Distance: 21.3km (268.0km), time spent: 8:46.
Weather: Slightly overcast, blue patches, some rain.
This night I had the best sleep so far on Der Traumpfad, and I contribute that both to the efforts of yesterday and the bed I was sleeping in. Breakfast is served in the dining room. Everything looks old here, and I hope it stays that way too, for it is so wonderful. A good breakfast it is too. It is well worth the walk down here to stay at this place (Gasthof Stein) for sure.
Leaving Stein in the morning I have first to go a little bit down, before I can start walking up again.
After walking a little on a road (not paved), the trail leaves the road and goes on a forest path where it crosses the Filtuidenbach river on a footbridge seen below.
It is also a wide range of what the other hikers here are planning for. Enrique says he has some trouble with his feet and wants to take a rest day and will take the bus down to a nearby town, for then to continue tomorrow. Understandable, but it is still a decision I understand little of, as the weather forecast for tomorrow is awful, which will make the hike over the Gliderschartl pass a lot more taxing on the feet. I recommend him to do the walk today and instead take a rest day tomorrow, but he will not listen. Dieter and Karin are uncertain about climbing over the Gliderschartl at all and will probably take a bus around. Werner will go to Pfunders as I will, I had seen him earlier on some of the huts, but had not gotten to talk to him until yesterday. The last couple will return back home.
Wiener Neustatt, an old mountain farm not in use anymore.
Being in Italy it is easy to think the Dolomites, which Der Traumpfad undoubtedly pass through, but I am not there yet. I am still in the Zillertal Alps. From Stein to Pfunders, the main attraction is of course the aforementioned pass, but I have been promised that the remaining walk is of the surprisingly pleasant kind. It is all descent from the pass. To get there though, I have some climbing to do.
The beautiful Gliderbach valley.
Looking back at a spot near the Gliderbach river.
To get into the Gliderbach valley from Stein, I have to first walk up the valley on a forest road before reaching a tiny parking lot, where the trail continues on a footpath. Mostly in the forest, the path goes down to and crosses over a stream on a footbridge. All around are signs of landslides. The path then slowly climbs up to the remains of an old mountain farm, Wiener Neustatt, it is a long time since anyone used those buildings as a farm. In modern times, it is a place that would have been called romantic, but back in those days the farm was in use, I guess living here was quite hard.
Wonderful view from Mahdbichl over the Gliderbach valley and the high mountains behind (Olperer hidden in the clouds).
Slowly afterwards, the path goes through a scenery opening up and then Gliderbach lies before my eyes. The valley is simply put quite stunning, especially if you are fond of high alpine pastures. This is a valley you want to lie down in the grass in, with a straw between your teeth. The back of the valley is where you know the going gets serious, but first I walk through the valley next to the river with the same name as the valley. It is a lovely walk. Further in front of me, I can see other people moving, Martina and Werner for sure.
Looking up at the steep climb ahead of me to the Gliderschartl pass.
Looking down towards Enberg, where Der Traumpfad will go after descending from Gliderschartl.
When the climbing begins, it is not at first up towards Gliderschartl, but up to what is called Mahdbichl. At this point, I have overtaken Werner, who starts earlier than me, but walks far slower (nothing wrong with that). The views back down the valley with the high mountains behind are worth savoring. Still in view, the Pfitscher Joch pass. Mahdbichl is a good place to take a break, before starting the real climb, with great views of the Hochfeiler and nearby glacier as well as the valley below and behind. Werner soon turns up and sit down next to me.
Looking at the Tux Crest from afar, Olperer shrouded by clouds, but Gefrorene-Wand-Spitzen is just visible to the right. Wonderful mountain views.
And then it is all stones, rocks and steep inclines as the path heads up towards the Gliderschartl. Martina is making her way high up above me. On the other side of the valley I can see a path winding its way, it is the path leading up to the tallest peak in the Zillertal Alps, Hochfeiler (3510m). A few hikers are moving on the path, both up and down. There is also an Alpine hut up there, the Hochfeiler Hütte. When I have come high up, I take a look down. Werner is nowhere to be seen, which is strange, as I know he started walking again shortly after I did. I wait for quite a while, beginning to wonder if something has happened, but eventually I can see him coming around a crest a long way down below.
