Haglöfs Fang Jacket Review – A Scandinavian Saga In 3 Acts

This is the first piece of outdoor clothing by Haglöfs I have ever bought. It’s a brand I have been interested in trying for some time – in fact I’ve tried jackets on before and quite liked what I’ve found, but somehow I’ve ended up choosing something else. I must also confess that despite a growing interest in trying their stuff I’ve found the prices slightly scary being, as they are, towards the upper end of the range.

However you do often get what you pay for. Their products look good and garner positive reviews in product tests, so when I was looking for a soft shell jacket and saw this model substantially reduced, I decided to take the plunge and give it a go.

RRP = £240

Price Paid = £140

Because of our current “not walking” status, I’ve decided to do this review in 3 parts: first an overview of the jacket with product stats and technical features, followed by a more detailed report on the jacket in use when I get the chance, then a final appreciation after a decent period of test time.

Act 1: The Technical Stuff

Initial Impressions:

First off, the Fang is a good-looking jacket whose style and use of distinctively coloured fabrics make it stand out from the crowd. Now I know this might not be to everyone’s taste, but personally I find the usual gamut of garments in monochrome red, blue, grey or black to be rather utilitarian and uninspiring. For the sorts of prices asked, what is wrong with wanting a garment to be attractive as well as functional?

Anyway, whatever the merits (or otherwise) of the colour options available, it comes down to quality in the end, and this is what I want to cover in this first appreciation of the product.

The term “soft shell” has an enormous range of meaning these days, and an equally enormous range of products and prices to match, ranging from products that are little more than an alternative to the basic fleece to those that are much more technical altogether, offering high levels of breathability, durability, weatherproofing and comfort. The Fang definitely falls into the latter category, probably upping the “technical quotient” of my gear collection by 50% in one fell swoop, and has a wealth of features to examine.

Features:

The salient points of this jacket (as listed by the manufacturer) are summarised below:

· A versatile Windstopper® Soft Shell® jacket for winter related activities.

· Two different weight fabrics used to balance features with low pack size.

· High degree of stretch for comfort.

· Completely windproof.

· Excellent breathability.

· DWR treated surfaces provide excellent weather resistance.

· Helmet compatible 3-way adjustable hood.

· 2-way main watertight front zip with wind flap & chin guard.

· Highly durable woven face fabric provides excellent abrasion resistance.

· Offset seams in key areas to prevent bunching and chaffing.

· Articulated sleeves with underarm pit zip ventilation.

· 1 zipped chest pocket.

· 2 zipped hand pockets, placed for use with a harness.

· Velcro adjustable cuffs.

· Single-handed adjustable waist draw cord.

· Weight in g: 705 (L)

That’s quite a lot of features, so it’s perhaps worth enlarging on them to explain some of the benefits.

The use of more than one type of fabric in a garment is not a new idea, but one that seems to have been gathering pace in recent years. Usually, this type of zoning is done to concentrate attributes in the places where they are needed, rather than all over, and this is the case here, too. A lighter, less bulky fabric is used for the underarm areas to increase breathability, enhance movement and reduce pack size, whereas as a heavier, more robust fabric is used for the rest of the jacket providing additional durability in heavy wear areas and increased weather protection.

At 702g in size XL (as per my electronic scales – a shade below the stated weight for size L) it’s not the lightest of jackets, but I’ve found it very comfortable to wear. The cut is excellent (for me) and on the couple of occasions I’ve worn it so far (so no stylish pictures of me modelling it ... yet) I’ve found it to stretch nicely with my movements and, although it might sound like an odd claim, it doesn’t feel as heavy as stated once it is on.

One minor gripe here, though, is the sizing. Although Haglöfs is a Swedish manufacturer, the sizing appears to have been based on some other, more petite nationality altogether. You will almost certainly have to go up a size – I did, needing an XL to get the right fit rather than the more usual L in regular clothing – particularly if you intend to wear anything other than the most minimal of base layers. Haglöfs are not the only culprits in this respect – there are several others – but why some outdoor gear manufacturers feel the need to do this, I don’t know, unless (in this age when so many reviewers dismiss a product on weight alone, regardless of how good it might be – something that annoys me greatly) they want to make the weight per size appear as low as possible.

As far as many of the other features go, I have yet to discover the full benefits. But early indications show that the pockets are well placed, the zips all run smoothly, the cuff adjustment is simple and effective, and the fabric and build quality makes for a really durable product. Testing so far has been very limited, but so far it has successfully blocked out a cutting breeze and effectively turned a light shower.

The 3-way hood adjustment works very well, with adjusters placed at the side of the face, the back of the head and the nape of the neck. Even without a helmet (or much in the way of hair) it is possible to get a nice, snug fit without acres of loose fabric to flap around in the wind or inflate.

Haglöfs market the Fang as a jacket for winter-related activities, and I had this in mind when choosing it. I was looking for a versatile layer that would bolster my winter layering (as a mid-layer, providing more protection than a standard fleece against wind and weather) and that could also be worn at other times of the year as a more versatile outer layer, with more weather protection than a fleece and more breathability than a waterproof. In this respect, I think it will suit perfectly well.

