At the core of “André Chénier” is the French poet of the same name, a historical figure who, in the turmoil of the French Revolution, changed from a fervent follower to a merciless victim of persecution who wound up on the guillotine himself. As has been tradition for over 60 years, the Viennese Symphony Orchestra will be the festival orchestra.

information & ticket sale Bregenzer Festspiele T +43 (0)5574 407-6 www.bregenzerfestspiele.com

family tips

Visit the Bregenz Festival, and stay in the Bregenzerwald: this is easily ­combined, since it is a mere half to one-hour drive from the Bregenzer­ wald to Bregenz.

active summer

Performance on the lake

dining out well-being

78

vorarlberg symphony orchestra

Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra in front of Bregenz Festival House

The Vorarlberg Symphony ­Orchestra was established in 1984. The orchestra has been a guest in the ­Bregenzerwald with its own subscription cycle every year since 2002.

The permanent members of the Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra comprise professional musicians from Austria, Germany and Switzerland, yet also includes guests from other renowned orchestras. Gérard Korsten has been the principal conductor since 2005. Every season, the orchestra works out up to 12 programmes which are performed at numerous concerts in various towns and villages in Vorarlberg and at the Bregenz Festival. The musicians’ outstanding commitment is always emphasised by the audience and the press alike: the musicians are not there simply to do a job – they regularly come together to rehearse and perform, with their own blend of enthusiasm for intensive orchestra work.

Easter Sunday, 24 April 2011, 8 p.m.

Angelika-Kauffmann Hall, ­Schwarzenberg Gérard Korsten, conductor Mihaela Ursuleasa, piano Franz Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Anton Bruckner: ­Symphony No. 7 in E-flat minor Saturday, 7 May 2011, 8 p.m.

Angelika-Kauffmann Hall, ­Schwarzenberg Gérard Korsten, conductor Trio Dali: Vineta Sareika, violin Pierre-Christian La Marca, cello Amandine Savary, piano Ludwig van Beethoven: Triple Concerto in C-major, op. 56, Richard Strauss: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Suite, op. 60 Friday, 12 August 2011, 8 p.m.

Angelika-Kauffmann Hall, ­Schwarzenberg Gérard Korsten, conductor Romana Beutel, soprano Judith Weir: Natural History Franz Liszt: Faust Symphony information & ticket sale Edith Mathis T +43 (0)5576 78670 www.symphonieorchester-vorarlberg.at

exhibitions & museums

79 land & lives

15 July – 21 October 2011 every Friday

Juppenwerkstatt, Riefensberg www.juppenwerkstatt.at Fridays, 2 – 5 p.m.

well-being

werkraum depot, Schwarzenberg www.werkraum.at Fridays, 2 – 5 p.m.

dining out

Angelika Kauffmann Museum, Schwarzenberg www.schwarzenberg.at Fridays, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

information Further information is available from participating exhibition centres and from: www.landbusbregenzerwald.at.

culture

Frauenmuseum Hittisau www.frauenmuseum.at Fridays, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 2 – 5 p.m.

Where can you buy the ticket?

You can buy the “Bregenzerwald Museum Day” ticket in any local Bregenzerwald bus, in the participating exhibition centres and in tourist information offices in Bregenzerwald.

barrier free

participating museums eggmuseum, Egg www.eggmuseum.at Fridays, 2 –5 p.m.

What does the “Bregenzerwald Museum Day” ticket include?

The “Bregenzerwald Museum Day” ticket costs € 10. It entitles the holder to unrestricted use of the Bregenzerwald local buses every Friday between 15 July and 21 October 2011 and to visit five exhibition centres in Bregenzerwald. All exhibition centres have common basic opening times between 2 and 5 p.m. on Fridays.

family tips

Combine cultural and scenic pleasures – in an ecologically viable way: bus travel to participating museums is included in the “Bregenzerwald Museum Day” ticket.

active summer

Combine cultural and scenic pleasures

hiking

Museumstag

80

exhibitions & museums

Carlo Antonio Porporati according to Angelika Kauffmann: Be watchful! Cupid issues a warning about love, 1790

Insights into the history, lifestyle and creative activity are provided by lively museums and exhibitions.

Angelika-Kauffmann Museum ­Schwarzenberg 11 June – 26 October 2011 „Lovers“ The logo of the exhibition is a figure of Cupid created by Angelika Kauffmann issuing a warning above love. Cupid’s request to take a serious look at love is in stark contrast to the moral message of many of Kauffmann’s historical paintings.

Taking this tension as a basis, the “Lovers” exhibition attempts to bring out exemplary groups of topics from Kauffmann’s study of the most human of all passions. In various allegorical series, the artist presents love as a conflict between the reluctant powers of vice and virtue, of feelings and reason.

Kauffmann’s concept of ideal love was based on these appealing moral scenes: in line with the sentimental cult of friendship prevalent in her time, she found it realised in true friendship. Lovers are only rarely happy in Angelika Kauffmann’s

historic paintings. “The dream of happiness” remains that – a dream. Her heroines are frequently abandoned lovers such as Ariadne, Penelope and Calypso. The visitor encounters central lovers and icons of sadness in Kauffmann’s works.

With numerous Cupids, Graces and nymphs, the exhibition also displays the spirit of the rococo style, which played its own game with love. opening times Tue to Sun 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. guided tours for the public Tuesdays 4 p.m., Sundays 10.30 a.m. information Schwarzenberg Tourismus T +43 (0)5512 3570 www.schwarzenberg.at www.angelika-kauffmann.com

exhibitions & museums

81 land & lives hiking barrier free culture dining out

9bäume – Langenegg Sculpture Path When you can no longer see the woods for the trees… Initiated by Bregenzerwald sculptor Hanno Metzler and potter Petra Raid, 9 artists each dedicated a week to “their” tree trunk and the subject of wood in 2007 and 2009. The artists from Austria, Italy, Germany and Switzerland each received a tree of their choice: either still standing in the forest, on its side as a trunk, or in the form of wood shavings.

