The Karnischer Hohenweg. John Hayes

      Austrian hut cuisine

      It sounds like a cliché but the food just across the border (at Wolayersee there is an Austrian hut and an Italian hut within 200 metres of each other) improves dramatically. The full range of rustic Italian food becomes available – antipasti, pasta and rich main courses – and there is suddenly a choice of wine. The Rifugio Marinelli is my favourite hut anywhere in the Alps and serves wonderful food (restaurant standard), with an emphasis on friendliness rather than efficiency.

      The two farmhouse stays are also wonderful – one (the Straniger Alm) is in Austria and the other (Casera Pramosio) in Italy – and they both win awards for cheese. Although I preferred the Austrian cheese, the food in the Italian farmhouse was particularly good, especially the breakfast. (Be warned that at Casera Pramosio they speak no English, and apparently few Italians understand their local dialect. The staff at Rifugio Marinelli will help you if you want to book ahead.)

      Mountain Gasthof or Gasthaus accommodation represents a very broad spectrum, ranging from small hotels or inns to something altogether more primitive – primitive even compared to the mountain huts.

Budget

      A reasonable rule of thumb is to budget 50–60 euros a day, although this depends on what you choose to eat and drink rather than the type of accommodation. There is little difference between the cost of a small hotel and a mountain hut, although sleeping in large and sometimes noisier hut dormitories can be cheaper.

      All the huts recommended are owned by the Austrian or Italian Alpine Clubs, so Club members get a discount. If you’re British, the simplest option is to join the British section of the Austrian Alpine Club – the fee includes insurance. (See contact details in Appendix C.)

What to take

      The golden rule is to take only what is needed. Weight is a key consideration and the greater the load, the bigger the strain on the body, particularly the knees. Weigh everything and restrict the total load (excluding water) to no more than 6kg.

      When packing, prepare for wet and cold weather; snow, particularly above 2000m, is not unusual. In addition to good quality waterproofs, pack a fleece or a lightweight down jacket, a warm hat and gloves. If your gloves are precious, then a pair of old gloves to protect the hands on the cable stretches could also be packed.

      Hopefully, the ‘problem’ will be the sun rather than cold and wet so make sure you have a brimmed hat, high factor sunscreen, lip salve and sunglasses. With any luck, the cold- and wet-weather gear will stay at the bottom of your rucksack, and shorts and T-shirts will be the order of the day. For emergencies, carry a head torch (also useful in the huts during ‘lights out’), a whistle and a compact first aid kit.

      For the huts, as well as personal toiletries, pack a lightweight towel, a sheet sleeping bag and earplugs. Outdoor shoes aren’t allowed in huts; although indoor shoes are provided, you may still need to carry some sort of lightweight shoes for use in hotels and when travelling.

      This guide describes food options for each day’s walking. There is usually somewhere to stop for refreshments but emergency rations and snacks should be carried. Everyone will have their own emergency ration solution but a bar of chocolate hidden at the bottom of the rucksack (out of the sun and to avoid temptation) is mine. Walkers usually fill their water bottles in the huts, and there is no charge for this.

      A comfortable rucksack is an essential item but it’s more likely to be comfortable if the total load is only 6–7kg. It needs a waterproof cover. Stuff bags within the rucksack might also help; they hardly weigh anything and impose a bit of order when things are getting packed in the morning.

      Footwear should also be light. Remember that 1kg on your feet is equivalent to 4kg on your back. Heavy boots, in particular, should be avoided. Many walkers (me included) have abandoned boots altogether for summer walking, opting for ‘approach shoes’ or fellrunning trainers instead. Lightweight footwear means feet stay cooler, skin is less likely to blister and you can walk further without getting tired.

Routefinding

      The Karnischer Höhenweg is well waymarked and, providing the weather is reasonable, finding your way is easy. Generally the path follows route 403, a route defined both in terms of local signs and relevant paper maps. Signposts are positioned at each significant junction and pass, and between the signposts there are marks (red, white, red – the Austrian flag) painted on rocks or (when crossing a meadow) on poles.