For logistical reasons we are staying 2 nights here at Leutkirche Hütte. Makes it easier to escape off the mountain and catch a train back to Garmisch tomorrow. 

 Sleeping in a Mattraslager is always too hot, too noisy, blighted with snorers or just uncomfortable. So we tend to be up and about by 7:00am every morning. Today we took our time because we planned an out and back walk to the next hut. No packs! Fantastic. 

 Beautiful walk in beautiful weather. Stopped for a snow fight. Challenged Liam to hit my camera from 20m. He did unfortunately!!  

  On arrival at Kaeserjochhaus we indulged in kuchen and drinks. Good alternative to lunch. Like rock rabbits we lazed in the sun for ages before heading back. Guy was half crippled with a sore knee so he opted for the same route back.  

  Liam and I set off on an extended alternative route which involved plenty of down hill and eventually a long climb back up.  

 Accidentally got down to civilisation and landed in the midst of a Bavarian type Sunday afternoon on a farm. Men in trad outfits, lederhosen, Tyrolean hats and girls wearing Dirndls. And the live music. Very nice. 

 Liam however was in dire straits with running itchy eyes, sneezing etc. Not surprising with all the flowers at this lower level. A long climb up the mountain again, arriving back by 17:30.   Liam’s new friend: rabbit. 

  I love the evening meals here; everything has meat in it however so the boys have been opting for the bergsteigeressen which is like the house meal of the day. Trouble is that is usually spaghetti bolognaise – I think they are sick of that now! To celebrate our last night in the mountain we had kaeserschmarren which is like chopped pancake with apple sauce. Yum.   

Whiled away time with guitar and cards. Possible thunderstorm and rain later so could be a wet climb down to St Anton tomorrow. What timing perfection.

While I was prancing through the daisies yesterday, the boys took the shorter high route. Afterwards they informed me that it was not more difficult than anything we had done previously. “What about the 125m of vertical ledge” I enquired. “No problem” said Guy, it was a well worn ledge. “Actually…” said Liam, “it was a bit narrow, I had to place one foot in front of the other”

Enough said. I made the right decision.

  
After our minimalist breakfast of bread, jam and coffee (since we not big on meat and cheese at breakfast) we were on the road by 8:00am. Everything feels much easier now I.e. the scale of pain is less. Climbed a ridge & descended to an Alm where an enterprising high altitude cattle farmer sold us drinks.  

 After reading the write up which described the climb ahead as unsuitable for anyone with vertigo, I made the decision to take a lower and longer route. The boys however were undeterred and more than happy to climb a peak which included a shuffle along an unprotected narrow edge (no rope) with a huge drop below. Right decision for me – no pressure to catch up now, I ambled along for the next few hours taking photos and surrounded by flowers everywhere.  

 En-route I found another cattle farm at Boden Alm where I got really great home-made sausage, sauerkraut, mustard & bread. Delicious.   So far I had been getting on fine with my German, but some dialects are hard to follow. Maybe just country folk.    

  The overall trade off for my wimpy detour was that I eventually had to make a long detour and an 800m vertical climb to get to Leutkirche Hütte (2251m)  

 where the boys were already waiting. A leisurely afternoon was spent at the hut, indoors this time since a chilly wind was blowing off the snow. Plenty of card games followed. . and huge maths discussions 

  Really hungry these days and couldn’t wait until dinner at around 18:00.

Another night in the Mattraslager…….. communal sleeping can sometimes be interesting!  Being Saturday night, a number of folk had made this a weekend Jaunt, so much partying and noise (them, not us)