“9bäume” is a project which focuses on the individual and which enabled the participants to develop freely, without any restrictions or rules. The result? 18 sculptures lined up along the old Wälderbahn railway track like beads on a string. To accompany the exhibition, a catalogue has been published which is available in the tourist office Langenegg. starting point & car park Disused railway station in Langenegg information www.9baeume.at

family tips well-being

The Women’s Museum in Hittisau 10 July – 26 October 2011 CELEBRATIONS. STRUGGLES. 100 years of Women’s Day “Equal rights for women!” was the demand made by the 10,000 men and women marching across Vienna’s ring road on 19 March 1911. Women’s suffrage was the main demand of the first Austrian Women’s Day. March 2011 sees the 100th anniversary of Women’s Day in Austria. Events such as Women’s Day, associated with the courage of one’s convictions, non-violent resistance, participative democracy and equal rights, deserves its place in the collective memory of the Republic. Photos, posters, banners, film documents, badges and newspaper reports clearly document the very eventful history of Women’s Day in Austria and in Vorarlberg. opening times Thur 3 to 8 p.m., Fri 3 to 5 p.m., Sat and Sun 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 to 5 p.m. and other times following prior appointment by telephone: T +43 (0)664 88431964 information T +43 (0)5513 6209-30 www.frauenmuseum.at

active summer

Sculpture of the “9bäume” art project in Langenegg

82

exhibitions & museums

Juppenwerkstatt in Riefensberg

Juppenwerkstatt Riefensberg Visitors to the Juppenwerkstatt Riefensberg can find out how the highly complicated national ­costume worn by the ladies of the ­Bregenzerwald is made by coming along to the Juppenwerkstatt. A very special technique is used to make up to 500 pleats in the black dress, for example.

The building – former outbuildings of the Krone inn, adorned with a new glass façade, and extending over three storeys – is also worth visiting for its architectural value. opening times May to October Tue 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Fri 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 to 4 p.m., guided tours following prior appointment information Riefensberg Tourismus T +43 (0)5513 8356-15 www.juppenwerkstatt.at Alberschwende local history museum Bregenzerwald style of home furnishings: “From flax to linen” opening times upon request information Alberschwende Tourismus T +43 (0)5579 4233

Creative workshop by Petra Raid in Langenegg Exhibition of clay works, alternative firing techniques such as raku, smoke firing; workshops opening times upon request by phone T + 43 (0)5513 2365 or +43 (0)6643528522 www.raid-petra.at Bezau local history museum A typical residential building, maintained in its original style. It holds national costumes, offers insight into the style of home furnishing in days gone by, and displays a valuable ­collection of sacral art. opening times with guided tours October to June: Tue 2 p.m., July to September: Tue, Thur and Sat 3.30 p.m., Wed 10 a.m. For further guided tours (including of groups), please register at: T +43 (0)5514 3239 information Bezau Tourismus T +43 (0)5514 2295

barrier free culture dining out

Franz Michael Felder Museum in ­Schoppernau Franz Michael Felder was a farmer, writer and social reformer and is one of the most historically significant personalities from the Bregenzerwald. The exhibition is an exploration of his life and works. opening times Mo 4 to 6 p.m., Thur 9 to 11 a.m., Fri 5 to 7 p.m., Sun 9.30 to 11.30 a.m. groups: reservation required information Schoppernau Tourismus T +43 (0)5515 2495

family tips well-being

Images of 19th century life in Hittisau The life and works of five exceptional personalities all born around 1800 in Hittisau are exhibited. opening times upon request information Hittisau Tourismus T +43 (0)5513 6209-50

“uf m Tannberg” alpine museum in Schröcken Alpine life in days gone by. "Der Heuzug von damals" photo exhibition. opening times June: every Sun from 1 to 4 p.m.

July to September: every Thur & Sun from 1 to 4 p.m. October: upon request information Warth-Schröcken Tourismus T +43 (0)5519 2670 www.alpmuseum.at

active summer

Hittisau alpine dairy farm museum Historical alpine dairy kitchen with cheese-making and milk processing equipment, guided tours and cheese tasting. opening times Wed 10 a.m. with guided tour (reserva­tion required) and following prior request information Hittisau Tourismus T +43 (0)5513 6209-50

Egg Museum Oldest museum in the valley area (founded in 1904). Permanent exhibition (national costumes, customs and home furnishings) Special exhibitions with a regional theme. opening times June to October Wed and Sat 3 to 5 p.m., Fri 2 to 5 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. information T +43 (0)5512 2216-0

hiking

Angelika-Kauffmann Museum in Schwarzenberg 19th century style of furnishing in the Bregenzerwald, Angelika ­Kauffmann exhibition in the new wing ( → page 80). opening times Tue to Sun: 10 to 5 p.m. public guided tours Tue 4 p.m., Sun 10.30 a.m. information Schwarzenberg Tourismus T +43 (0)5512 3570 www.schwarzenberg.at

83 land & lives

Mesmer’s barn in Alberschwende Agricultural museum opening times upon request information Alberschwende Tourismus T +43 (0)5579 4233

exhibitions & museums

84

cabaret & village culture

Andelsbuch railway station, events location

Cultural initiatives in several towns and villages liven up the events calendar with small yet exquisite programmes. The various folk music festivals are major meeting places.

Bahnhof Andelsbuch cultural society Culture is a regular visitor to the “bahnhof”, the converted imperial and royal station in Andelsbuch from the abandoned Wälderbahn.

