DEEP in a green velvet mountain valley, just before a packed Sunday morning Mass begins, a group of elderly men in dark suits are sitting together, enveloped in wispy clouds of sweet-smelling smoke from curly pipes, as they talk the talk of ages in an open-fronted shed outside Oberau’s 18th-century village church.
Later, at a high mountain food festival, a lively crowd of diners are washing down stew and beef soup with cold pilsners, as Johann Schönauer, the legendary local cheesemaker, has set up his stall alongside a band of visiting Bavarian men in dark blue naval uniforms, who are singing English sea shanties with the backing of an enthusiastic accordionist.
All the while, we hear that joyous tinkling of the brass bells hanging round the sturdy necks of the golden-brown milk cows, who are grazing contentedly as they tear up the lush meadow grass before sinking down for a cud-chewing slumber in the shadow of the surrounding mountains.
Sun sinking on Thierbach, the valley's tiniest villageThese are a few of the many timeless scenes we found in Wildschönau, a 15-mile valley sliced into the Austrian Tirol, where family, tradition, old-style charm, civility and centuries of fervent Catholicism are the pillars of daily life that greet the knowing travellers who return there every year.
In a country blessed with countless similar glacier-carved wonders, this is one that has escaped the rolling thunder of mass tourism; hugely popular for its varied mix of winter ski and toboggan slopes, during the snow-free seasons it transforms into a quiet magnet for hikers, cyclists, open-air swimmers and visitors who, like us, are keen to absorb its clean air, glorious alpine views and long-lost experiences.
A sunny day on top of MarkbachjochIts off-season tranquillity is a surprise, as it is so easy to reach. The journey for my partner and photographer Sue Mountjoy and me began with a two-hour direct easyJet flight from permanently manic London Gatwick to a contrastingly quiet and calming Innsbruck Airport. We arrived, after a pleasant one-hour taxi ride, at the Hotel Tirolerhof, our base for a few days of gentle wandering (locals have a name for it: ‘sanfter Tourismus’).
Little wonder reviewers call the traditional alpine property “a home from home”, as it felt as much when Martin Erharter (the second generation of his family to run the business) welcomed us warmly, along with his wife, Irmi, and their four children.
Happy cattle grazing in a high Wildsconau ValleyThat comforting feeling of “home” continued each day: at mealtimes when relaxed fellow guests chatted with us (often in perfect English), humorously about their local experiences; long-serving staff passing us the hotel’s daily “News Bulletin”, packed with jokes, weather, hiking and sightseeing tips; and Martin giving us insights into the quirkiest of nearby activities (although we didn’t manage to squeeze in one of his popular Beatles guitar sets, regretfully).
In many ways, the Erharters and the hotel reflect what is so special and rare about the valley and its 4,300 people, split between four low-rise, traditional villages whose seeds were planted almost 1,000 years ago by incoming Bavarian farmers, who introduced cattle and never left, sharing their little heaven with the first tourists in the 1960s, adapting to their needs but not at the expense of the beauty and traditions they preserve so fervently.
Sue pauses after heading up the valley from Niederau.Indeed, all the hotels are family-run, not managed or operated by one of those identikit international brands. The Tirolerhof has developed many modern offerings – including an indoor pool, spa and sauna – but has retained such Alpine charm as its rustic pine furniture, private wooden balconies with magnificent views, cosy lounge areas and hearty Tyrolean food.
And there is always that daily “feel” that Martin – or another family member – will greet you with a deliberately corny joke or some useful advice about that day’s cheese festival or the pretty one-hour Brook Promenade from Oberau to the next village, Niederau.
Beautiful ceiling art in Niederau churchIndeed, we took his advice regularly, heading for that festival where we met legendary local cheesemaker Johann Schönauer, as a visiting Bavarian male voice choir sang English sea shanties and we joined families in downing huge plates of that hearty Wildschönau favourite, Tiroler Gröstl (pan-fried potatoes topped with beef, onion and a fried egg).
Of course, in the alpine huts that we visited for lunches we just had to down a shot or two of the varied editions of Krautinger, a unique schnapps made only there from white turnips and distilled since the mid-18th century after Empress Maria Theresa granted the production rights to 51 local farmers, with 16 still making the clear and potent liquor with an unusual turnip-style aroma.
Morning mists swirl around the valleyWe also followed Martin’s tip to walk one of Austria’s most beautiful gorges, the easy Kundler Klamm, with the clear Wildschönau stream rushing through it, and a hot coffee and a heavenly warm apple strudel, straight from the oven, at the gasthaus on the way back.
In the surrounding peaks, there are hikes galore, some easy and others challenging, with ski lifts staying open (check off-season dates) for walking and sightseeing in Auffach and Niederau, the latter taking us up to the quaint Markbachjoch Chapel, at 5,000 feet, and sweeping views across the snow-topped Wilder Kaiser and Rofan mountains.
Cheers as James is forced to try Krautinger schnappsWe could have done much more, even in the quiet autumn using the Premium Card, which saves you money on cable cars, buses and admissions. I was tempted (but chickened out of) tandem paragliding. We might have watched the cheesemakers in action in Auffach (but meeting Johann covered that). We did visit the Holzmuseum to see the hundreds of amazing carvings (but it was closed because the owner was restoring his wooden apartment). And we just missed the Almabtrieb cattle drive festival, when cows covered in elaborate flower arrangements are brought safely down in autumn from their high summer pasture.
Inside the quaint Markbachjoch mountain-top chapelNone of that mattered because Wildschönau allows you to do absolutely nothing. Sit on your balcony and stare at the unhurried valley below. Walk to one of the historic local churches, grab a pew, and stare at the dreamy ceiling art; pop into a village hall if you hear one of the several brass bands practising (the welcome is wonderful).
And in your evenings, linger longer than necessary over the hearty local food you will be served. The three courses at the Tirolerhof were as welcome as a log fire after a bracing hike: fish, chicken, organic wild game and local beef from the nearby mountains, as well as berries, fruits, vegetables, broths and those ever-present handmade cheeses, coupled with regional wines and liqueurs.
If you are lucky, you might also be served up one of Martin’s corny quips, such as: “What is the biggest lie in the entire universe? … I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions?”
A rare “home from home” hotel in a valley that has truly stood the test of time.
The valley in focus
Wildschonau Valley’s natural and historic beauty was preserved by its geology, which contained far smaller traces of the silver and copper ores that caused the ugly boom and bust cycles in other Austrian alpine areas, including nearby Schwaz that attracted 22,000 miners and became the world’s richest extraction site in the 15th century.
Instead, despite some minor mining ventures, centuries of small-scale cattle farming prevailed across its wide and grassy valley meadows and high mountain pastures, funding the timber villages of today and a lifestyle built on ancient traditions and a conservative outlook that move with the speed of an alpine glacier.
That ‘accident’ of geography is a rare gift for visitors, who can enjoy a place which felled trees for traditional homes instead of whole forests for mine supports, still feeds cattle from unspoilt hay meadows instead of landscaped spoil heaps and is fiercely proud of its aura of timelessness.
FACT FILE
For information about the valley, including accommodation, festivals, hiking and major events, go to: www.wildschoenau.com Email: [email protected] Telephone +43 5339 8255
For cut-price airport parking and hotels, try Holiday Extras: go to www.holidayextras.com or call 0800 316 5678.
All images: Sue Mountjoy and Wildschönau Tourismus.
