Gorges and Castles and Ice-cream!

(Sorry about the pics in this blog - can't move them to where i want and its late and i need sleep!)

Walking the gorge

We are glad to be moving on to another campsite as it works much better with the kids, but we’ve had a nice time here in Niederau.

We’ve been staying in a British owned Pension/B & B with awful décor and a piddly breakfast!  It’s been good to chat to the owners about what it’s like to run a place like this though, and nice actually being able to have a conversation with them at all!  B & B’s are not a great option for us as we are all in one room and the kids take ages to get to sleep, plus not being able to prepare our own food has been tricky.  The B & B’s here don’t have tea or coffee making facilities in the rooms, but the owner has been kind enough to lend us a kettle (I have my own tea bags and two plastic cups I bought for the kids!).  We have to say though, since we’ve been here, once Milly and Noah get to sleep they’ve been sleeping so well – mostly till 7am – must be all the walking and playing in the fresh air.

We won’t talk about Saturday as it was moving day, pouring of rain, and we were all a bit stressed!  But Sunday, after a morning of rain, the weather turned out to be beautiful and we took a walk (which was meant to be 45 minutes each way) down to a hut for some lunch.  Gorgeous scenery all the way, meadows, forest and mountains and then we arrived at the valley floor which was a massive gorge with almost 1000m cliffs above either side of us and a raging river below with sheer drops into it (and in some places no fence or barrier might I add so it was lucky noah was sleeping, on the way there at least!).  It took us 1 ½ hours there, and almost an hour back where we caught a little train for the rest of the journey up.  Poor Amelia walked the whole way and we were so proud of her, she didn’t even complain, except when she fell a few times collecting more grazes, cuts and bruises on her knees! (The Princess will turn into a Tomboy yet!)

Later in the afternoon we visited the smallest town in Austria called Rattenberg with its medieval cobbled streets and castle ruins dating back to 1000AD.  I loved it!  We had (another!) ice-cream and then enjoyed a relaxing meal at a hotel near our B & B, overlooking the sunlit mountains.  (There was some inconsiderate farmer whipper-snippering his field right next to us – but the pro’s outweighed the con’s!)

Today we drove to Kitzbuhel, a busy expensive ski resort town popular with the Brits.  It was lovely, like a larger Rattenberg.  Maciek can have his mountains, I’ll take the medieval villages thanks!  Unfortunately Maciek was stung by a wasp and whilst removing the sting he let go of Noah’s stroller which rolled into the road causing much panic and swearing!  So that’s what those tether straps are for?  Not to worry, everything is fine.  Just gave us a shock, and re-ignited my fear of wasps (I was beginning to calm down around them!)

On the way back we stopped at a swimming lake with an awesome playground.  The kids had fun on the jumping pillow, flying foxes, giant swings, numerous climbing frames with slides, and many other things all free!  There was also mini golf, a huge toboggan ride which only cost E2.00, beach volleyball and a soccer/basketball mini pitch. 

I don’t think the Vee Bee Navigator is navigating cobbled streets and gravelled hiking paths too well, so I’m not holding out much hope of being able to sell it at any future Baby and Kids Market!

Kitzbuhel

Castles - BRILLIANT!

Playing at dinner

More Ice cream

I BIN in Ratternberg!

Phew! The train to take us to the top