It hosts over 40 events every year.

Exhibitions (including the “Long Night of the Museums”), lectures and discussions, fairy story times, lieder evenings and concerts attract locals as well as visitors from Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein to the bahnhof events location. It is the objective of those running the bahnhof to bring global culture to Bregenzerwald and, in the form of the bahnhof, to show the world

which culture thrives in these parts, be it the art of young avant-gardists or of the artistic craftsmanship of older people from Bregenzerwald.

Music has proven particularly popular in the bahnhof. It enjoys an international reputation amongst musicians, music agencies and the media alike. Moreover, it is the birthplace of the most exciting new band to come from Austria at the moment – the Holstuonarmusigbigbandclub (HMBC). information Kulturverein Bahnhof T +43 (0)5512 4947 www.bahnhof.cc Bezau Beatz – music from all genres 19 July to 16 August 2011 Every Tuesday from 9 p.m. Bezau Beatz is a series of open-air concerts ranging from jazz through pop.

Bezau village square is the setting for the concerts. The ­concerts are held whatever the weather. Food and drink are available on the village square. information www.bezau.at/bezaubeatz

cabaret & village culture

85 land & lives hiking barrier free culture

Culture and cheese get-together in Alberschwende: 7 July – 25 August 2011 Every Thursday from 7 p.m., entertainment with a supporting programme is on offer in the village square. This offers locals and guests the opportunity to get together for the evening. Alpine dairy farmers, farmers and pub landlords offer regional delicacies. Admission is free.

The event is held in the HermannGmeiner Hall in the event of bad weather. information Alberschwende Tourismus www.alberschwende.at

family tips

46th Bregenzerwald Regional Music Festival in Schoppernau: 7 – 10 July 2011 The motto of this year’s district music festival in Schoppernau is “das große Mund-Werk 2011”, which refers to the extensive programme of folk music, brass-band music, marching music and pop songs. “BBB Burgenländer bringen Blasmusik” play brass-band music to accompany your early drink on Sunday. Worth a visit: the Sunday procession with over 2,000 musicians, wearers of national dress and horses and carts. information www.mundwerk2011.com

active summer

Traditional brass band

dining out well-being

86

cultural outings

Festival House in Bregenz

Thankfully, the distances between the major day trip destinations in Vorarlberg and around Lake ­Constance are short. in vorarlberg • Bregenz: The capital of Vorarlberg enjoys a lovely location on Lake Constance. Worth a visit are: Kunst­ haus Bregenz (exhibition location for contemporary art in a glass cube which has received several awards), the Festival House with its lakeside stage, the old town.

• Dornbirn: with 45,000 inhabitants, Dornbirn is the biggest town in Vorarlberg. Worth a visit are the interactive Naturschau inatura with Science Centre and the Rolls Royce Museum.

• Rankweil: basilica worth a visit • Feldkirch: the medieval town with pergolas, paved roads and the defiant Schattenburg, the former seat of the Counts of Montfort.

• Montafon: Silvretta high-mountain road • Großes Walsertal biosphere park: parish in St. Gerold

in germany • Lindau: picturesque island town • Friedrichshafen: Zeppelin Museum • Meersburg: medieval wine town • Mainau flower island • Birnau monastery: the work of a baroque master builder from the Bregenzerwald • Constance: historical council town • Reichenau island: Romanesque churches (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage) in switzerland • St. Gallen: monastery and library.

The baroque collegiate church is a work by a baroque master builder from the Bregenzerwald (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage) • Einsiedeln monastery: the work of a baroque master builder from the Bregenzerwald in the principality of liechtenstein • Vaduz: capital of the principality, art museum

87 land & lives hiking active summer barrier free

The Bregenzerwald locals are masters in the art of cheese and cheese culture. The Bregenzerwald K채seStrasse with its selection of enjoyable stations is dedicated to the subject of cheese.

The chefs in the multi award-winning restaurants and inns also skilfully master the art of cooking.

family tips

dining out

culture dining out well-being

88

bregenzerwald culinary delights region

Alpine dairy in Schnepfau

How come a valley community in which, a century ago, Sunday dinner comprised a sort of wheat flour mash (with maize grits the rest of the week) is now a gourmet region with specialities whose origins are protected and where refined gastronomy is at home in many restaurants?

The Bregenzerwald is an Austrian gourmet region. These days, the word “gourmet” is used all too frequently in advertising: however, the expression “gourmet region” has a specific meaning: it is a registered brand by the Austrian Ministry for Food and the AMA (Agrarmarkt Austria), wishing to remind consumers of regional specialities. The basic ­prerequisites are that the ingredients come from the region, that production is regional, and that the products are firmly rooted in regional gastronomy.

In the Bregenzerwald, this means alpine cheese. Every year, approximately 3,000 tons of alpine cheese are produced in the valley’s 17 dairies.

Every year, 200 tons of alpine cheese are handmade by the 90 or more dairy alps every summer. The special thing about this cheese is the silofree milk it is produced from, since only 2% of EU dairy farmers produce in this way, i.e. their cows never eat silo fodder – instead, between May and October, they only eat grass and herbs. During the winter, they only

bregenzerwald culinary delights region

The passage of this modest alp fare to the current first-class restaurants in the Bregenzerwald – which now use over 50 regional types of cheese – went through a series of changes which demanded quality rather than ­quantity. These include the 1997 EU Protection of Origin of alpine and mountain cheeses, the establishment of the “­KäseStrasse Bregenzerwald” in 1998 as a network of farmers, alpine ­dairies, craftsmen, publicans and businesses, the “Gourmet region of the ­Bregenzerwald” in 2005, the ­Vorarlberg quality marketing “luag druf” in 2005, the inclusion of ­Bregenzerwald mountain cheese into the “Ark of taste” by Slow Food 2008, and the “­Bregenzerwald Gourmet Days” by the KäseStrasse in July 2009. The toughest taste test is still the most regional however: every year, alpine and mountain cheese is judged in Schwarzenberg. The winner at this event is enough to ­satisfy any gourmet’s taste buds.

