We left late for our mountain at midday on a warm, short shirt sleeve day. We were feeling great. Up the river which had already lost most of its wildness but still had that lovely sound that only fast flowing rocky rivers can make as the water hits a boulder then crashes, the steeper the river the deeper the sound. The mountain began with a gentle slope as we followed our river upstream. The stream was coming up so slightly as we began now to go more steeply so 15 minutes on we only knew where it was by its bubbling sound.

It was getting a lot steeper now but we were feeling good. We had preventative atrial fibrillation breaks, low blood pressure water stops, carbohydrate energy spells and shady rests. This was all on very steep ground. We then turned onto what are usually very safe leaf paths but these were wet and underneath was wet clay. We slipped a little, and then came the rocks which I tested for firmness and they were good, but it was the wet clay that bothered us mostly. I was also thinking of the way down, which later did prove to be more dangerous even if we were going at “might break a bone if we fall rate”. 

I did so want to climb this one mainly so I could view the Alps but it was not to be. I remember on my last days in Vietnam prior to coming home, every cracked twig was the sound of someone stepping on a mine and every squeak was a booby trap. None of that here I’ve been told but I was happy turning back, so was Corrie.

We had lunch where the small waterfall river crossed our track, said hello to a 50 year old German woman (I’m getting away with these random guesses). I know in English it is hello, and I hear the Germans say hullo but I have a feeling it is hallo and the “a” is pronounced like a “u” because there are two dots above the “a”?

Back down our favourite dry leaf laden track with mossy trees looking down on a steep rocky river so very, very far below with a bunch of tiny waterfalls spilling out of their rocky half-way homes. On the way we met our landlady and her dog. Brigitte is delightful as is her dog Ofra whom I’m sure is happy to get away from one of the other guests (a snappy little dog that snaps at her). 

As we were talking to Brigite, her favourite path as well, we started talking about sunrises. I showed her the ones I sent you and she was thrilled when she saw her friend and her Border Collie dog in one of the photos and indicated she may like it, so I’ll make sure she at least sees it before we head off tomorrow on our way to the largest and tallest German mountain. It’s name is Zugspitze massif which is also the tallest of the Wetterstein Mountains of the Alps. Its home is  Garmisch-Partenkirchen and for three nights it will also be ours.