05 March 2026

2026 Spring Ski Tour, Austria

Overview

The time had come around once more to be heading off to the Alps (again) for a few days in the mountains with skis. The avalanche forecast had been extreme for several weeks and we were in two minds whether to cancel or go. In the end we compromised and decided we could go and stay low doing day trips. We settled on going back to the Brenner valley in a kind of "greatest Hits" tour, and revisit some of the routes we had done in the past and knew would be relatively safe.
The trip down would be mid-week arriving on a Thursday staying for eight days in Trins, then moving over to meet up with Tim and Michael (who we had joined for a few days last year) and make a decision over any tour extension at that point - weather and avalanche risk dependant.
The arrangement was for all of us to meet up at Bryon's house on Monday night, to make the first half of the journey over on Tuesday via an overnight in Metz  at a F1 I think we have used before. Then on the next day to Trins.
We had used this apartment before several years ago, and knew it would suit our purposes very well.

Outward Journey

We were booked on the 2pm ferry to Dunkerque, and so we set off from Wiltshire after breakfast, making it just as the previous ferry was closing up. The whole dock process had been much faster than we were expecting after all the changes. A 2 hour wait for our alloted ship soon passed and we passed the time chatting.
The boat was loaded in the alloted time and we headed straight for the restaurant.
Then time for lunch - fish and chips as this looked the better option on the counter - all the menu was fixed, I guess, as it never seems to change - however the Dover/ Calais and the Dover/ Dunkirk have different options. The crossing smooth as the archetypical millpond - time for snoozing. We arrived in time and were soon negotiating the Autoroute to Brussels.
We drove along the Belgian and Luxembourg motorways across the top of France and arrived in Metz and the F1.
As we were late in the evening the reception had closed, I needed to use the machine outside to get a code (both for the parking gate as well as entrance to the hotel). Around at the machine on the wall only to discover I needed to pay the tourist tax - then the machine would not read any card I entered ... It took several goes before i accidentally discovered I needed to press the card down in the slot so that the chip made contact with the dilapidated reader (no contactless here!). This gave us a code number, no longer needed for the parking since an impatient driver waiting behind had opened it!. We had a slightly different layout this time - two beds (one twisted) with the usual bunk above and a basin in the corner, the usual tight space with facilities down the corridor.
Straight to bed as we had picked up some dinner at a service station on the journey..
Next day a very reduced buffet breakfast (the coffee machine worked!) however there was no bread ... just sliced brioche - not really what we were after so maybe a rethink for next time!.
We made our way across to Germany and along the Autobahn network towards Munich then down to the border at Fussen. Over the pass (Fernpass), down to the Inn valley before climbing up Brenner valley and to our Apartment in Trins. We made the same mistake as last time and did not come off the Brenner pass motorway early enough and had to pay the extra toll - there is supposedly a reduced rate for only one stage, but I have never found it.

Trins Days

The apartment was on the second floor but accessed by one staircase from the entrance on the first. It had three bedrooms (one ensuite) with a bathroom and loo, a separate lounge as well as kitchen/ diner - plenty of room for us to spread out.
We had already stopped at a supermarket in the valley to pick up the essentials, so dinner was on quickly.
Once settled in the apartment, and the car in the convenient garage down the slope, it was time for dinner and bed after discussing the options for the morning - the weather was forecast for wall to wall sun!

Patscherkofel Day

After 8 nights in Trins we changed apartments and moved to a hotel (Romerhof) just below the Patscherkofel ski area. We had been messaging about meeting up with Tim and Michael from the AAC who were out a few days before their tour started, and there was an opportunity for meeting up. Last year had been a success when w met up for a few days, then joined them at their hutte and socialised group to group over a few evenings. So we originally planned to do something similar this year however time constraints left only a few days - we had agreed a day on the slopes of Patscherkofel ski area. We had met Tim (by chance) in a sports store in Innsbruck on our day sightseeing, and had arranged to meet for dinner tonight as well. Our original thought about going up to the same mountain hut as them for a couple of days before our time ran out, however the forecast was not good so we opted to forgo this opportunity.  This was very convenient for this ski area (as well as there being an absence of other cheap accommodation in the area of a single night). 
The room was larger than I was expecting with a large double and a separate single with a couple of chairs - more than enough for us overnight. There was a balcony facing down the valley and we could use it to dry out our "stuff" after the day on the mountain.
Tim and Michael were staying down the valley a little and we met up at PizzaGiardino for a Pizza and a few drinks, together with lots of chat.
The night had been very windy, and we woke to an overcast day. All this was forgotten when we went down for what was advertised as "Exceptional Breakfast" and for once it really lived up to the description. Even supplying lunch sandwiches!
We would leave after todays tour, so we packed the car carefully to separate what was required at all stages of the return.

Return Journey

After the last ski down to the valley station of Patscherkofel and saying our goodbyes, we set off for home - the first stage to Strasbourg, where I had booked into an Ibis Budget.
We had one day left on our Austrian motorway pass, so used it to travel the lengths of the country and into Germany at Bregenz. Then along the Bodensee before getting to Strasbourg.
Getting into this hotel was far simpler (a 24 hour reception helped) but we soon had our room - a typical triple, then down for dinner - a simple menu but good options that suited, as well as saved us going out.
After a brilliant buffet breakfast with lots of choice we set off for Dunkirk. Once out of the local area we followed the Autobahns across France to Luxembourg/ Belgium/ to Dunkirk, fighting the variable weather.
We approached the port just after 2pm, and at the barrier we "swapped" the ticket to get on the next ferry - the 4pm, and through the customs and immigration checks - including opening all doors and the roof box for inspection.
On board we were surrounded by hyperactive teenagers and quickly found out how to get into the lounge area.
We were the only customers in the lounge and made good use of the coffee and snack buffets (this turned out to be a similar price to that we would have spent in the restaurant - so a good option for us)
At Dover we had a smooth exit and charged back to Wiltshire along the motorways arriving around 9pm.
Steph and I crashed overnight and completed our journey home the following day.
Another successful trip with majority of days out on the hills, including an unprecedented 6 consecutive days. We were out everyday with only a small impact from rain/ snow.
Our tours covered in excess of 80km, and 6400m of ascent & descent.