active summer

hiking family tips barrier free culture dining out well-being

The three-stage farming method in particular gives the alpine cheese the special flavour which means it can easily contend with the well-known European full-fat cheeses. It has been like this for a long time: back at the start of the 19th century, the inhabitants of the Bregenzerwald sold over 30.000 kg of cheese to the monarchy and abroad. In 1877, Karl von S ­ eyffertitz wrote: “Everywhere – including in the cheerful Vorderwald, in Hittisau and Lingenau, you will meet a unique people in strange national dress in wood-panelled parlours with floors scrubbed white, with shiny door handles – the men busy looking after a dairy breed of cow and overseeing the production of a popular, world-famous fine cheese, the women busy with elaborate whitework embroidery.” However, it wasn’t the producers back then who made all the money – it was the sellers.

The Schnepfau local Josef Ambros Moosbrugger, for example, made so much profit from selling cheese that he could afford a city palace in Milan.

No doubt he dined differently to the people back home, where cooking over an open fire resulted above all in simple pan-fried dishes such as the “Riebel” and the “­Schwozermuas”. Up

on the alp, flour, salt, butter, quark and cheese were the main ingredients. The recipe for “­Schwozermus” – named for the woodcutters from Schwaz – was: “Water, flour, salt, dripping – and that’s it!” The lack of bread on the alp gave rise to the “­Käsknöpfle”, to “Sig”, known only in the Bregenzerwald and which is caramelised lactose, since they wanted to make a further product from the whey.

land & lives

eat the air-dried hay from valley meadows. In the so-called three-stage farming method, following their ­winter in the barn, the animals graze on the mountain pastures located at medium height (around 900 m) ­during the spring and the autumn, and on the high mountain pasture during the summer. The mountain pastures are run as a collective, since the farmers only have an average of 12 cows in the barn.

89

90

käsestrasse

Alpine dairyman on the alp

The KäseStrasse isn’t a street or a road in the usual sense: it is a union of experts from various disciplines.

Throughout the whole year, the members organise events, invite people to tasting sessions, and initiate the uninitiated into the secrets of cheese production.

A journey of discovery for the senses KäseStrasse Bregenzerwald is a union of farmers and alps, alpine dairymen and cheese-makers, cheese restaurants and inns, museums and railways, tourist organisations and partners from the fields of trade and industry. The thing that unites all 160 partners in the KäseStrasse network is their dedication to the cultivation and the maintenance of culinary delights and regional culture. Further stations on KäseStrasse include: the modern cheese cellar in Lingenau, where several thousand blocks of cheese are left to mature; the Käsehaus in Andelsbuch, open seven days a week selling the entire range of cheeses and delicacies from Bregenzerwald, the alpine dairy school in Egg, where you can make your own cream cheese in a course.

Bregenzerwälder KäseHerbst Bregenzerwald celebrates its fifth season from mid-September through to the end of October. Visitors can experience the culinary and cultural highlights of autumn here: stopping off in an cheese inn or restaurant, paying a visit to the cheese-makers, experiencing the lively hustle and bustle you get at livestock and farmers’ markets, visiting alpine dairies, testing the wares, etc. information T +43 (0)5513 4287041 www.kaesestrasse.at

Tip: Sheep’s milk farm Gmeiner family, Bizau New farm shop with its own alpine dairy. A wide range of products made from natural sheep’s milk opening times of the farm shop May to October: Friday 2 to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; farm visits upon arrangement T +43 (0)5514 2509 www.schafmilchbetrieb.com

berggut – good things from the bregenzerwald

91 land & lives hiking

Panoramarestaurant Diedamskopf, Au-Schoppernau T +43 (0)5515 4110 0 opening times 2 June to 9 October Elsenalpstube mountain inn, Damüls T +43 (0)5510 297 opening times 10 June to 26 October

well-being

BERGGUT special weeks 20 – 26 June: asparagus week with wild herbs 18 – 24 July: berry week 8 – 14 August: cheese week 5 – 11 Sept: mushroom and pumpkin week 26 Sept – 2 Oct: game and fresh meats week participating restaurants www.bregenzerwald.at T +43 (0)5512 2365

Bergrestaurant Simma, Mellau T +43 (0)5518 2761 20 August: brunch with music opening times Probably 1 August to 16 October

dining out

Almhotel Hochhäderich, Hittisau T +43 (0)5513 82540 12 June: brunch with music opening times 11 June to 1 November

culture

BERGGUT – good things from the Bregenzerwald is the motto of the new initiative. A special menu informs diners which ingredients come directly from regional farms and manufactories – or even from the restaurant’s own garden!

barrier free

"Hochalp" hiking hut, Warth T + 43 (0)5583 4250 10 – 17 July: alpine delights 16 July: brunch with music 11 – 18 Sept : autumn delights 17 Sept: brunch with music ­­­­­opening times Acc. opening times Steffisalpbahn

family tips

Really good bread with country-style butter and alpine cheese, a fluffy local pancake made with eggs from happy chickens, a juicy schnitzel from a mountain pig: the limelight has recently been on regional delicacies offered by mountain inns and restaurants catering for day-trippers.

active summer

Good things from the Bregenzerwald

92

culinary hike

Tasty snack with products of the region

Step by step, from course to course: spend a whole day hiking through selected lovely settings in Bregenzerwald, enjoying a 3-course meal of regional specialities in 3 different mountain restaurants.

