High moor hike at the Hörnle Pass — Kleinwalsertal for nature lovers

Today we had two options: 1. sit on the balcony and count the raindrops, or 2. go outside anyway. Of course, we chose the second option and took the bus to the start from Schwende Bergblick. Lo and behold, it was only light rain, which soon stopped 🤗. A beautiful trail, Hörnlepass high moor, and our first rest stop at Alpe Hinterenge I. It rained again, but we were well protected under large umbrellas. The homemade cake looked very tempting, but we had a good breakfast. After 10 minutes, the rain stopped, and we could continue. The trail winds along the mountain, then descends to the Breitach River, which we followed for a while and enjoyed the suspension bridge. Shortly after, we crossed the Breitach River, and after a short climb (11%), we reached Riezlern. https://www.kleinwalsertal.com/de/blog/perlen-des-kleinwalsertals-die-moore~71

Our first tour in Kleinwalsertal with sun and cumulus clouds with a great view of the surrounding mountains, some of which are still covered in snow.....

Very beautiful hike through the raised moors in the small Walsertal. A delight when the meadows and orchids are in bloom.

The view is simply fantastic. The landscape is beautiful, too. But about 70% of the route is "pavement" and extremely tiring. A shame. It might be nice for e-bikes, but not for hikers. Probably the most beautiful section along the Breitach River was closed due to rockfall, and I had to change my plans.

A very scenic tour through the raised moorland at the Hörnle Pass, with stunningly beautiful flower meadows. You walk along mountain roads, meadow and forest paths, and a short trail, offering fantastic views of the Kleinwalsertal mountains (unfortunately, it was a bit hazy at times today, which impaired visibility). Along the route, you pass several alpine pastures and mountain inns; a detour to the rustic Osterbergalpe, in a prominent location with panoramic views, is definitely worthwhile. The last part of the hike leads along the rushing Breitach River, where several pools invite you to cool off. Highly recommended.

Hey and hello from beautiful Vorarlberg, where I'm going autumn hiking with Lisa @Abenteuermomente in the next few days! 🍁😊 The first region we tackled was the Kleinwalsertal and set off directly from Riezlern-Schwende on a cross-border moor hike. I'm really excited to finally be on tour in the mountains again and I'm completely in my element after the first few meters, when we're accompanied by the loud tinkling of cowbells. Scottish highland cattle greet us as we hike towards the Hörnle Pass with a view of Höfats and Hochvogel. Without really noticing, we cross the German-Austrian border and first admire the impressive, over 600 year old sycamore trees here. They already look so pretty and rustic, what would it be like a few weeks later when they shine in the most beautiful autumn colors? Some cows vehemently block our path at the Hörnle Pass, which gives us a beautiful mountain panorama over the peaks of the Kleinwalsertal. Luckily, everyone is more than deeply relaxed and simply shares their mountain happiness with us. 😉 By the way, we are hiking through the largest moor area in the Kleinwalsertal, which was created after the end of the Ice Age around 10,000 to 15,000 years ago. Numerous rare animal and plant species find their habitat here. What particularly fascinates us are the slightly reddish berry bushes and types of moss. Once again I realize why autumn has always been my absolute favorite season for hiking.🤩 Our way back to Riezlern finally takes us along the Breitach. Back on Austrian soil, we follow the mountain river babbling loudly next to us, which is a real natural spectacle with its rapids and rock formations. At the end, another highlight awaits us on the hanging path below the Schwende Bridge. Between rock and water we follow the wonderful path through the gorge, but unfortunately we now have to take a step forward. It was already getting dark when we saw the first Riezlern houses again. For this very cozy and relaxed round in the Ifen European Conservation Area, we parked directly in Schwende at the small parking lot at the Mariendank chapel. You can also easily reach the tour by public transport (Walserbus stop Riezlern Schwendebrücke). You can check the best connections using the VVV route planner: https://www.vmobil.at/ And here you can find the detailed blog article about my autumn hiking tour through Vorarlberg - including overnight tips: https://www.couchfug.de/vorarlberg-wandern/

Lots of asphalt, beautiful views. The final stretch along the Breitach River makes up for all the asphalt 😉

Unfortunately no sun today, but wonderful fresh snow! 👏 On the Hörele (the Walser people call the Hörnle Pass that way) along through beautiful nature towards the border with Germany and down to the Breitachklamm. Unfortunately, shortly before the finish, the path to the gorge was closed due to a landslide. So a little detour was unavoidable.