Fabrics:

There are two main fabrics used in the Fang:

WINDSTOPPER® 3-layer, 94% Polyamide, 6% Elastane, Soft Shell stretch face fabric with 100% Polyester Micro Fleece backer and ePTFE membrane.

WINDSTOPPER® 100% Polyester Soft Shell fabric with knit backer and ePTFE membrane.

For those who are interested in more details on the fabrics, further information can be found on the Windstopper website:

HERE

In summary, though, the fabrics aim to offer “total windproofness and maximum breathability, combining the comfort of a soft mid-layer and the water resistance of a shell in one garment.” It is also DWR coated, so it will be interesting to see how this performs in tough weather conditions, but the benefit of total windproofness (preventing chilling after exercise) is likely to be a massive boon compared to traditional fleece products.

Initial Conclusions:

I’m pretty impressed with this jacket so far. Admittedly it is still early days, but it seems a comfortable, robust, well-thought-out jacket that has been designed with a clear purpose in mind, and I have no concerns about it’s ability to perform as suggested.

I was going to post a link to the product as well, but this model seems to have been phased out. I contacted the very helpful people at Haglöfs UK to find out the latest situation. This is what they said:

“The Fang … was a Fall/Winter 2011 item and does not carry over into the Spring/Summer 2012 range as it is more of a winter jacket … in the UK you could use it all year round with our weather.

There is nothing the same as the Fang in our SS12 range … the closest would be an Eryx Hood … this is lighter and will not be as warm as the Fang … the only difference I can really notice between the two is the Fang is warmer and heavier. Some MRT have been using the Eryx Hood and their feedback has been very positive.

Fang Jacket RRP £240 Weight on a Men’s large 705g

Eryx Hood RRP £275 Weight on a Men’s large 520g

See this link for the Eryx Hood:

ERYX

For FW12 the Fang does not carry over but … there is more choice with the new Fin Hood £220 (closest match to the Fang), Pelamis Jacket £220, Eryx Hood – new colours £275, and the top of the range … Suta Hood at £350 – more snow sports orientated … I have no links for these … as they are not available till around late August / September.”

So there you have it - so far .....

Round England Coastal Path

I heard a couple of things recently that have got me thinking again. Firstly news of the Wales Coast Path, a continuous 850-mile path that runs right round the coastline of Wales (including Anglesey) that links with the Offa’s Dyke Path on the eastern side to make a complete circuit of the country. It takes a number of existing routes, such as the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, and stitches them together with newly created sections to make the whole continuous route. The official opening appears to be scheduled for May 2012, although sections are already open and I think someone is already underway with walking it as we speak.

The second thing that happened was that I was flicking through an old copy of Walk (the magazine of The Ramblers) and saw a small piece on the progress of a new National Trail – the England Coast Path – the first stretch of which will be opened in time for the Olympic Games.

Created by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, people will eventually be able to walk round all England’s open coast, with improved access to parts of the coastline currently off-limits and “spreading room” to protect this access and quickly re-establish the route in case of serious erosion. In many cases new paths will need to be installed, and lengthy negotiations with the many landowners involved mean this will necessarily take effect at different times in different places, and the planned full route is many years away from completion.

Now I’m usually the first to argue the case for improved access, whether coastal or otherwise, and I have always felt that large swathes of the countryside have been closed to walkers for far too long. So, in that respect, I think the opening up of thousands of square miles of upland Open Access Land in England and Wales through the Countryside and Rights Of Way Act 2000 (CRoW) has been an absolute triumph for campaigners and a huge victory for the wider walking public. True, making full use of this new access has got off to a slow start, and the full benefit might not be felt for a generation or two as new routes get established and more and more walkers are brought up in this Brave New World, but it has had the effect of laying to rest the lie spread by some disingenuous landowners that “their” land would be immediately overrun by thousands of havoc-wreaking litter louts with nothing but disrespect for the countryside.

Buoyed by the success of CRoW, the Ramblers then swung their campaign efforts behind the debate that has culminated in the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, another victory in the battle to allow us the public access to it’s own countryside. Of course quite a substantial proportion of the coastline is already accessible – the South West Coast Path, the Norfolk Coast Path and around half of the Cleveland Way, for example, are National Trails with a significant coastal presence, and there are hundreds and hundreds of miles of other equally renowned if less celebrated routes. However, this Act paves the way for gaps between these existing paths to be infilled, connecting into one continuous route.

The arguments for the creation of the England Coast Path – indeed any major new route – are well known. Every £1 invested in their creation brings back several times that amount in tourist spending, boosting local businesses and providing work in areas often devoid of other income opportunities. That’s before considering the benefits to the economy to be gained from a healthier population, incoming tourism and the increased opportunity for cash-strapped families to enjoy a damned good, low cost holiday.