Price per person: € 40/€ 30 for owners of the Bregenzerwald Guest Card or of a season ticket

mountain pasture settlement, schönenbach To enjoy your mountain breakfast, take the cable car upwards from includes the following Bezau. Presented with a magnificent - Description of the hiking route, view, you hike along the mountain hiking map and vouchers for a path as far as the mountain pasture 3-course meal settlement of Schönenbach. Once - Tickets for the cable car and bus There is a choice of two hiking routes. in Egender inn, guests can dine either on cheese spätzle or a Wiener schnitzel. You then return to Bezau at the foot of the kanisfluh by bus, where you enjoy your dessert From Mellau, guests take the cable (semolina strudel or quark pancake) car to the alp area and take a short walk to Simma mountain restaurant. in cosy Café Katrina.

Walking time: approx. 3¼ hours There, they can choose between Price per person: € 45/€ 32 for marinated garden salad and homeowners of the Bregenzerwald Guest made goat’s cheese. Then, with a Card or of a season ticket view of the mighty Kanisfluh as you information & booking go, you hike to the Edelweiß alpine Bregenzerwald Tourismus GmbH inn for lunch – cheese spätzle with T +43 (0)5512 2365 salad or fried chicken in hay served on herb salad and potatoes. Dessert – www.bregenzerwald.at “riebel” parfait or apricot ice-cream dumpling – is taken in “Nazes Hus” inn in Mellau at the end of the hike.

Walking time: approx. 3½ hours

exceptional specialties

93 land & lives hiking dining out

information Karin Kaufmann T +43 (0)676 4954144 www.fraukaufmann.at

culture

The “Ms Kaufmann” cookery school is located in the former Gasthaus Engel in Egg, whose substance is almost 300 years old. Located on a historic trading route, the Engel was once frequented by horse dealers, business people and coachmen. It has been lovingly renovated.

barrier free well-being

Sample menu from the “Cooking for every day” programme: Veal, asparagus and rhubarb For me, a nourishing meat soup is so much more than a hot meal: it smells of my childhood Sunday mornings on the farm.

My grandma used to cut the pancakes for it up amazingly small.

I still cannot manage to do it like she did!

Meat soup with pancakes Boiled beef topside, breaded, with potato and asparagus salad Ragout and saddle with veal juices Rhubarb jelly with vanilla cream

cooking or observing. The individual dishes are eaten as soon as they are ready, served with a suitable wine.

Depending on the subject, interesting guests, experienced cooks, farmers or wine-growers are invited along. The cooking session includes the recipes, an aperitif, enjoyment of the meal together – including wine – and a taster for home.

family tips

Ms Kaufmann: learning to cook the home-made way “Ms Kaufmann” teaches her students to cook a four-course meal according to old recipes, either sticking to the original or applying contemporary changes. The side dishes always depend on the produce currently available at the market. Everybody participates in each course, either

active summer

Ms Kaufmann in her cooking studio

94

exceptional specialties

Regional cuisine with creative touches

The Bregenzerwald has a considerable number of restaurants and inns for those who enjoy good food. This includes a few exceptional addresses.

MundArt The term “MundArt” has two meanings in the Bregenzerwald: firstly, it means the special dialects maintained in this region – even the Vorarlberg locals don’t understand it all! Secondly, “MundArt” stands for the creativity displayed by the Bregenzerwald catering trade. For them, it is a matter of etiquette to use produce from local farms in their kitchens: meat, vegetables, herbs and dairy products.

The following award-winning Bregenzerwald inns and restaurants have made it their business to adopt “MundArt” as their motto. information www.mundart-restaurants.at

Gasthof Adler in Schwarzenberg T +43 (0)5512 2966 www.adler-schwarzenberg.at Gasthof Hirschen in Schwarzenberg T +43 (0)5512 2944-0 www.hirschenschwarzenberg.at Gasthof Krone in Hittisau T +43 (0)5513 6201 www.krone-hittisau.at Gasthof Gams in Bezau T +43 (0)5514 2220 www.hotel-gams.at Hotel Krone in Au T +43 (0)5515 2201 www.krone-au.at Hotel Post in Bezau T +43 (0)5514 2207-0 www.hotelpostbezau.com Hotel Das Schiff in Hittisau T +43 (0)5513 6220 www.schiff-hittisau.com Restaurant Schulhus in Krumbach T +43 (0)5513 8389 www.schulhus.com

exceptional specialties

95 land & lives hiking dining out

Zur Taube restaurant in ­Alberschwende This long-established restaurant offers dining rooms for all occasions. Special feature: Olga’s hall, a wooden-panelled dance hall from days gone by. Awarded “Vorarlberger Genuss Wirt” in 2010. information Wirtshaus zur Taube T +43 (0)5579 4202 www.taube.at

culture

Engel restaurant in Bezau The history of this old restaurant in the middle of Bezau goes back to the 18th Century. The restaurant has lovely, old dining rooms. information T +43 (0)5514 2203 www.gasthaus-engel.at

barrier free

Naze’s Hus in Mellau Naze’s (short name of Ignaz) Hus in Mellau, a small restaurant and B&B, uses only local produce. Naze’s Hus is accommodated in a carefullyrenovated Bregenzerwald house listed for preservation with its typical, wood-shingle façade. information Naze’s Hus T +43 (0)650 4627929 www.nazes-hus.at

family tips

Enjoyment with Hildegard von Bingen The kitchen in the Hotel Schwanen in Bizau is orientated towards the teachings of abbess Hildegard von Bingen. Fresh produce from the region and the hotel’s own garden is lovingly prepared into delicious meals. information Gasthof Schwanen T +43 (0)5514 2133 www.schwanen.at

active summer

Cosy dining room

well-being

96

exceptional specialties

Gabi Strahammer from Restaurant Schulhus gathering herbs

Moor restaurateurs, Krumbach Four restaurateurs have taken up the topic of “Krumbach’s moorlands” as their mission. As “moor restaurateurs”, they offer their guests guided tours, cookery courses and moorland days to experience the moorland in full. At least one dish related to the moors is included in the menu throughout the year. The seasonal moor drink delights gourmets with various fragrances and aromas from the moor. The Spring and Autumn Moor Weeks are the culinary highlights in the annual calendar of the moor restaurateurs.

