The plan was to walk up the back of the Zugspitze. The weather took care of that. Rain and snow down to 200 meters does not make for a comfortable or safe climb up a 2960 meter mountain.
So I went to visit the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world at Ehrenburg near Reutte instead. It is 179 meters long and about 140 meters above the valley floor. The mesh on the walkway meant you could look straight down and the movement of it made it feel a bit like you were walking on a ship at sea. A few of the tourists were walking along holding on to the edge for grim life. I swear a few of them had their eyes closed. The fortress ruins either side of the valley added some extra interest. The old part of the Ehrenburg was started about 1200 AD and it was added to and changed as weapons improved.
Back to Ehrwald and as I had to get to the top of the Zugspitze I cheated and took the cable car from the Austrian side. It was minus 3 degrees at the top, windy and with about 10 cm of new snow. No views, just an experience. Once I returned to the valley I went for a short walk in light drizzle to the Hochthörle Hut and the nearby Eibsee Lookout at the German side. Only a few people on the well-formed track (read narrow bitumen road) through the conifer forest. No animals. Quiet.
Back to my Hotel for a tasty meal and a beer.
Regards
Walter