On the face of it, this all seems wonderful. However, those of you who know me know there’s a “but” coming, don’t you?

But – and for me, it’s a big “but” – in all my time chatting with fellow hikers, reading blogs and posting on forums, I haven’t once come across anyone really gunning for this route. In fact I’ll go even further than that – I haven’t heard a single comment in support of the project at all.

Now that’s not to say there’s been a slew of negative criticism, there hasn’t. But despite all the positive benefits of the scheme outlined above, overt support across the walking fraternity seems somewhat underwhelming. Admittedly that is often the case with anything new. Even so, there is usually a small but vocal contingent to be found relishing the prospect of a new opportunity; one not in evidence here as far as I can see.

At a time when money for the ROW network is in short supply and many authorities are facing cutbacks to staffing and funding levels, is it right that significant sums are directed at a project with – I suspect – limited real support amongst walkers?

When our ROW network is increasingly under threat from militant landowners trying to overturn hard-won access rights, and when the Government is potentially undermining existing protection of the network in their so-called “war on red tape,” is it right to be looking to a major new project like this, and all that it entails, instead of ensuring that which we already have is properly protected and walkable?

With the huge pressure currently being applied from all quarters to the valuable resource that is our countryside from the planners – new housing stock, wind farms, transport infrastructure, etc – would that financial resource be better utilised preserving those under threat areas we already have?

At a time when the bodies on which we rely to look after the outdoor Crown Jewels are being seriously under funded and under resourced, I feel these are genuine concerns, and there is a real risk that if we as a walking community take our eye off the ball too much all we will be doing is creating a new prospect at the expense of the old. Are you really prepared to swap proper protection of the Peak District (such as the proposed sell-off of The Roaches by the impecunious PDNP, for example) for the creation of a bit of coastal path between a chemical plant and an oil refinery that few, if any, will ever use? Is that a call you want to make? I’m not trying to be over-dramatic here, just that it might actually come to that.

Don’t get me wrong; I think that an England Coast Path is an admirable objective that will add much to the cache of the National Trail network and, eventually, massively improve access to the coast for everyone. And I’m not saying that the Ramblers are misguided in any way – after all, they do a lot hard work maintaining paths, working for the good walkers and campaigning on important issues. I’m just saying, in this case, I am not a supporter of this particular profligate project at a time of hardship for the network and those that protect our special places, although I understand the political expediency of the situation.  

What I am questioning, though, is whether it is the right thing at the right time?

10k "Trip" Report

I've noticed logging on this morning that this blog has reached a minor landmark - 10,000 page views.

Don't get me wrong, I know compared to thousands and thousands of blogs that 10k is a pretty tiny figure as such things go - even amongst those specialising in outdoor matters! 

Nevertheless.

When I first set out on this journey, the principle aim of this blog was to act as a record for me to look back on in years to come (as I am notoriously hopeless with dates), and to put down on paper all those thoughts on hiking and the outdoors - my main passion in life - as they occured to me.

Also, I wanted to record my trips in a way personal to me - a style pitched (hopefully!) somewhere between route notes/guidebook and article, with an element of story-telling to each one. That way, when I re-read them in years to come, I am reminded of the thoughts, feelings, sensations and experiences of each trip we have done, as well as the routes themselves.

Anyway, regardless of the success or otherwise of the blog, there has been an unexpected and delightful consequence to all this: the discovery of a burgeoning online community that has made me realise just how many like-minded folk there are out there - in the blogosphere and on the hills - and just how many different voices and diverse perspectives there are on this wonderful pastime of ours.

So just a quick note to say a big "Thank You" to everyone who has dropped by and read my ramblings. The same goes if you have left a comment - I do read them all, and they are all greatly appreciated.

As for the future - who knows? Maybe we'll meet again in cyberspace soon or perhaps even on a hill somewhere.

It's been great so far, and I'm really looking forward to the next 10k.

Cheers!

Jules

Best In Test?

Gear: we all love it, don’t we? Let’s face it, after talking about where we’ve been to it’s probably the number one topic of conversation. And every month, page after page of magazine or blog space is dedicated to discussing the finer points of this versus that.

Increasingly bloggers are contributing a wealth of information about products and how they perform, mainly through the medium of the single item test. The advantage of this is that an in-depth review can be formulated based on extended use of the item in question, usually tested in real-life situations.

Very occasionally a blogger may get sent an item for testing from an obliging source. Normally this comes with the proviso that the retailer or manufacturer concerned receives a name check and, in some cases, that the product is returned afterwards (for example if it’s a prototype). However, in spite of the apparent generosity of the suppliers, most bloggers manage to remain impartial in their findings, and will offer balanced reviews as far as their experience will allow them.

However, despite the advantages outlined above, there is a downside to such testing: it is rarely able to be comparative. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have enough spare cash to go out and buy all the latest gear with the sole intention of seeing how good one product is against another! For this, we rely on the group test.

