Sunday 6 October 2024

Two weeks hiking in South Tyrol


Shortly after returning from Club Triumph’s 10 Countries Run, I headed south into the mountains again. This time not for a driving, but for a walking holiday in my favourite area; the autonomous northern Italian province of South Tyrol. Time for the by now traditional photographic report of the various walks.

Day 1: Sankt Martin in Passeier – Sankt Leonhard
As in previous years we used the first few days to get used to walking in the steep terrain of the area. We started with a leisurely round walk from our hotel to the neighbouring village for lunch.

Public footpath marker to the ruins of the Jaufenburg,
Sankt Leonhard in Passeier.

Schmötzel, a farmstead directly underneath the ruins of the Jaufenburg,
Sankt Leonhard in Passeier.

Tearoom on the Kohlstatt in Sankt Leonhard in Passeier.

Floner, a typical farmstead on the slopes of the Passeiertal,
near Sankt Martin in Passeier

Mini self-service market belonging to the Floner farmstead.

Day 2: Sankt Martin in Passeier – Christl
The second day was also used to get into our stride. So another fairly easy walk along the slopes of the Passeiertal

One of the many remembrance shrines in the area,
and a sober reminder of the dangers of the mountains.
Egger Sankt Martin in Passeier


Old farmstead, Egger Sankt Martin in Passeier

Day 3: Seeber Tal
A lovely walk through the secluded but always beautiful Seeber Tal. Though there were some deep snow fields left by the weekends heavy snow fall

Parking area Seeber Alm

The Gurgler Kamm seen from the Seeber Alm

View across the Seeber Alm with the Timmelsjoch
and the Stubaier Alps in the background

On the Seeber Alm

Pointing the way around the Seeber See


The Obere Glaneggalm with the Gurgler Kamm in the background

Day 4: Faltmar Tal
A circular walk starting from Pfelders over the Karalm into the secluded Faltmartal

The flank of the Kreuzjoch seen from across the valley, Karalm Pfelderer Tal

Footbridge over the Pfelderer Bach, Bergkristall Moos

View along the Pfelderer Bach with some peaks of the Texel Gruppe in the background,
Hinterstein Pfelders

Day 5: Matatzspitze
Last year I abandoned the final ascend to the summit of the 2178m¹ high Matatzspitze overlooking Sankt Martin. This was due to the rather poor weather conditions at the time. Luckily this year the weather conditions were much better, enabling us to reach the summit without any problems. It was well worth the effort!

View from the Ulfaser Alm on the Hohe Kreuzspitze and the Anger Mahder

View from the Matatzspitze. Looking south along the Passeier Tal towards Meran

View from the northern flank of the Matatzspitze over the northern part of the Passeier Tal
and the Jaufen Pass, with the Stubaier Alpen in the background

In the woods above the Ulfaser Alm

Enjoying a well deserved beer back at our hotel!

Day 6: Timmels Alm
A very nice but also rather demanding walk towards the „Große Timmler Schwarzsee“ high up the Timmels Alm

Typical public footpath marker. Not brilliant when there is a lot of snow around!

Shelter overlooking the Oberkrumpwasser

The meanders of the Oberkrumpwasser and the source of the Passer River

The „Große Timmler Schwarzsee“ high up the Timmels Alm
 at an altitude of 2505 m¹ asl

View from the Timmels Alm towards the Seeber Tal and the Gurgler Kamm

Overlooking the Oberkrumpwasser from the Timmels Alm

Day 7: Sankt Martin in Passeier – Magdfeld
A local walk from our hotel into the Kalm Tal towards the small hamlet of Magdfeld

Glamitz, another typical farmstead up the steep slopes of Kalmtal

One of many road crucifixes. This one is situated on a crossroads in the woods near Seeber, Kalmtal

The view from Gruber into the Passeier Tal

The view from Gruber into the Kalmtal

Day 8: A lazy Sunday in Sankt Martin in Passeier
It was party time in the village, as they celebrated getting a new priest for their parish. And one from the own village! So we decided on a lazy Sunday, enjoying the festivities

Hotel Pfandler Alm in Sankt Martin in Passeier

Garberweg Sankt Martin in Passeier

Open-air mass for the parishioners in the village square of Sankt Martin

Always easy to find the musicians of local “Muzikkapellen”, Gasthaus Lamm Mitterwirt!

The people of Sankt Martin gathering in the village square for the festive procession to the festival grounds

Die Musikkapelle von Sankt Martin in Passeier heading the procession towards the “Festwieße”

Day 9: Above the Zufrittsee
A circular walk along the head of the Martelltal and above the Zufrittsee

The “Zufall Hütte” towering over the head of the Martelltal

On the meadows “Paradies am Cevedale” above the Zufrittsee

View across the Zufrittsee

Day 10: Urweg Jaufenkamm
Walking part of the Urweg Jaufenkamm between the Römerkehre and the Glaitner Joch. The views again were fantastic

Parking area near the Römerkehre, Jaufen Straße

Obscured by clouds. View across the Passeiertal from the Fleckneralm on the Jaufenkamm

A view from the Rinner Sattel, with the Waltental in the foreground,
and the Passeier Tal in the background obscured by clouds

On the Jaufenkamm between the Fasnachter and the Fleckner,
with the Ratschingstasl in the background

Spoilt for choice were to go to, Glaitner Joch

The Passeier Tal again obscured by clouds, Glaitner Joch

Day 11: Pfelderer Tal
A walk through the Pfelderer Tal, from Pfelders over the Karalm and the Faltschnalalm towards Lazins and back to Pfelders.

The flank of the Kreuzjoch partially obscured by clouds.
Seen from across the valley, Karalm Pfelderer Tal

View across the Pfelderer Tal from the Panoramaweg

View across the Pfelderer Tal from the Faltschnalalm

Day 12: Meran
The weather forecast for this day had been rather wet all week so we decided to take the bus to the spa city of Meran. More tourists had the same idea, so it was rather crowded. And as this city has been extensively covered in previous posts the camera got an easy day!

Overlooking Meran from the Tappeiner Promenade

Away from the rush in the small alleyways east of the much more crowded city centre,
Passeier Gasse Meran

Day 13: Sankt Martin in Passeier – Sankt Leonhard
The weather forecast for our final day was also rather wet. So the last walk was a leisurely affair to Sankt Leonhard for lunch. This way we would be back in our hotel with a few hours left to pack up everything for the journey home. It turned out the weather forecast wasn’t quite accurate. At least it spot on, so the camera again didn’t see much action!

The Schildhof Steinhaus, a fortified farm house,
overlooking Sankt Martin in Passeier

The Jaufenkam and Sankt Leonhard in Passeier obscured by clouds,
Moar Sankt Martin in Passeier

Clouds drifting in towards the Jaufenkam, Moar Sankt Martin in Passeier

Gasthaus Lamm Mitterwirt
The restaurant where we spent most evenings. 
Good food & drinks and friendly staff. What more do you need!