We wanted to return to the Brenner region of Austria again after last year and expand on the insight we got last year.
Due to other commitments I could not leave until the Saturday, so we had a relaxed start, with a mid afternoon crossing to Dunkirk, followed by a short drive Liege, where we had a room booked in a very tired Première classe hotel, before we crashed out.
This weekend was also the spring clock change, so not only did we loose out on the time difference but also the time change. It was very difficult getting up at 4 am (yesterday's time) to make breakfast and get under way.
the journey across Germany was endless autobahns... thankful that it was a Sunday and al the trucks were parked up, we were grateful for no hold ups (other than road works). One point of amusement .. we stopped at exactly the same service station for fuel as last year, and also on the way back.
We remembered to buy a vignette this year just before we crossed into Austria, after getting away with it last year .. however I had forgotten quite how much the ticket for the Brenner autobahn was on top (the same as we paid for an 8 day vignette) - will remember next time and use the national roads.
As we pulled into Gries, it was a welcome sight to see the Alte Post was the Pension/ Auberge I remembered. Stepping into the building sent you back several decades, but we were soon greeted by "mein host" and shown to the room ... luckily we would be the only guests for the week.
A quick walk before dinner to stretch the legs and get the travel fatigue out of our systems.. We could see one of the summits from last year, and the engineering marvels of the viaduct carrying the Brenner pass motorway.
We also noticed that the snow line was a little higher and slightly less volume of snow than the previous year .. so care to be taken on the timings for each day.
Everything became very comfortable as we sat for dinner .. custom table d'hote menu every day, starting with some delicious pork - we would become very pampered here.
So to sleep with plans for the next day.
Due to other commitments I could not leave until the Saturday, so we had a relaxed start, with a mid afternoon crossing to Dunkirk, followed by a short drive Liege, where we had a room booked in a very tired Première classe hotel, before we crashed out.
This weekend was also the spring clock change, so not only did we loose out on the time difference but also the time change. It was very difficult getting up at 4 am (yesterday's time) to make breakfast and get under way.
the journey across Germany was endless autobahns... thankful that it was a Sunday and al the trucks were parked up, we were grateful for no hold ups (other than road works). One point of amusement .. we stopped at exactly the same service station for fuel as last year, and also on the way back.
We remembered to buy a vignette this year just before we crossed into Austria, after getting away with it last year .. however I had forgotten quite how much the ticket for the Brenner autobahn was on top (the same as we paid for an 8 day vignette) - will remember next time and use the national roads.
We also noticed that the snow line was a little higher and slightly less volume of snow than the previous year .. so care to be taken on the timings for each day.
Everything became very comfortable as we sat for dinner .. custom table d'hote menu every day, starting with some delicious pork - we would become very pampered here.
| | | ||
| | | Arrive Gries | |
| Vennspitze | | | |
| | | Grubenkopf | |
| Hinterer Daunkopf | | | |
| | | Explore Brenner | |
| Niedererberg | | | |
| | | Travel Day | |
| Finstertaller Stausee | | | |
| | | Go Home |