In the main, group tests are the preserve of the big circulation magazines: those organs of the press with sufficient penetration to reach thousands of prospective buyers, and whose pronouncements are capable of making – or breaking – a product. Rarely, if ever, will an individual blogger get the opportunity to test all the latest releases against one another in a comparative test.

Obviously, with the increased number of bloggers contributing on-line individual product reviews, the position of the professional reviewer has subtly altered (by “professional” I mean those who work for the magazines in question). However, the professional reviewer is still in a position of some responsibility given that their views will be widely read and may, ultimately, influence the development of future product.

The question is: do they wield this responsibility … er … responsibly?

Around a year ago, two magazines were reviewing lightweight waterproof jackets. As I was reading I noticed something odd – the same jacket was awarded a 100% score from one magazine (and given “Best In Test”) yet scored only 60% in the other, just about the lowest mark given. How could this be? The same jacket assessed for the same purpose. What were the circumstances that threw up two such diverse summations of the same product?

Of course, this happens all the time. We all have our own favourites, whether we are judging baked beans, washing powder, cars, TV shows or whatever. It’s only natural: we are all different. But it got me thinking: surely, part of the reviewer’s job in a group test is to put personal preference to one side and determine what might be a good purchase for ALL potential users/buyers?

Now I’m not suggesting any bias here, or any intention on their behalf to deliberately mislead, simply that sometimes these reviews may not be as impartial as we are given to understand and that, even with the best of intentions, personal preferences might cloud the tester’s objectivity.

Amongst this months’ crop of outdoor mags I came across another gear test that threw up a couple of anomalies. For the sake of the magazine and reviewer in question, I won’t make too detailed a reference. What I will say, though, is that both have respectable credentials amongst the outdoor fraternity, and both are eminently more qualified to discuss the merits of a product that I am myself.

However, as far as I could see, it became quite clear, quite early on that a particular perspective were being applied to the test – and one that not every potential purchaser of the product might apply. As a result, it is my own personal opinion that one or two decent products were unfairly marked down and at least one product with an identified (and possibly major) flaw was scored second only to Best In Test. That can’t be right, can it?

Sadly, it’s quite usual to see decent products unfairly pilloried. Often, this is because it fails some reviewer’s self-selected opinion of whether it is right or not. Take weight, for example, one of the biggest and most arbitrary culprits, with one version being deemed too “heavy” and another “light” enough when, in reality, there is only a few grams between them. The stupid thing is that very few products at all are “heavy” these days – just compare them to 10 or 20 years ago!

Of course it is much harder to slag something off if you have paid good money for it, unless it’s a complete turkey, as it suggests bad judgement on behalf of the purchaser. Equally, though, it is easy to do so if you haven’t had the anguish of parting with your cash.

So what does all this tell us? Very little, really, except that human nature is what it is, and will often prevail no matter how hard we try to be impartial. But it does illustrate two things to be mindful of when assessing group tests: one; use any reviews as a guideline only and, especially on big-ticket items, try before you buy, and two; it is much better to express conclusions as “I don’t like this” (opinion) rather than “It is bad” (statement of fact) because it may well be good for someone, sometime.

This might seem perfectly obvious, but with so much more gear being bought on-line, and with an increasing preponderance of stores with only quite basic product knowledge, doing your own homework and understanding what YOU want out of a product seems even more essential than ever.

As I said before, I'm sure there is no intent to mislead. It's just that there are so many more commentators out there that buyers and users are getting a bit more clued up these days. I may have no engineering qualifications or wide knowledge of the whole outdoors product market, but I have been walking up and down the UK and abroad for 35 years or more, so can claim to have some experience of what may or may not work! I'm sure there are thousands of others with similar experience too, all of whom can add to the cache of information we can call on.

So, are gear tests providing you with the information you need?

What do you think?

Fixed Up & Missing Our Fix

So here we are. The event that has been looming on the horizon for some while has come to pass: Missy G has gone into hospital to be fixed up.

We’ve known about this operation for some time: being of the non-urgent variety, the waiting time has been measured in months. We’d been given a date for her to go in, but one that came with the proviso she would be back-ordered if they found themselves unexpectedly busy on the day.

Not wishing to tempt providence, I have refrained from making mention of it until we were sure it was a goer. Although we had a Plan B in place for if she got bumped, it would have been a bit of a faff, what with all the preparations that needed to be made beforehand.

The good news is that everything seems to have gone well and she may well be discharged as early as today. To be honest, I can’t wait! But now the hard work of gradually getting her back to fitness will begin.

Of course this kind of thing can affect anyone, so I’m not seeking any special sympathy for our situation. We know there are many out there who have some massive issues to deal with, health-wise and otherwise, compared to which our predicament is a mere inconvenience that hardly warrants comment. If that is you, we wish you well. But, as any one who has been faced with similar circumstances knows, it does become the focus of one’s life at the time and provides a reminder that good health should not be taken for granted.

