September in the Stubai Valley: hiking, music and transhumance
Just a few kilometres from Innsbruck, with ski lifts open until 1 November and a host of events, it is an ideal destination throughout the autumn
Key points
There is a specific time of year when the mountains cease to be silent. It is during the transhumance, when the seasonal migration of livestock takes place after months spent on the mountain pastures; the return to the valley, accompanied by the incessant ringing of the cows’ bells, is celebrated with a grand festival. In the Stubai Valley, in the Austrian Tyrol, this is an experience that involves the whole community, and one in which you can take part in September, when three days dedicated to the transhumance are scheduled. The events in the Stubai Valley continue into autumn, when the mountains continue to amaze visitors with the colours of the autumn foliage and the hiking season – thanks to the ski lifts remaining open until 1 November – is extended to offer further weeks of walking; what’s more, the fresh air whets the appetite, inviting you to savour traditional dishes in high-altitude restaurants, whilst concerts of Tyrolean folk music brighten up the days.
It’s time for the Almabtrieb in the mountain pastures
Accessible by car, train or plane, the Austrian Stubai Valley, situated just a few kilometres from the city of Innsbruck, brings together all the features of the high mountains within an area stretching thirty-five kilometres: glaciers, 3,000-metre peaks and an extensive network of hiking trails. The landscape of this Tyrolean valley is made up of five villages rich in history and tradition, each with its own distinctive character: Schönberg, Milders, Telfes, Fulpmes and Neustift. These villages are the setting for one of the most eagerly awaited events of late summer: the Almabtriebe, or cattle drives, which mark the return of the livestock from the mountain pastures after more than three months – a ritual that speaks to the bond, lasting for generations, between man, animal and the mountains. The whole village comes out to celebrate, welcoming the cows – adorned with flowers, cowbells and coloured ribbons – as they descend into the valley, accompanied by the alpine herdsmen. Each cattle drive is a folk festival featuring farmers’ markets, food tasting stalls and live music; this year, there are three events in September: Saturday 12th in Telfes, Saturday 19th in Fulpmes and Saturday 26th in Milders, a hamlet of Neustift, where the day concludes with a farmers’ festival at the Bröllerhof farm.
Four hiking areas
For those who love hiking, the Stubai Valley is an unmissable destination because, as well as offering an extensive network of trails set amidst the natural beauty of the Austrian Alps, it also allows you to reach even the highest peaks thanks to the ski lifts. Water – in the form of waterfalls and glaciers – is undoubtedly the element that unites the most spectacular spots in the Stubai Valley, as demonstrated by the ‘Acque Selvagge’ trail, which includes a stop at the spectacular Grawa Waterfall. To see it illuminated by moonlight, you can join the evening walks scheduled for 1 and 8 September: visitors, equipped with torches, will walk the stretch from the Raffein bridge to the waterfall, accompanied by music played along the entire route; to enhance the experience, there will be stalls run by local producers offering regional specialities such as bread, cheese, honey and wine. More water, this time in its solid form, makes up the extraordinary Stubai Glacier at an altitude of over three thousand metres. This destination can be reached by ski lifts even in late summer, allowing visitors to admire the view stretching as far as the Dolomites from the ‘Top of Tyrol’ viewing platform. For a lunch break on the glacier, there is the Eisgrat Restaurant, serving a menu that combines Tyrolean and international specialities. As well as the glacier ski area, the Stubai region boasts three further ski areas with cable cars – Schlick 2000, Elfer and Serlesbahnen – from which trails branch out that can also be explored during the autumn season. The ski lifts in the Tyrolean ski areas of Elfer and Serlesbahnen will in fact remain open until 1 November, whilst those at Schlick 2000 will operate until 18 October. From Schlick 2000, which stretches above the village of Fulpmes, you can, for example, reach the Gletscherblick and admire a magnificent view of the Stubai Glacier; at the summit, 2,136 metres above sea level, you can even enjoy traditional Tyrolean dishes at the Kreuzjoch Restaurant; or you can walk the Sunnenseit’n Weg, a panoramic, sun-drenched trail linking Fulpmes to Neustift over a distance of around eight kilometres, at an altitude ranging from 1,250 to 1,350 metres. Within the ski area surrounding Mount Elfer, the cable car departs from the village of Neustift, and there are several routes to choose from, such as the Geh-Zeiten trails or the path leading into the Pinnis Valley. For a high-altitude dining experience, there is the Elfer-Agrar panoramic restaurant, situated at 1,812 metres. The Serlesbahnen cable cars, on the other hand, depart from the village of Milders and ascend to 2,717 metres on Mount Serles; in this area, you can follow the circular walk – suitable for everyone – which winds around the lakes of the Serlespark and features three viewing platforms (Koppeneck, Serlesblick and Karwendelblick); here, the place to go for a gourmet break is the Koppenecki restaurant.
Tyrolean folk music at the summit
Autumn is the time of year when even the cable car mountain stations become venues where Tyrolean folk music takes centre stage. Among the events scheduled for September are the concerts at the Dresdner mountain hut in the Stubai Glacier area, taking place every Monday in September at 1.00 pm; in the Schlick 2000 ski area, the events take place on Thursdays, also at 1 pm, at the Kreuzjoch panoramic restaurant. Music also brings the valley floor to life: every Wednesday evening, until 16 September, the Fulpmes village brass band invites visitors to join in the traditional open-air concert, whilst on Fridays 4, 11 and 18 September, the Neustift brass band will be performing.
Another opportunity to get to know the local community is to meet the valley’s producers at the Stubai Market in Neustift: every Thursday, until 10 September, from 5 pm, the market offers the valley’s culinary specialities, such as cheeses, cured meats, canederli, honey and spirits, as well as local handicrafts. The Stubai Mountains continue to reveal their charm in autumn through trails, flavours and sounds.
