Hiking
A clear day to return to Kleine Kanzel (1092 m.) in the Hohe Wand naturpark for another hike to enjoy the late morning views of Schneeberg (2076 m.), the easternmost Alp of more than 2000 metres altitude. Wide variety of fresh greens in the Wiener Wald forest with scarcely a sign of human habitation. The wildlife is good too: we heard many wild birds and saw, close to, a chamois, browsing in the forest. Once aware of us, the chamois ran off over the rocky precipices. Then a real fresh Wienerschitzel with a mixed salad, leaves over a base of cucumber and dill salad, fresh sauerkraut, potato salad and grated carrots; coffee and final sachertorte before the trip to Vienna airport.
The timing and routing of the flight home to London made the sunset last most of the flight before the decent to London through the thick clouds.
View from the same place but much later in the day so against the sun: Hohe Wand
Hiking Hohe Wand, the limestone plateau about 35km out from Vienna. Wolf and I enjoyed a ridge walk culminating at Wilhelm-Eicherthütte (1082 m.) with a view out to Schneeberg (2076 m.), renowned locally as the most easterly Alp of more than 2000 metres and like today, usually topped with snow.
An uplifting lunchtime stroll in the classical landscape of Richmond Park, wandering amongst the deer herds, screeching crows and parakeets but under the rumbling superjumbos roaring off from Heathrow airport.
Triangular hike from Falmer to the South Downs Way overlooking Plumpton. Skylarks and blackbirds singing. Crops beginning to germinate. Newly born lambs in one of the more sheltered fields. First strenuous hike of 2018: the Sussex Downs are long rolling hills which make for sustained effort to see the views over to Brighton or over the Sussex Weald. Picnic near Blackcap, 206 m.
The coast path around Cap Ferrat, hiking between villas and the Mediterranean with views across the Bay of Cannes towards the Esterel.