Gasthof Adler T +43 (0)5513 8156-0 www.adler-krumbach.at Restaurant Schulhus T +43 (0)5513 8389 www.schulhus.com Kur- und Gesundheitshotel Rossbad T +43 (0)5513 5110 www.rossbad.com Krumbacher Stuba T +43 (0)5513 8724 www.krumbacher-stuba.at

Tip: moor days 2011 Aperitif, two-course meal, walk on the moors and a literary experience with Peter Natter: “Mord im Moor” (“Death on the Moors”) 2 June – Krumbacher Stuba: Inspector Maigret Investigates 7 July – Restaurant Schulhus: Constable Studer Takes Action 4 August – Hotel Rossbad: Inspector Ibele Intervenes 1 September – Gasthof Adler: The Hound of the Baskervilles Barks Start: always at 6.30 p.m.

Price per person: € 35 moor weeks 2011 13 May – 22 May and 30 September – 9 October During the moor weeks, you can enjoy culinary delicacies from the moors at the moor ­restaurateurs. information www.moorroom.at

97 land & lives hiking active summer barrier free

Who doesn’t occasionally long for a retreat, for a leisurely pace, for stimuli which pamper the body and soul? The Bregenzerwald is such a retreat.

With a great selection of specialised hotels and range of services for your very own well-being.

family tips

well-being

culture dining out well-being

98

health hotels

Bathing in the Bregenzerache

Curative or preventative: if you want to lend your health a helping hand, you are in the right place! Some health hotels also offer wellness days for visitors who are not guests of their establishments. Prior reservations are required for all these programmes.

Hotel Schwanen**** Certified organic hotel, Detox and wellness programmes according to the teachings of Abbess Hildegard von Bingen.

Bizau, T +43 (0)5514 2133 www.schwanen.at Kur- und Gesundheitshotel Rossbad*** Therapeutic fasting, Moor vitality weeks, Kneipp treatments, wholefood cuisine.

Krumbach, T +43 (0)5513 5110 www.rossbad.com Rossbad wellness day Full-body massage, Scottish salt bath in the flotation lounger, affusion stimulating to the skin, use of the sauna and wellness area, including breakfast buffet, lunch and evening meal.

Price per Person: € 140

Vitalhotel Quellengarten*** Active hotel offering sports and ­relaxation activities. Spacious bathing and sauna complex plus fitness centre (open to the public).

Lingenau, T +43 (0)5513 6461-0 www.bregenzerwaldhotels.at Chill-out day 1 back massage, 1 wellness bath of your choice, 1 solarium session, day ticket to the bathing and sauna world, use of the fitness room.

Price per Person: € 88 Gesundhotel Bad Reuthe**** Applications using mud, wellness and beauty package deals. Lovely ­bathing house with a sauna and ­wellness complex and pool in the ­garden (open to the public).

Reuthe, T +43 (0)5514 2265-0 www.badreuthe.at Relax day 1 mud pack with freshly cut natural mud or herbal bath, 1 all-over body massage, 1 facial exfoliant and mask, including day ticket to the thermal bath and sauna and wellness world, fitness room.

Price per Person: € 102

wellness hotels

99 land & lives hiking culture dining out

Hotel Krone**** Modern wooden architecture, Sky spa in the fourth and fifth storeys with a view of the countryside. ­Bathing lake in the garden. The swimming pool and the ­massage and beauty areas were modernised in 2009.

Au, T +43 (0)5515 2201-0 www.krone-au.at

barrier free

Hotel Post****S Voted the best wellness hotel in Europe in 2008 by Geo Saison.

Modernised in style in 2009.

Bezau, T +43 (0)5514 2207 www.hotelpostbezau.com Active regeneration Relaxation treatment, all-over body massage using aromatic oils (40 ­minutes), reflexology massage, herbal and whey bath in the crystal and coloured light magnetic field bath. Whole-day use of the wellness area, welcome aperitif, light lunch.

Price per Person: € 217

Sonne Lifestyle Resort****S Modern-yet-cosy designer rooms and suites, spacious [comfort zone] spa.

Mellau, T +43 (0)5518 20100-0 www.sonnemellau.com Sunny day Full-body exfoliant, algae pack, fullbody massage, hot paraffin pack for the hands, use of the wellness complex covering 1,500 m², drinks and snacks in the tea & juice corner.

Price per Person: € 149 All offers can be combined with breakfast from the large buffet in the Marktwelt between 7.30 and 10.30 a.m. for € 17 per person.

family tips

These hotels are particularly orientated towards pampering their guests with pleasurable and exciting sensations for body, mind and soul. Some also offer wellness days for visitors who are not guests of their establishments. Prior reservations are required for all these programmes.

active summer

Wellness with a view

well-being

100

wellness hotels GAMS, Genießer- & Kuschelhotel****S “Blütenschloss” with cosy suites, The Da Vinci spa has been extended in 2009.

Bezau, T +43 (0)5514 2220 www.hotel-gams.at Damülser Hof**** Wellnesshotel Location offering a breathtaking view at an altitude of 1,400 m above sea level.