The process of rehabilitation now begins, a task that will be measured in weeks and months, rather than days. For walkers such as ourselves, this means a pretty radical change to our normal lives. Although walking is encouraged during recuperation, they mean a gentle walk round the block not a full day hike over a mountain with a large backpack!

Depending on how quickly Missy G recovers this could mean a lay-off of four to five months before she is fully fit again. Naturally, we are somewhat dispirited by this scenario. Walking has played such a major part in our lives for thirty years or more that not being able to go will leave us feeling bereft: we simply won’t know what to do in our free time.

Coupled with that we are just heading into spring, one of the most beautiful seasons for walking in the UK, and the gorgeous weather we have experienced recently but have been unable to take advantage of has seemed an unnecessarily cruel taunt.

However, we will be looking on the bright side (as always) and aiming to get back to normal as quickly as Nature allows. Bit, by bit, by bit, we will see the improvement, and hopefully her fitness levels prior to going in will stand her in good stead. But we’re not going to push it: first, a walk to the end of the road, then another up to the village. In a couple of weeks maybe build up to an hour or two on the flat. Then, in a month or so, perhaps a half day walk somewhere easy – if I carry the rucksack! Perhaps I should be in training myself.

Needless to say, despite a good first quarter, our annual walking target is likely to be curtailed. And, as far as holidays go, there is likely to be no major trek or far-flung destination this year, at least until the autumn. But we will do what we can and enjoy it for what it is – after all, that is the best anyone can say – although we will no doubt miss the bigger outings that have become the staple of our year.

Because, ultimately, being out there is such an integral part of our lives – such an addiction – we will not feel right until we can get a proper fix again.

Sunshine & Necessary Calm

It seems to have been a weekend of fine weather across the whole country, the sort that makes you believe spring has actually arrived. With temperatures in danger of soaring to record levels for the time of year, Meteorologists have been reaching for the Mercury, expectant for that all-important fraction of a degree, and it’s easy to imagine long, warm days for the weeks ahead.

For walkers it signals the time to venture Narnia-like into the far reaches of the wardrobe and unearth all that long-forgotten warm weather kit, swapping flasks for water bottles and consigning waterproofs to the rucksack and fleeces to the drawer.

Of course, there may well be a sting in the tail, but it finally feels like the worst of winter may be behind us. Don’t get me wrong, I like winter – love it, in fact – but it’s also nice to feel the excitement of new adventures as a new season is heralded in.

So, it was exactly the sort of weekend for throwing all your kit into the car and heading off to bag that iconic peak you’d promised yourself you’d do next time you got a nice day, right?

Well, not quite …

For reasons that will become apparent in future posts, we had a fairly full weekend lined up, with visiting family and completing a few chores on the list of things to do. We did, however, make time for a stroll out – a couple of hours round the local fields and lanes in gorgeous sunshine, and a first walk of the year in short sleeves.

We decided to do a bit of footpath wardening on our walk, keeping to local paths and lanes. Crossing the fields towards Old Poor’s Gorse we passed few other walkers, and the sky was full of Skylark song ripped away on the breeze. The footpath condition was good, with clear routes already established through the new crop growth and nothing untoward to report. We spotted a couple of Hares laying low nearby, only half hidden in the short vegetation. They paused a moment, unsure, before racing off into the distance.

The return route was a little busier with dog-walkers and cars to contend with, but still beautiful. It is a surprising area: more than once, on a sunny day, I’ve found the rolling countryside and long field boundaries lined with rows of individual trees reminiscent of Tuscany, something the accompanying photos fail to capture! Perhaps it’s just wishful thinking, but that’s how it seems – at least in my memory. Maybe we should go, just to find out.

All in all, we were glad to be able to fit a walk in – what with all the other things going on at the moment – and it has proved beneficial in providing a bit of necessary calm at the start of a busy week.

Mayrhofen – Winter Walking Wonderland (29th Jan - 4th Feb 2012)

So, barely five months after leaving Mayrhofen on a sunny Saturday afternoon in September, here we are trundling up the Ziller Valley once more. Our summer trip had been very enjoyable, and we were impressed by the variety of walking on offer and the interconnectedness of the transport system – bus, train and gondola – providing great access to the mountains.

This time, though, it’s the middle of winter, and the ski season is in full swing. When we were considering a winter break, Mayrhofen had sprung to mind not simply because we had been there recently but because we knew it to be a prime winter destination. We’re not here for the skiing, or even the après ski, but to indulge in a week’s worth of winter walking, along with some comfort eating, plenty of reading, a little bit of R&R, and an escape from that four-letter word that’s been driving us crazy – work!

Sunday Jan 29th – A Wiesenhof Wander: “Achtung! Da kommt noch einer!”

7.51 miles / Ascent = 460m / Descent = 460m

We had arrived the previous evening in darkness, our transfer from Innsbruck having been somewhat delayed. As we approached Mayrhofen, the villages in the valley – picked out by pinpoints of light and the occasional floodlit hillside – were gearing up for late-night skiing, so we had no real idea of the weather or snow conditions until the Sunday morning when we woke to low cloud and mizzle.

