Hoher Hengst 30.6.2016
Early morning walk on the Hoher Hengst, starting from Schneebergdörfl.
When I set off at 7:20 a.m. I already feel the warmth of the sun ...
... but nearly the complete ascent, along the forest road (I call this the "senior´s ascent") is in shadow early morning. Adding up a fresh breeze - and I can´t say that I feel hot on this day, which is forcast to get more than 30 °C. The route also offers wonderful views making it much more beautiful than the shorter, but much steeper Mieseltal.
Nearly reached the summit - no pictures from underway, the heavy camera was in the rucksack, and steady walking was the order of the day.
On the grassland around the summit, first exemplars of the fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea)
View down to the plain (this area called "Steinfeld - "stone fieldf").
The slope is full of Yellow foxgloves (Digitalis lutea)
View to the Wechsel region
Lots of Yellow foxgloves (Digitalis lutea)
Columbine meadow-rue (Thalictrum aquilegiifolium)
Pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)
Garlic cress (Peltaria alliacea), in Austria an endemic plant of the region Schneeberg/Hohe Wand, but also occuring in eastern countries)- here growing in great numbers.
Western summit panorama from Hoher Hengst. Click here or into the picture for a larger display.
Schneeberg
A spot with numerous rock roses (Helianthemum nummularium)
Round headed orchid(Traunsteinera globosa)
Cattle in the summit region - with bull and calf.
Sometimes, strange things happen. A very short look to the ground, and happened to see this tiny plant like a snapshot. Then follows bending down and the big surprise to have discovered this tiny plant of 10 cm height in the high grass, It is a miniature version of athe rare fly orchid (Ophrys insectifera). Needless to say that I didn´t find a second exemplar in the nearer and farer surrounding.
However, what I find isd this beautiful group of Dafür finde ich hier eine einzige, aber wunderschöne Gruppe dieser Bedstraw broomrape (Orobanche caryophyllacea)
Yellow foxglove (Digitalis lutea)
fragrant orchids (Gymnadenia conopsea)
Round headed orchid(Traunsteinera globosa)
A rather pale exemplar of a fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea)
Ich arbeite mich eine kurze Strecke durch dichten Wald hinunter zur Schneebergbahn, wo ich kurz auf einer Bank raste - und wie es der Zufall will, kommt gerade ein Zug daher.
Blick vom Kaltwassersattel zur Ternitzerhütte und hinüber zum Gahns - Massiv.
Orchideen beim Kaltwassersattel.
Fragrant orchids (Gymnadenia conopsea)
Common Twayblade (Listera ovata)
Fragrant orchids (Gymnadenia conopsea)
Fragrant orchids (Gymnadenia conopsea). Now follows the steep descent down the Mieseltal route.
Lesser butterfly orchid (Platanthera bifolia). Whereas I hold the camera to the plant, a visitors comes unabashed and changes from one single flower to the other. Have a nice meal!
Another exemplar, a bit more down the Mieseltal.
Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) - in a nearly white variant.