Damüls, T +43 (0)5510 210 www.damuelserhof.at Vital Hotel Linde**** Wellness and golf hotel with the elegant Sunset spa and a magnificent view. (open to the public) Sulzberg, T +43 (0)5516 2025 www.bregenzerwaldhotels.at 1 pack of fresh hay flowers, 1 back massage, day ticket to our Sunset spa with wellness pool, sauna complex, fitness room.

Price per Person: € 70

Natural cosmetics: Whey products Whey is produced during cheesemaking, is free of fat and protein, and contains numerous nutrients and vitamins. The Metzler family offers a wide selection of whey products: from the stimulating refreshment through to shampoos and creams, etc. opening times of the ­hofladen Mon to Fri: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1.30 to 6 p.m.; Sat: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. inform­­­ation Metzler Käse-Molke, Egg T +43 (0)5512 3044 www.molkeprodukte.com

Romantik Hotel Das Schiff**** Lovely, new rooms and suites, ­spacious Relaxation zone with heated outdoor pool and garden, ­excellent cuisine.

Hittisau, T +43 (0)5513 6220-0 www.schiff-hittisau.com Landhotel Hirschen*** Yoga and herb weeks/days, wellness days, therapeutic fasting according to Dr Buchinger, talks on herbs, own herb garden and cellar.

Hittisau, T +43 (0)5513 2320 www.landhotel-hirschen.at Wellness day 1 hot stone massage or 1 herbal stamp massage, 1 coloured light and sound therapy, 1 herbal bath of your choice, use of the sauna and steam bath.

Price per Person: € 115 Sporthotel Steffisalp**** Modern, elegant hotel with spacious Steffis spa.

Warth, T +43 (0)5583 3699 www.steffisalp.at Hirschen Wohlfühlhotel**** Informal establishment, adventure swimming pool with panoramic view of the countryside.

Schoppernau, T +43 (0)5515 21150 www.hirschen.at Enjoyment day A sparkling welcome, snugly bath robe, pampering facial, relaxing partial-body massage, light wellness lunch, relaxation in the whirlpool, in the sauna, in the steam bath, on waterbeds, total immersion in the panoramic adventure pool (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Price per Person: € 125

water & moor

101 land & lives hiking culture dining out

Bizau – where water tickles your toes The Ulvenbach flows in the wide valley plane, close to the centre of Bizau. It is here that visitors can walk barefoot over a stretch about 0.6 km in length, take in the natural

Moorbad Sibratsgfäll Mud provides the skin with moisture and lipids, which is appreciated by those suffering from allergies in particular. Mud also alleviates pain, and relaxes the body. It is now possible to try out a mud bath in the natural mud bath in Sibratsgfäll. Surrounded by Mother Nature on all sides, a paddling basin, two mud baths and a natural-water swimming pool await.

(Early June to late September) information Sibratsgfäll Tourismus T +43 (0)5513 2121 www.sibra.at

barrier free

Riefensberg barefoot course You can train your five motor skills at the 22 stations of the new barefoot and fitness course. This covers coordination, stamina, strength, agility and speed. The best thing to do is to cover the course three times, and to do the coordination and stamina exercises the first time round, to do the agility and strength exercises the second time round, and the speed exercises the third time round. information Riefensberg Tourismus T +43 (0)5513 8356 www.riefensberg.at

sights and sounds of the stream, and admire rare plants. A brochure containing detailed directions is available from the Bizau tourist office. information Bizau Tourismus T +43 (0)5514 2129 www.bizau.at

family tips

Water and moor are amongst the oldest remedies known to man. These destinations combine the playful with the informative and pleasant.

active summer

Barefoot course in Bizau

well-being

102

water and moor

Moor seats with integrated information plaques

Krumbach moors What is there to discover in the moors?

Which plants and fruits from the moors are edible? What significance do moors lend the history of a region?

Interested parties can only find the answers to these questions in Krumbach! Entitled “Moore Krumbach”, Krumbach has opened its moors, making them accessible to those interested in nature. What has been created is not a path in the normal sense of the word: instead, an artistically designed natural and cultural space has arisen. Architects Bernardo Bader, René Bechter and Paul Steurer designed the “moor space”, a walk-in wooden cube, and 14 “moor seats” which invite you to tarry a while, with integrated information points. Interested visitors can find out about the formation of the moors over the course of millennia: from their geology and moor ecology through to the highly specialised moor plants through to the region’s history of the use of peat.

Four moor restaurateurs offer creative food with ingredients from the moor (→ page 96). Trained moor guides are available to take you on guided tours every Thursday.

Dates: 28 April to 27 October, every Thursday, 9.30 a.m Duration: approx. 2 hours Price per person: € 5, children under 14: free of charge information & booking Krumbach village hall T +43 (0)5512 8157 www.moorroom.at

Award for Krumbach In autumn 2010, the community of Krumbach was awarded the Binding Prize for the Preservation of the Moors. This award is given to people and institutions that provide excellent services pertaining to nature conservation and the protection of the environment.

vorarlberg

103 land & lives hiking dining out well-being

information Vorarlberg Tourismus T + 43 (0)5572 377033-0 F +43 (0)5572 377033-5 info@vorarlberg.travel www.vorarlberg.travel

culture

barrier free

Many of these moments of happiness are concealed in Vorarlberg.

Between Lake Constance to the north and the mighty mountains to the south. In brilliant architectural achievements and strokes of artistic genius. At people’s homes as well as during an encounter with yourself doing sporting activities outdoors.

Vorarlberg is a cosmopolitan province interested in art, located in the most westerly corner of Austria.

An alpine idyll and vibrant cultural centre at the same time. Exciting and fond of a change. Vorarlberg can do both: be deeply rooted as well as innovative! A penchant for the new, for the unexpected, is what makes the Vorarlberg’s (wooden) architecture particularly attractive – this is especially true in Bregenzerwald.