Undaunted, we set off on a route we had remembered from our last visit – one that we hoped would be passable in winter conditions. And so it proved: after walking through town to pick up a bus timetable and a handy map of winter walking routes, we followed a track up through the woods towards Wiesenhof, a mountain restaurant perched at 1058m on a nearby hillside and clearly visible from town. We had eaten there before and knew it to be good, so it made an ideal objective on our first day.

As we made our way up the hillside, we soon came alongside the ski run that descends from the top of the Ahorn gondola some 1300m above us, quite busy even this early on a gloomy Sunday morning. Shortly before reaching Wiesenhof we had to traverse the slope, crossing one at a time to present a smaller target to any errant downhiller.

Lunch, as anticipated, was excellent. We both opted for Specknödelsuppe – large ham dumplings served in a clear broth – and jolly good it was, too.

After chatting to the owner for a while it was time to move on. To make a circuit out of our walk we took a slightly longer route back. As we were admiring a beautiful log cabin situated prettily amongst the trees we were stirred into swift action by a shout from behind. “Achtung!” came the call, as two lads flew by on sledges, “Da kommt noch einer!” We kept to the side, and sure enough a third came whizzing past.

Back in town, we did a little more fact-finding before returning to the hotel. Needless to say, at this time of year it’s busy with skiers and boarders, and the main street was thronging with people waddling along with that peculiar ski-booted gait.

That evening, we went to the Welcome Meeting. There was plenty of info available for skiers, with lots of suggestions for money saving ideas and things to do by way of après ski. We just wanted to find out about the buses, though, many of which were for use by skiers only. Having sorted everything out we took our leave, reluctantly resisting the temptation to “throw some shapes on the dance floor” at the Schnaprès Ski event later on.

Dinner consisted of a melon starter, consommé with Pancake Strips, Roast Duck and Strawberry Soup with semolina dumplings, all of which was delicious. Then it was back to our room for a read.

Monday Jan 30th – Finkenberg & Astegg: Strudel And A Stroll

10.30 miles / Ascent = 771m / Descent = 1025m

Today we decided to venture slightly further afield, and took an early-morning bus to the next village, Finkenberg.

Although only about a 15-minute ride away, Finkenberg is situated on the edge of a hanging valley and by the time we had zigzagged our way up from Mayrhofen we’d already reached an altitude of about 850m.

Our chosen route to Astegg and back took the form of an elongated ellipse – out on the lower road and back via a higher-level track. This was our first experience of the area’s prepared winter walking routes, and we began by following a narrow road out of Finkenberg that rose gently as we traversed the hillside.

Pretty soon we were above the level of the rooftops, with a clear view back over Mayrhofen and the Ziller Valley. After a misty start conditions were improving, and before long we were approaching the hamlet of Astegg. We crossed a number of frozen streams on the way, a reminder – if one were needed – that the nights were cold enough to freeze cascading water solid.

Although still quite early, we couldn’t resist the lure of the Gasthof Astegg. Before we knew it coffee had been ordered, and Apple Strudel materialised in front of us. It was delicious and unnecessary – methinks we did protest too little.

Suitably fortified against the cold (!) we carried on, soon doubling back on to the higher-level route. A couple of steep switchbacks had us puffing for breath a bit, then the route levelled out again, and it was an easy walk through pine woodlands on gently graded forestry tracks. We spotted a Greenfinch to add to our earlier sighting of a Jay. It was beautiful and quiet, and the sun was even trying to come out - for a while, we had winter at its picture perfect best.

We chose a different path back into Finkenberg: again cleared, but this time a steep, narrow path descending at the outer fringe of the village. Our Yaktrax – anti-slip devices that fitted over our boots, a little like simple crampons – came in very handy.

We had intended to finish our walk back at Finkenberg, but we had a bit of time to spare and it was such a gorgeous afternoon we decided to walk all the way back to Mayrhofen. A network of narrow paths led between the houses before a final riverside saunter brought us into town.

We felt we had earned our dinner – a Sauerkraut starter, Bean Soup, Stuffed Courgette/Chicken Fricassee and “Rabbit’s Ears” & Ice Cream. Even so, we popped round the block for 5 minutes before retiring to our room for coffee.

Tuesday Jan 31st – Hintertux & Bichlalm: You Can’t Take Chances With Avalanches

7.21 miles / Ascent = 510m / Descent = 462m

Buoyed by yesterday’s success with both bus and map, we set out after breakfast for Hintertux, a hamlet at the head of the Tux valley. Ringed by high peaks, skiing here is possible all year round due to the heavily glaciated nature of the surrounding mountains.

A fine-looking morning had persuaded us to make the longer journey, while bright sunshine and a cloud-free sky reinforced the decision to head for the heights. There is only one circuit of some 30 minutes from the top of the Ahorn gondola, whilst the area at the top of the Penkenbahn shows little in the way of prepared routes at all. From the top of the Hintertux Gletscherbus, however, was a prepared path that contoured round from 2100m to the Bichlalm at 1700m, just right for a decent there-and-back walk with lunch in the middle.

