AA Day 14

We left Dollach and walked up the valley on an easy path alongside the river, only going up 120m in 5.5km.  We then climbed about 300m in 1.5km on a forest path, which was extremely steep in places.  We then got onto a road, before this turned into a forest road, which sloped upwards through the valley, but on a much better gradient.  It was about 6.5km to our accommodation.  We hadn’t managed to get booked in the hutte at the end of the stage as it was full; our hutte was about 1.5km before the end.  This was the most “rustic” place that we’ve stayed.  We were the only people staying, and had our own bedroom (no heating).  We joined the owner in the kitchen to chat as it was nice and warm.  We had made fast progress getting to the hutte as the weather forecast was not good.  About an hour after we arrived the rain came hammering down and we were very pleased to be indoors.  A German couple arrived, having driven up the track (very slowly) in their Porsche 911.  They stayed for dinner and then left, and we continued chatting to the owner.  Later a neighbour arrived.  He looked after 130 cows spread around the hillside.  They are now beginning to move them down for the winter using a trailer rather than walking them down.  We had an early night as tomorrow is one of the harder days on the Alpe-Adria.