Wednesday 17 September 2025 - The Seeben Waterfall

Our last morning in Ehrwald (I'm reporting from Munich airport) was spent on this easy stroll from Hotel Sonnenspitze up to a view of the Seeben waterfall, which is in a quiet phase. 

From the hotel, the route soon leaves the road and heads steeply up to the meadow in which Sue is pictured above. 

The path slowly climbs, crossing and re-crossing the Geissbach stream.

Autumn colours are just about in evidence, certainly more so than when we arrived ten days ago.

The forest paths lead to a meadow from which the waterfall is seen in the distance. 

We didn't go much further than the next picture. We had been advised not to get too close as climbers on the via ferrata have a tendency to accidentally dislodge rocks.

After watching the climbers for a while we returned on a different path that gave the profile of the walk a lollipop appearance. 

There are lots of information boards and playthings to entertain children who enjoy the short walk from the nearby cablecar car park.

On the descent, near the car park, the woodland was full of small birds. A goldcrest came within a few metres, and there may also have been firecrests. Crested tits and their relations - coal tits, great tits and more - also came very close to us, ignoring us as they flitted about looking for food. A dipper was foraging in the stream. 

There were lots of different fungi on view, including this Coral fungus. 

Our 'flowers and fungi' page will be updated later.

We passed a sign encouraging walkers to pause and paddle knee deep in the stream. They even provide a handrail.

We were back in plenty of time for our bus at the start of the journey home, having walked about 7.7km and ascended about 250 metres. Here's the route, it took us two and a half hours.

Tuesday 16 September 2025 - Wolfratshauser Hütte and the Hidden Valley

We left the Hotel Sonnenspitze, pictured above, and tried to board several buses, eventually succeeding in getting a number 2 bus to the Grubigsteinbahn at Lermoos. By 'we' I mean me and Sue, Fiona and Kate, and Alistair and Angie. We were to enjoy a good day together. 

We took the gondola to the middle station and started our walk there, briefly up a gravel track before taking to a steep, narrow path in the forest.

After a while we reached the Wolfratshauser Hütte, where we enjoyed welcome drinks, once the coffee making machine had been persuaded to work. 

Fiona needed a rest room and mistakenly reached for the kitchen door. The guardian showed a good sense of humour  - "No, not there, no shit in my kitchen." (As if she would have!)

There was cloud over Zugspitze and nice flowers in the hut's window boxes. Above us, a golden eagle was being mobbed by a raven.

From here a narrow path ascended a little before diving into the depths of the forest on a steep, slimy route with some exposure and some wires to hold on to.

Eventually we reached an open meadow with much evidence of  cattle but none actually there.

Soon we could see Gartner Alm, and lots of cattle.

We felt no need to seek further refreshments so carried on down a gravel track to a good picnic bench for lunch.

Looking back from just below the Alm, the rock band above us showed an interesting strata.

Near the picnic bench, high mountains appeared out of the cloud.

Lower down, after a shortcut through steep forest, and after Sue had been attacked by a Four Spot Orb Weaver, two witches 🧙‍♂️ 🧙‍♀️ were found on a giant broomstick.

After another shortcut (actually before our encounter with the witches and not taken by Alistair and Angie), we came across a lazy sheep and two goats.

Soon we were back in Lermoos and enjoying the flowery buildings before catching a bus back to Ehrwald on which Alistair and Angie were already installed. 

With Zugspitze in cloud we felt we had made the best of the day.

The route we took was Collett's M1 route, shortened to 9.7km and 474 metres ascent by way of the shortcuts taken after Gartner Alm.

Monday 15 September 2025 - Zugspitze and Grubigstein

On a lovely sunny day, Sue and I joined various others for the ascent of Zugspitze, 2962 metres. The cablecar runs every 20 minutes and holds up to 100 passengers. There weren't that many today.

This next series of photos was taken whilst spending a couple of hours in what amounts to a small village, including bars, restaurants and a museum, at the top of the mountain.

L-R: Martin, Sue, Kate, Fiona, Angie and Alistair.

The top is shown here. Only Sue was brave enough to visit it. She was apparently surrounded by I'll equipped grockles. 

A glass floor was a little unnerving. 

The descent, after coffees and Squaredle, offered a fine view down to the Zugspitze Arena.

Here's the view from the bottom of the hill.

A ten minute bus ride then took us (Sue, Kate, Fiona and me) across the Arena to the two Grubig gondola rides that took us to over 2000 metres, with fine views towards the Zugspitze massif and elsewhere.

We stopped for tea and snacks about 350 metres from the top station.

A paraglider set off towards the arena.

More photos were taken while Sue stormed to a cross that overlooked our position.

Meanwhile, I wrote up yesterday's diary entry and the girls pottered about in awe of the magnificent scenery. 

I tried 'portrait' mode with limited success.

The next picture is in normal photo mode.

More flower pictures - Harebell and others - were taken today and they will feature on the recent 'Flower' posting.

What a brilliant day! Paid for by way of our 10-day Z tickets (€135 each), which have provided a good saving over the standard charges.