So, armed with two tickets for the gondola at a cost of £18 the pair, we rode to the top, kitted up and made our way round to the start of the path. Even with our rudimentary German, we understood what “Geschlossen” meant – closed!

Bugger!

Still, you can’t take chances with avalanches, so we hung about for a few minutes watching the skiers and making the most of the fine views, then headed back down to put plan B into operation – a walk up to the Bichlalm from the valley.

Despite our initial disappointment it was still a beautiful day, with temperatures nudging positive Centigrade values thanks to the sunshine. The going was straightforward and the route clear, and after a fairly easy walk up we reached the Bichlalm just in time for lunch on the sun terrace – Goulash Soup/Specknödelsuppe and a refreshing Radler. In fact our timing was excellent as it busied up soon after our arrival.

Afterwards we pushed on a bit further, hoping to walk a little way towards the top station of the gondola. But the contour path was closed at this end, too, so we turned back and made our way down to the valley. Despite the sunshine, it was still cold enough (even in gloves) for our hands to get quite chilly: once you’ve stopped walking it can take a while to get warmed through again – something that takes a little longer still on gentle downhill slopes.

We were down in the valley in time to catch the early bus back to Mayrhofen. In spite of our earlier disappointment we’d had a good walk, so decided to spend the rest of the afternoon reading and relaxing. After dinner we went out for a wander round town, where our down jackets – too warm for hiking during the daytime – proved ideal for an evening stroll in sub-zero temperatures.

Wednesday Feb 1st – Gasthof Mösl & Rastkogelhütte: Missed Objectives

7.18 miles / Ascent = 720m / Descent = 699m

Another reasonable morning dawned, so once again we opted for an escapade slightly further afield; this time starting from the Gasthof Mösl high on the valley-side above Hippach. In theory, this was a two-bus journey – one to Ramsau and a second to the Gasthof Mösl, split by about an hour and a half. In practice, we overshot the first bus stop and had to backtrack by train – slightly embarrassing and additionally expensive, but at least not to the detriment of our original plan. Indeed, we still had time to pop into the local café in Hippach for a coffee where, miraculously, large helpings of Apple Strudel also appeared. Good job walking in the snow is hard going.

Our ultimate objective for the day was the Rastkogelhütte, a mountain restaurant situated at 2124m below the minor summit of the Kreuzjoch. With the Gasthof Mösl behind us, we began to climb the road up into the mountains. In summer, this is the beginning of the Zillertaler Höhenstrasse – a high-level motoring route between Hippach and Reid; in winter, though, it is snow-covered and closed to through traffic.

By now it was a beautiful morning, relatively warm and with plenty of sunshine. Although the gradient was steady, over the next two hours we treated ourselves to a stiff, strudel-powered aerobic workout, and gained altitude swiftly. Ahead we could see some of the higher summits hereabouts, including the Rastkogel itself at 2762m. These would have to wait for a different day; a future summer visit, perhaps?

The only downside with the day’s plan was that there was a limited amount of time between buses in which to walk. We had made good progress through the morning and could see our intended target on the horizon, but, being mindful of the time limitations we were under, we opted to turn back some way short. Not to worry – we’d had a great walk anyway, and still topped out at over 2000m.

By now, the clear conditions of earlier in the day had dwindled, and the views across the valley to the Ahorn had closed in. As we made our descent, the weather gradually worsened and it began to snow lightly, and we felt vindicated in our decision to turn round when we did.

  

In the end, we were back down in plenty of time; time used wisely to pop into the Roswitha – a warm, cosy restaurant with a traditional interior – for Goulash soup and beer.

Well, it was several hours since we’d had that strudel!

Rosy cheeked from the outer cold and the inner warmth, we spent the remainder of the afternoon in a drowsy slumber. However, we did rouse ourselves in time to catch the late bus back to Hippach. The bus ride itself is worthy of note; zigzagging as it does back and forth across the mountainside in a series of hairpin bends with plunging views into the valley. This time we managed not to overshoot our stop and timed our connection with the train perfectly, making the short journey back to Mayrhofen amongst a multilingual hubbub of skiers and boarders.

That evening, dinner comprised a Tomato and Mozzarella starter, Beef Consommé, and Pork Kebabs. For desert, we chose one Tiramisu and one cheese board, but we were so stuffed that we liberated the cheese for use in tomorrow’s sandwiches.

Thursday Feb 2nd – Brandberg & Gasthaus Steinerkogel: Fog On The Stein.

7.50 miles / Ascent = 240m / Descent = 744m

In contrast to the last couple of days, the weather this morning was claggy once again, with a fine, powdery snow falling and visibility down to just a few metres. After a fairly full day yesterday (both in terms of walking and food) we opted for a lazy start, and spent the first part of the morning reading and shopping for supplies, waiting to see whether the weather would improve.