At the summit of Nando (at least according to the gipfelkreuz). In the background is the tallest mountain in the Zillertal Alps, Hochfeiler at 3510m.
From the Gliderschartl pass, 2644m, the views are as expected from a high mountain pass. In the distance, Olperer is wrapped in by clouds, but Hochfeiler is still standing clear. One of the few signposts with 'München - Venedig' written on it are found at the top of the pass. I spot a cross on a minor summit above me and there goes my curiosity off the charts again. Leaving my backpack on the ground a little away from the pass, I set forth to climb it.
Another tremendous view above the Gliderschartl pass, Olperer is still shy behind the clouds.
After climbing all the way up to Gliderschartl, this is an easy extension to make. From the summit at 2772m, the views are tremendous and far better than down at the pass. Here I can get a better view of the continuation of the trail down the Engberg valley below. The cross at the top looks fragile though. I do not know the name of this summit, it is unnamed on my map, but on the cross it says Nando. Rain is coming in from the south.
At Gliderschartl pass with view of Hochfeiler and the nearby glaciers.
Der Traumpfad took some time getting into its tune, its rhythm and its stride, but when it did, it did so with panache. A little down from the Gliderschartl pass, I find the alpine Grindlberger lake, with bog cotton fluttering before its shores. Through green grass, the path descends down to the Obere Engbergalm, with clouds darkening above. Marmots runs around at the sides of the path.
Grindlberger with a sea of bog cotton in front.
Obere Engbergalm, a mountain farm that also sells refreshments, I can sit outside on a table and enjoy my lunchpaket. Then it starts to rain and they invite me to sit in shelter underneath a staircase. Werner arrives and I share the bench and table with him. Grey veils of rain coming at intervals over the Wurmaulspitze or Cima di Valmala. Eventually sunlight breaks through the train and Werner and I start preparing to go.
Obere Engbergalm, a friendly place to take some refreshments after descending from the Gliderschartl. Werner about to leave as sun shines after a rain shower has passed by.
On the way down Enberg, with cows grazing around and Wurmaulspitze stands towering behind.
Walking down is lovely, the path meandering its way on a gravel track through alpine pastures. Goose and cows crosses over the track or stand still looking at us as we try to pass by. Small mountain farms and cabins stands quietly near the track. It is a beautiful alpine valley, with a gushing stream running through the midst of it. Closer to Dun, the river drops down into a gully next to the path with us walking higher above it. Rain begins to drip from the sky again.
A wonderfully pleasant walk down the alpine valley passing by Untere Engbergalm on the way.
Dun is a small and very scenic community with small farms and houses scattered around. From Dun it is possible to take the road all the way down to Pfunders, but that would be a depressing idea. In the coming and going rain, the trail takes on a wonderful old engineered track, going higher up above the valley floor. Religious icons lines up the path, the path goes on a track almost carved into the cliffsides on a built-up boardwalk. And the sun starts shining again. After some time of walking, with the last section of the walk going through a forest, we emerge out into a view of the valley with Pfunders directly below us.
Walking through the Weitenberg Tal, high above the Weitenbergbach river.
Approaching Dun, a scattered settlement.
In Pfunders, I stay at the Albergo Brugger. I share a room with Martina and Werner. It is a nice and friendly place. While it is raining outside, I eat dinner together with Martina, underneath the safety of a parasol. We are both aware that it is predicted far more rain tomorrow. However, that stage is not supposed to be as challenging or interesting as the last stages. The dinner taste good (schnitzel with a groovy mushroom gravy).
After Dun the trail went on a good engineered path above the valley bottom, sometimes on a boardwalk passing by religious icons and altars on the way.
A great view of Dun with sunshine peering through the rain.
Another great day of hiking behind me. Highlights of the day was the beautiful Gliderbach valley, the climb up with the views from the Nando summit (name used as a reference to the text) and the lovely walk down to Pfunders past Dun.
Werner and I approaching Pfunders below.
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