Endstation (Part 1)
Vienna public transport has a network of underground (U-bahn) and trams (Straßenbahn) of which there are termini (Endstation) at the periphery of the city in the vine growing areas and the Vienna Woods. At some of these Endstations there begins a system of copiously-signed walking trails (stadtwanderweg) offering circular routes into the surrounding countryside. There are guide-books available to help select a suitable day out in the countryside.
Tram 31 reaches the edge of Vienna from the city centre in about 45 minutes
Tram No. 31 departs from thr city centre, crosses the Danube and ends at the vine-growing village of Stammersdorf, at the start of Stadtwandwerweg 5. This is about a three-hour circular hike through vineyards, arable land and woodlands, affording fine views over Vienna from the height of the walk. In July the sun was warm, the grapes lush, the corn golden with birds and butterflies abundant.
The beginning of Stadtwanderweg 5 is found behind Stammersdorf church
The trail leads straight up the hill...
...through the vine-growing areas...
...until the top when fine views of the surrounding countryside, and Vienna, are obtained.
The trail continues through thick woodland...
...and starts to descend back to Stammersdorf through a mosaic of natural scrubland, arable land and vines, a haven for wildlife.
The wheat is ready for harvestingSummer birds were abundant, including Swallows, sand martins and, best of all, a family group of Red-backed Shrikes .
Wild flowers punctuated the corn fields...
Whilst butter- flies like the Silver- washed Fritillary ...
...and Marbled White graced the grass- lands
But most excting of all was a rare glimpse of a Ziesel (Souslik) as he popped his head up from the mouth of his burrow(Click on the picture for more images of ziesels)
One of the guide-books giving information about walking trails in the countryside around ViennaPART 2 will follow soon.... the same route, but a very different story!
posted by Maalie at 4:00 pm
8 Comments:
A lovely trail to walk maalie.... in the fullness of summer. Is your next walk going to be through snow I wonder?
Sorry.... I just have to make one more comment, as the next word verification 'word; is 'racepod'
I shall have to keep you guessing Kiwi!
I was wondering the same as Kiwi! Where's the snow?
(galscuri)
Ooops! I lost a coiple of comments somehow when I was fiddling about, I can restore from my email:
Simon said: "Looks very sunny! has global warming effected Europe that much?"
Jenny Holden said: "Looks lovely! I saw Souslik in Hungary; they are super little characters.
Do you think you'll make it up to eagle country to visit me? We're moving on the 24th Jan and the contract is for 5 years so plenty of time!
Simon, those pictures were taken in July. Just wait for the next lot!
Jenny, yes, they are cute, aren't they? Good luck with your new job in Scotland. I would hope to visit sometime.
I am stunned.
Here at the western end of Vienna it is freezing *teethchattering* and you discover a summerlike paradise to the north of us! Makes me want to move. ;-)
Happy New Year to you! Can you believe I have never been on one of these Stadtwanderwege? Perhaps I should make it a goal for 2009 to try at least one :-)
Maalie,
That warms me up just to look at it. Beautiful! The snow here is pretty but too much of a good, wondrous (I think) thing. To get -12C next week and colder, than hopefully our winter thaw will set in, or at least we're to get one (a January thaw). It can get quite cold here in March.
But nice to pull some pics up from July in Austria. And even nicer, their beauty. Hopefully you're doing more now than just surviving the winter there.
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