It didn’t.

However, we didn’t let that deter us. Instead, we caught the 11.10am bus to nearby Brandberg and walked up the road towards the Gasthaus Steinerkogel where we hoped to get lunch.

It was quite an eerie experience walking through such a snowy, winter landscape in such thick fog, and oddly enjoyable as well. All the sound and colour seemed to be leached out of the world, and from time to time trees or buildings loomed spookily out of the clag.

The walk up took us about an hour. Due to the later start, that delivered us to our destination – the Gasthaus Steinerkogel – right about lunchtime. Perched on a rocky promontory at the edge of a 600m precipice, there are normally magnificent views to be had from here. Today, in the gloom, there was barely even a hint of the huge chasm located beyond, just a grey void.

We opted for Specknödelsuppe and Kaiserschmarrn, a meal that didn’t disappoint – although the owner seemed a little nonplussed that anyone at all had bothered to turn up on such a rotten day.

After lunch, we started back down. Despite the glum conditions we were having an enjoyable time, so we decided to walk all the way back into Mayrhofen. Doing this involved a lengthy stretch of walking on the main road, but the road was quiet and it turned out to be reasonably pleasant.

On reaching the mouth of the Brandberg tunnel, we left the main road. To the east, the Zillergrund valley stretched away into the hills, but we turned west and followed a minor road towards town. Here and there the valley closed in, and the steep sides were festooned with icicle formations – quite spectacular, really.

The last half-mile walk into town passed easily enough. Once again we were back in good time, but having clocked up over seven miles we felt we had made good use of an indifferent day.

Friday Feb 3rd – Vorderlanersbach & Geislerhof: Chill On The Hill.

8.85 miles / Ascent = 426m / Descent = 435m

A relatively early start today saw us alighting the bus at Vorderlanersbach at around 9.00am, the plan being to take a leisurely walk up to the Geislerhof restaurant for lunch.

After using the facilities at the bottom station of the Rastkogelbahn, we soon left the hubbub of the village behind. Keen-eyed observers amongst you will recognise the name Rastkogel – indeed, it is the same mountain we were on the flanks of a couple of days ago, but this time approached from the opposite side.

We began by zigzagging steeply beneath the gondola, quickly rising above the village before gaining more gentle gradients. After a misty start, the sun was beginning to burn through, and the landscape – fresh with new accumulations of snow and frost – looked at it’s wintry best.

It was colder, too, we noticed. Temperatures seemed to have been steadily dropping as the week went on, and today were noticeably cooler – the display at the gondola station recording -10°C as we left, and -19°C at the 2100m top station. We found out later that an intense cold snap had been affecting wide swathes of Europe – we must have been just on the fringe.

The cold, sunny conditions made for excellent walking and beautiful views, and it seemed like no time at all before we were closing in on the Geislerhof. As was becoming the norm, lunch was a leisurely affair. It’s funny how every day seemed to trump the one before, and today proved no exception – Missgy had Käsebrot (bread and cheese) and I had an epic Tyroler Gröstl (a fried concoction of meat, onions and potato chunks with a fried egg on top, liberally sprinkled with parsley for the health-conscious amongst us) both of which were superb.

Afterwards, we returned by the same route. On reaching Vorderlanersbach, we stopped for a quick coffee then caught the bus back to Mayrhofen. Being as it was the last full day at our disposal, we needed to do some present shopping, and it was with a tinge of regret that we cut an excellent day a bit short. However, we made up for it later on with a stroll round town to walk off our dinner.

Saturday Feb 4th – Wiesenhof Revisited: Mercury Falling.

7.51 miles / Ascent = 460m / Descent = 460m

One of the advantages of the arrangements we had made was that of a late flight back home. As it turned out, we were not due to be picked up until mid afternoon, leaving us with a good portion of the day in which to do something, and a repeat of last Sunday’s trip fitted the bill perfectly.

So, for the second time in a week, we made our way through town and up through the woods to Wiesenhof for lunch. It was colder again this morning, -14°C if the thermometer was to be believed, and with the ice coagulating in my beard who was I to contradict it!

For once, I can’t remember what we had to eat, but whatever it was we enjoyed it very much, and we had a good chat to the owner who remembered us from a few days earlier. It was a lovely way to round off the fun part of the week.

Back at the hotel, we changed and finished packing, then got on the bus for our transfer to the airport. In the end, there were issues at check-in and we were a bit late taking off. Then we were re-directed en route to Cardiff: we had been aware of the threat of snow in the UK, and it seems we only just managed to leave Innsbruck in time – many airports in the Midlands and the South East were closed and we were lucky to get through. Fortunately, coaches were laid on the return us to Birmingham, but we were hours late, had an awkward journey along the M6 and got the car stuck in snow half a mile from home – by the time we got to bed it was past 4.00am.

Still, for our week – and a bit – in the snow, it was all worth it.

Totals for the week:

56.06 miles / Ascent = 3587m / Descent = 4285m