Nowhere else in Austria will you find

as many well-built, contemporary buildings. The array of culture combines the traditional with the modern.

In the form of numerous, dedicated cultural events throughout the entire province. At such renowned festivals as the Bregenz Festival and the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg. Respectful yet warm hosts pamper you with their quality and high standards. Whether you go for plain or creative and light: you will find some of the best food in Austria here, which is reflected in the high number of excellent restaurants. Visitors appreciate the exciting interplay between expansive valleys, impressive mountains, lively small towns and picturesque mountain villages – all of which is to be found on an easily manageable scale. Within a short time, you can access a multitude of attractive sights in and around Vorarlberg. We are looking forward to your visit!

family tips

An unexpected thought. A rare treat for the taste buds. Time with the family – there are countless moments which all of a sudden give rise to an unknown feeling of happiness. It is these moments we love so much – since they are what make the world so exciting, so thrilling.

active summer

Happy moments in Vorarlberg

104

how to reach vorarlberg

Munich 216 km

Friedrichshafen 62 km Memmingen 103 km

Lake Constance

D

Altenrhein 41 km Zurich 140 km

CH

Bregenzerwald Klein walsertal

BodenseeVorarlberg Großes Walsertal FL

Arlberg

Innsbruck 200 km

Alpenregion Bludenz A

Montafon CH

Distances to Egg in the Bregenzerwald

By car from the north • Stuttgart-Ulm-Lindau • or München-Memmingen-Lindau from the west via Swiss ­motorways* via Zurich-St. GallenSt. Margrethen from the south via the routes • Brenner motorway-Innsbruck-­ Arlberg pass-Lech-Warth** • or Arlberg road tunnel*-BludenzGroßes Walsertal- Bregenzerwald • or Arlberg road tunnel*-FeldkirchDornbirn-Bregenzerwald • Como-San Bernardino-ChurSt. Margrethen*-Bregenzerwald from the east • Innsbruck-Arlberg pass-LechWarth** • or Arlberg road tunnel*-BludenzGroßes Walsertal-Bregenzerwald • or Arlberg road tunnel*-FeldkirchDornbirn-Bregenzerwald

*

toll road

** closed in winter

toll sticker required by law A toll applies to the use of Austria’s motorways and dual carriageways.

Types of toll sticker: “­corridor” toll (border of Germany to the H ­ ohenems exit, close to the Swiss border), 10-day, 2-month and yearly stickers. ­Information: www.asfinag.at By train The closest railway stations (distances to Egg): • Bregenz (A): 26 km • Dornbirn (A): 20 km • St. Margrethen (CH): 32 km • Lindau (D): 35 km Timetable information: www.oebb.at Onward travel by public buses: www.vmobil.at By aeroplane • Zurich (CH): several direct train connections to Bregenz • Friedrichshafen (D) • Memmingen (D) • Munich (D) • Innsbruck (A) Transfers from the airports to the Bregenzerwald: www.mytransfer.at

Editor:

Photographs:

Bregenzerwald Tourismus GmbH,

Adolf Bereuter (cover, p. 33/84/88/92/96/99),

Impulszentrum 1135, 6863 Egg

Franz Fetz (p. 2), Andreas Riedmiller (p. 8/23/38/47/53/ 63/66/71/90/98), Christoph Lingg (p. 10/11/12/13/17/

Design by:

19/20/24/25/26/27/29/36/40/41/50/56/72/76/94),

broger grafik, Andelsbuch

Sulzberg Tourismus (p. 14), Hittisau Tourismus (p. 15), Bregenzerwald Tourismus (p. 16), Christa Branz (p. 18/55),

Printed by:

Kevin Artho (p. 21), Monika Albrecht (p. 22),

Druckhaus Gössler, Bezau

Lingenau Tourismus (p.28), Archiv LexLupo (p. 30), Frank Broger (p. 44), Dietmar Walser (p. 46),

Text by:

Armin Bischofberger (p. 48), SFG (p. 51), Archiv Almhotel

Kinz Kommunikation

Hochhäderich (p. 52), Peter Mathis (p. 54),

Florian Aicher (p. 6–7, 66–67, 68–69, 72–74)

Lingenau Tourismus (p. 62), Peter Rohner (p.64),

Kurt Bracharz (p. 88–89)

Roswitha Natter (p. 68/93), VKW (p. 70), Markus Tretter (p. 74), Bregenzer Festspiele (p. 77),

Carthography:

Archiv Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg (p. 78),

Aries Werbegrafik-Design

Ludwig Berchtold (p. 58/59/85/91), Foto: Robert

Text and planning of hiking routes: Dr. Rudolf

Fessler. Copyright: Angelika Kauffmann Museum,

Berchtel

Schwarzenberg (p. 80), Hanno Metzler (p. 81),

© Land Vorarlberg für Geodaten

Riefensberg Tourismus (p. 82), Bruno Klomfar (p. 85), Archiv Gasthof Schwanen Bizau (p. 95), Maria-Anna

Data and prices subject to change. Typographical

Moosbrugger (p. 101), Krumbach Tourismus (p. 102),

errors cannot be excluded. Edition: February 2011

© Österreich Werbung (p. 103)

bregenzerwald

b rege n z e rwald

su m m er 2011

travel guide

Bregenzerwald Tourismus Mon – Fri: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat, bank holidays: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun: closed

su mm er 2011

Impulszentrum 1135 . 6863 Egg . Vorarlberg . Austria T +43 (0)5512 2365 . F +43 (0)5512 3010 info@bregenzerwald.at . www.bregenzerwald.at

Ideas and Addresses.

Your guide through the Bregenzerwald.