Whilst we were marking time for a few days before meeting the 2 J’s, who were cycling up through Italy to liason with us at Lienz in southern Austria, we headed up the lower part of the famed Grossglockner Pass and stayed in the village of Heiligenblut in theNational Park of Hohe Tauern at a really peacefull campsite with only one other van for company. The village is a real picture postcard place with grass roofed buildings and a lovely spired church set on a hilltop.

After a rather cold night, (we were at 4,000ft. in early June ) we decided on a local walk the site warden had said about. It was to climax at the Gossnitzfall Waterfall after meandering along a nature trail complete with information boards so there was plenty to interest us. The area used to be a gold prospecting centre at one time, alongside the river (fed by the mountain snows ) were remains of water troughs that carried the gold rich waters to a nearby hut that housed a sifting arrangement.

After a couple of hours we reached the final steep climb upto the falls themselves. They are really impressive-throwing spray high into the air.

We had a spread-out lunch on some logs on the way down where we watched a bat flying around even though it was in bright sunshine.

On the trek back we came across some huge ant hills at least four feet high, alive with thousands of ants.

Through the trees we kept getting views of the mighty mountains including the magnificent Grossglockner itself, awesome.

In a few days we would be returning through this beautifull mountain village to take on the breathtaking drive over Grossglockner Hochalpenstasse.

See under Roads and Bridges for report………………………….