As I wanted to take advantage of the free winter admission to the Ysperklamm gorge for the Lebensweg, I decided to travel back to the Yspertal valley to tackle this stage, which also leads through the Ysperklamm gorge.
Along the Ysper#
I start the third stage of the Lebensweg in Ysper at the market square in front of the church. There is also the stamp for the second stage and an information board about the hiking trails in the Ysper Valley. The day promised sunshine and warmth for the afternoon, but in the morning the weather was still overcast. Clouds and fog obscure the sun. So I didn’t set off until the afternoon. Otherwise the gorge would be too refreshing.
For the first few kilometres, I run a bit up and down. It’s a brisk roll along the wide Yspertal valley on roads and country lanes. The surroundings are reminiscent of an Alpine valley, but I am only at an altitude of around 500 metres and the highest mountains around me are only just over 1000 metres, including the Peilstein, which closes off the Ostrong Forest to the north.
I pass two fish ponds, the Waldteich and the Puschaucherteich. After Parming, the path leads across a meadow to the Perndlschmiede. The grass is short, still too little growing time since the last snow. There is an old water wheel at the Perndlschmiede, but the hammers have long since stopped working. Benches, information boards and a small fountain invite you to linger and to replenish your water supply. I continue along the dirt track to Pisching.
Roaring Ysper Gorge#
The first small ascent begins. Then it’s slightly downhill again along the tree line to the entrance of the Ysperklamm gorge. I collect the bonus stamp at the ticket office. In the past, timber was moved through the gorge, which is why many steps, ladders and bridges were built to untangle interlocked logs. I recently recounted the history of the gorge in detail during the hike on the Druid’s Path.
The roaring water drowns out my panting. The path climbs steeply up several flights of stairs. Waterfalls cascade down and I run over bridges high above them. I cover around 500 metres in altitude in just 2 km. Huge granite stones surround the gorge, where the water has laboured for thousands of years to find its way through the granite.
Peace and quiet in the Weinsberg Forest#
At the top of the gorge, it flattens out again. I am almost 1000 metres up. The still long forest path to Dorfstetten is only slightly undulating. I am on the plateau of the Weinsberg Forest, which is the largest closed forest area in Austria. The winter wind has raged wildly here. Several mighty spruce trees had to give way to its force. They now lie on the forest floor. But there is hardly any wind today.
It is quiet. I won’t see any people or living creatures until I reach Dorfstetten. Only a deer crosses my path and I constantly hear the chirping of birds, which are already in mood for spring. Only the footprints of a hiking boot in the soft gravel of the forest road tell me that someone has hiked here recently, perhaps hours or a few days ago.
Fortunately, I don’t discover any paw prints. A few years ago, the wolf reconquered the Weinsberg Forest. A pack was spotted. When I think about it, I feel a little queasy. But an encounter with such people-shy predators would be a great coincidence due to the size of the forest and the number of suspected wolves.
The run to Dorfstetten is otherwise uneventful. It’s a good time to relax, but somehow I still miss my headphones. I could be listening to an audio book right now. Maybe next time. Instead, I listen to the chirping of the birds and my plodding steps. That’s nice too.
Dorfstetten#
At the entrance to Dorfstetten I see wolves after all: two young huskies greet me with their barking. A few houses, church, pub and municipal office. A small village surrounded by forest and more forest. At the church next to the village notice board, I stamp again and complete the third stage.
