A taste of austria

When I go hiking, I usually stash an egg sandwich and a satsuma in my backpack. Mountain walking in Austria’s Paznaun region calls for a different checklist.

Sturdy boots – tick, sunscreen – tick, brimmed hat – tick, huge appetite – tick.

Paznaun is a Genuss Region Österreich (Austrian Pleasure Zone) known for excellent cheese, ham and sausages, and is a paradise for foodies. The ancient pilgrims’ path of Jakobsweg crosses this steep-sided Alpine valley, sited in the western corner of Tyrol. To celebrate the spiritual scenery and delicious local produce, the annual Culinary St Jacob’s Way starts each July.

Since 2008 different teams of master chefs have been creating signature dishes from fresh ingredients for ravenous ramblers. This year they’ll be available at seven rustic Paznaun huts for the summer season. If you’re lucky, you’ll be served by waitresses in dirndl outfits and serenaded by accordion players in Tyrolean lederhosen.

This part of Austria takes great pride in its folk traditions and costumes.

Based in the charming village of Ischgl, it took me around two hours to hike from Valzur to Friedrichshafener Hütte, a remote stone inn at 2,151 metres on the edge of a pristine tarn filled with trout.

I dined by the edge of a gurgling brook with fabulous views of the Silvretta Alps and the mighty Fluchthorn mountain. It was the ideal location to indulge in sugared pancakes with cowberry jam.

The Paznaun Valley is sunnier and less rainy than more northerly valleys and the wild meadows are dotted with spears of lilac lupins and golden heads of Arnica montana, long used as herbal medicine. Honeybees buzz and butterflies flit around the blooms.

Next day from mountain station Diasbahn Kappl, I set off for the Almstüberl, a traditional wooden lodge above the neighbouring village of Kappl. The season’s special lunch during my visit, venison meatloaf with vegetable hash and beetroot kimchi, was perfectly presented.

The Austrian Alps are home to Edelweiss, celebrated in The Sound OfMusic. This mountain flower prefers a remote limestone area over 1,800 metres and it was lovely to find the downy-haired blooms flourishing at the Almstüberl. Baron von Trapp didn’t appear, but you can’t have everything! MW

Lake Heaven