GROSSGLOCKNER HOCHALPENSTRASSE

This magnificent alpine road built in 1935, 48 km one way and costing 36-50 euros by car is probably the best experience of high mountain roads I've ever experienced. A joy from start to finish, we took 8 hours in glorious sunshine. An explosion of senses, nature at its very best and proving that " economic interests and technical endeavor need not destroy a landscape" the photos don't do it justice, sorry for overload!

START OF GROSSGLOCKNER

EDELWEISS SPITZE, HIGHEST VANTAGE POINT

MARMOTS

GROSSGLOCKNER PEAK AND PASTERZE GLACIER

SWAROVSKI OBSERVATORY WITH TELESCOPES TO SEE CLIMBERS ON GROSSGLOCKNER

TWO OLD MEN

HEILIGENBLUT

                                                      OH WHAT A PERFECT DAY !

KAPRUN AUSTRIA.

Short drive to Kaprun nearer to Grossglockner range for a couple of days, drove through Zell am See, a small busy town with lake which we did think about staying in but glad we came to quieter Kaprun. Our aim from here is to drive the Grossglcokner High Alpine Road tomorrow.

CAMPING ZUR MUHLE IN KAPRUN

KAPRUN

DESPERATE FOR COLD DRINKS WE GOT THESE FROM SUPERMARKET AND HAD TO LUG THEM BACK TO SITE AFTER WALKING INTO CENTRE., ONE WAS NEARLY EMPTY BY TIME WE GOT BACK

INSIDE KAPRUN CHURCH

LOFER HIKE TO STROHWOLLNER SCHLUCHT AND IWONSKIHUTTE.DAY 2 - KEHLSTEIN HAUS (EAGLE'S NEST)

A cloudy misty sea fret type of day, we waited till lunch time to start our walk, 3 hours round trip, all up to about 3400 ft then all down, but some lovely falls and a great view at the hutte and the hot sun came out.

We ate out at the restaurant on the campsite, it was delicious!

A CLOUDY DAY

                                  STROHWOLLNER SCHLUCHT

                                                    IWONSKIHUTTE

A lovely meal in the campsite restaurant at the end of a lovely day

DAY TWO

We set off early for the hour's drive to Berchtesgaden and either a bus trip up to Eagle's Nest or walk up....guess what we chose! The walk was great hardly no one on it and a logging road easy to walk on, just 2 hours of uphill and 2897 ft, then 15 minutes to the final top which most people took a high speed elevator cut into the rock. We came down that way and used the bus back. Views at the top were superb, temperature in valley bottom was around 30oC but more pleasant up in the mountains.

The infamous “Eagle's Nest” or “Hitler's Teahouse as it is also known.

Kehlstein Haus as the Germans now call it was presented to Hitler on his 50^th birthday by Martin Bormann says one book another source says its not true. Hitler, however, seldom visited as he considered the trip there too risky as one book says another states he spent time here!!

Having narrowly escaped destruction at the end of World War 11, the building is now preserved in its original form as a restaurant and a reminder of the dark days of National Socialism.

                                    WALK UP

I ASKED A MAN WHO HAD AN EXPENSIVE CAMERA TO TAKE OUR PHOTO OF THE CROSS! NEVER TRUST A MAN WITH A FANCY CAMERA

ROY'S SUPERB PHOTO OF THE CROSS!

KONIGSSEE IN DISTANCE

SPOT ROY

EAGLES NEST

THE HIGH SPEED HUGE LIFT

TUNNEL LEADING TO LIFT

THE TUNNEL AND EAGLES NEST ABOVE

VIEW FROM BUS ON WAY DOWN HAIRY ROAD!