Thursday 10 July 2008

The hills are alive........!

Did I say we were going on holiday? Again?! For blogging break read holiday! After our wonderful holiday in Austria last autumn I really wanted to go back to see the flower meadows in the summer. Fortunately our friendly local coach company A & P Travel had decided to run a trip this summer so, as DH deserved a special treat for his 60th, we were the first to book on.
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If you look back here you can see some of the photos I took last year. We went to several of the places we went to last year so I won't repeat the photos here. We were based in the same hotel as before and it was lovely to see the family again.
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On the Sunday, with some encouragement from my DH and some friends, I took my courage in both hands and went in a cable car, yes, a cable car!!!!!, to the top of the Steinplatte mountain. This from a person who hates lifts and has sworn off the London Eye! Actually, apart from one or two colly wobbles when I looked down at the wrong moment (help, I want my mummy!), I really enjoyed it!!! The views were amazing so inevitably I was busy with the camera so I didn't have a lot of time to think about the drop below.

This is the village of Waidring spread out below.


Still on the way up, a view up a neighbouring valley towards Kitzbuhel of Ski Sunday fame.


You might recognise DH sorting out his lenses at the top.


This is the amazing view across not-quite-the -top of the Steinplatte. The actual top is a strenuous walk uphill which we left to younger, fitter people - on bikes!



There were a lot of these with lovely clunking bells ringing out when they moved, very atmospheric!
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We walked up here

and came to these amazing rocks which are popular with fossil hunters.

This beautiful specimen was in a large boulder at the side of the path - deliberately placed there? Not sure.

Gulp! What a tiny box! Don't think about it!!!

I got my wish to see beautiful flowers growing wild.

It's really difficult to photograph flowery banks below you!

These beautiful flowers were growing beside an artificial lake.
I'm not sure what this flower is called but I'm sure I've seen it growing in gardens.

My DH photographed this lovely little harebell which I missed. (I think it's a harebell. Please correct me if I'm wrong).

7 comments:

Gina said...

Lots of wonderful photographs Julie. Sounds like you had a good time.
Gina x

Anonymous said...

Hi Julie
Sounds as though you enjoyed yourself! Did you do a rubbing of the fossil? The flower you wondered about is a cornflower and the other which you thought was a harebell looks to me like a gentian - but I could be wrong there!
I haven't commented on your blog before - am more of a lurker - but always enjoy reading you.
Best regards, Barbara

silverpebble said...

Wow, stunning flower pics and the colours in that landscape - it looks as though you've enhanced the blue of the sky and green of the grass - gorgeous. Looks like a magical break. I like the shot of DH getting techie with his camera kit.

Mrs Moog said...

Gorgeous photos Julie and well done on summoning the courage to go in the cable car!!

xxxx

Dot said...

Oh...I feel transported to Austria Julie! What gorgeous photo's. And lovely countryside. I don't like cable cars either - you are so brave to go on one! The views look worth it though. Gorgeous wild flowers too.

I love seeing the places you visit.

sharon young said...

What a lovely post, Julie, even the air looks clear. Fantastic views from the cable car, and well done for being so determined to do it.
The flowers are beautiful!!

Julie said...

Hi Barbara, thank you so much for saying Hi here :) I wish I had done a rubbing of the fossil but very foolishly I didn't take any paper with me :(

Thank you for naming the flowers too. Yep I can see it is a cornflower now, thank you. I'm not too sure about the other one being a gentian tho as I thought gentians pointed upwards. I shall have to google gentian images and see what's there.

Thank you for coming out of lurkdom to leave me your lovely comments. :)