Families on the Alpine Pasture

Anticipation is high when the whole family gets ready for a day on the mountain pastures. The kids have a glow in the eyes when they think of the many animals in the mountains. The fluffy rabbits in the petting zoo will certainly have had little bunnies and the beautiful Haflinger horses are guaranteed to be close to the hut. The parents look forward to a hearty meal, a sunny place at the hut and to get away from everyday life.

Up high in the back carrier

The first part of the ascent is comfortably made by cable car, but then the backpacks have to be strapped on to get started. The smallest member of the family has the best views as it’s comfortably placed in dad’s back carrier for children. There is, however, a trail suitable for baby prams, but mum and dad want to show the kids the best locations in the middle of the woods, and for that purpose, the back carrier for children is better for off-road hiking. Some of the award winning Alpine Summer huts in SalzburgerLand have chosen special themes. The special Kid’s Buggy Alms are especially popular with families with children as these solid trails to the huts are childs-play to reach with a kid’s buggy. Kids’ Alms are focussed perfectly on the needs of the kids and offer a petting zoo, wooden playground equipment, adventure trails and playgrounds.

Relaxed families on the Alpine pasture

After nibbling on sweet raspberries, wild strawberries and blueberries, the children happily skip to the mountain hut. They can’t wait to explore the playground with swings and a slide and afterwards, to find the petting zoo. The parents love to watch the little ones engrossed at play and settle on the hut terrace. First, a refreshing drink to quench the thirst! The mountain hut keeper, wearing her customary Dirndl dress, recommends their refreshing, tangy mountain herb juice with herbs which she herself picked in the meadows around the hut.

Dad studies the menu while mum follows the mountain hut keeper to the pantry, where she is shown the abundance of dried herbs. Some herbs have been used as remedies for everyday ailments for generations. A traditional ‘Brettljause’ lunch snack with produce from the mountain farm, a ‘Kaspressknödelsuppe’ cheese dumpling soup, a wonderful ‘Kaiserschmarren’ fluffy pancake or ‘Apfelradln’ doughy fried apple slices? The decision him tough – so he orders everything because the mountain air makes you hungry and the smell emanating from the mountain hut kitchen is just too tempting!

© SalzburgerLand Tourismus -Fresh produce from the Alpine pasture.

Activities on the Alpine pasture

Already during the ascent to the Alm, the children are excited by the merrily bubbling water springs along the way and the small rivulets running down the green pasture. All around the Alpine pasture, they find enough opportunities to build dams with mum and dad and to cool down their legs in the cold water. Mum is out discovering the colourful herbs and Alpine flowers alongside the water. “Click, click” goes her camera as she takes photos of these small botanical helpers, to look them up later. Dad thinks he can yodel, but after the dove-eyed cows run off he gives up and laughs. Together, the whole family lies on their backs in the soft mountain grass and looks up to the clouds. “Look, there is a mountain dinosaur!”, says the son, of a particularly distinctive cloud formation. From the colourful Alpine garden, mum pilfers a handful of blackberries and distributes them to the family. But there is even more to discover here – watching marmots or the lively trout, chasing the colourful butterflies, or checking out the forest ants with a magnifying glass. But now, both big and small Alpine adventurers hear their stomachs rumbling. Time for an Alpine snack!

Hungry adventurers

As soon as the food is served, the whole family gathers around the hut table and everybody excitedly tells tales of their adventures. Of the bunny rabbits, who only saw the light of day a few days before, of the hut dog who happily wags his tail to welcome new guests, of all the different herbs that can be found in the meadows and many more, and the Brettljause and all the other yummy dishes disappear quickly from the plates. The mountain hut keeper also likes to join the guests for a chat. She talks about the calves born on the mountain pastures, searched for and carried back to the hut on their shoulders, about snowfall in July, incredible sunrises, cheese making and butter churning. Then she will return to the kitchen to bake bread for the next day. She invites the children to follow her with a wink and excited little bakers vanish into the kitchen. After baking bread, the kids discover the free Alpine Summer Booklet which is available at all Alpine Summer Partners and Alpine Summer huts. They happily turn the pages and get their first stamp – once this stamp booklet is full, it can be sent in for a small surprise gift.

Now mum and dad finally have time to lean back comfortably, close their eyes and listen to the orchestra of the mountains: cowbells, buzzing bees, faint whinnying and mooing. Here on the mountain pasture, time passes more slowly and relaxation sets in with every breath. The kids come back from the kitchen, beaming with enthusiasm, because now they also want to bake their own bread at home with the recipe they were just given. Mum and dad happily pack their bags to have time to find the special place where wild mushrooms can be picked which the mountain hut keeper recommended for the descent. They want to try their luck – otherwise they’ll just come back to the pasture tomorrow! They could also visit one of the inviting Alpine Festivals in SalzburgerLand with live music, regional produce and traditional handicrafts on one of the wonderful Alpine pastures in SalzburgerLand.

©SalzburgerLand Tourism – families on the Alpine pasture.

Hiking in Pongau is childs-play

In Salzburg’s Pongau region with its Alpine pastures, lush green valleys and gentle peaks, hiking is really fun for the whole family. A hiking tour on one of the adventure mountains with their exciting themed trails is an adventurous journey of discovery. The new free family hiking guide book gives an overview of these hiking options, attractive packages and child-friendly accommodation. This includes selected, easy family hikes together with refreshment opportunities, (interactive) teaching and themed walks, as well as mountain experiences and adventure playgrounds. Available to order  in the Online Shop.

Guided hikes

Those who want to go with the whole family on an exciting guided hike are in the right place in SalzburgerLand. Regardless of whether on a vulture watching tour with a National Park Ranger in the Hohe Tauern National Park or on one of the numerous themed trails and nature trails. The possibilities are endless and your local hosts have the best tips for guided hikes, while the Salzburg Mountain Hiking Guide offers trips of discovery up into the Alpine life in SalzburgerLand. Many hikes are offered by the tourist associations, the mountain guide offices and Alpine schools, and are also often included in summer holiday packages such as the Alpine Summer packages.

If you now are interested in on a family holiday in the Salzburger Alpine Summer, take a look at the Alpine Summer brochure for the best hiking tips and holiday packages – available now in the Online Shop.