Panoramic tour along the ridge of the Pfänder above Bregenz

Anyone looking for mountain-solitude is not right here. On the first glance, there are large crowds bustling on the local mountain of Bregenz. Of course, the tour leads to more remote corners of the ridge of the Pfänder where there are smaller villages hidden from those who choose to get to the top by cable car. In any case, the cable-car ride to the summit station (1023 m) already gives a hint of what to expect. Arriving at the top we are swept away by a breathtaking contrast of lake and different kinds of mountains. Additionally, there is the Rhine valley expanding below us in northern and southern direction. In autumn, when the valley is covered in thick fog in the morning, which is often the case, an especially impressive view opens up showing the Swiss summits towering behind it. In eastern and southeastern direction the mountains of the Bregenzerwald are at our feet. The Pfänder summit, however, blocks the view in northern direction over the Allgäu. Whoever wants to enjoy an unblocked 360° view has to take the additional 40 meters to the summit following the circular trail. The actual tour leads across meadows and through sparse forests past farms and villages. One section of the tour takes its course above the villages on the so-called “Höhenweg” (Ridgeway). With continuance of the tour the view does not get much greater than at the start, but the lovely hilly landscape of the Allgäu also has its charm.

Coming from Germany: A14 exit Lochach onto L1, about 4 km towards Bregenz. Pfänderbahn (valley station) is signposted. (Toll road)

Motorway exit Lindau onto B12/B 190, along the lake towards Bregenz. (Non-toll road)

Coming from Switzerland: At the border St. Margarethen or Lustenau towards Bregenz onto B202.

Bregenz: Follow the road along the lake to the roundabout and take the second exit.

www.vmobil.at

Bus line: From Bregenz central station - Line 1, stop "Pfänderbahn"

By foot: from Bregenz central station - valley station - about 15 minutes, from the stop "Hafen" - valley station - about 5 minutes by foot

Arrival by boat: From the harbor to the valley station of the Pfänder valley station - about 5 minutes by foot (signposted)

Car park Pfänder valley station P15 (capacity for 136 cars), and parking lot Pfänder valley station P6 (capacity for 60 cars), visitors who use the Pfänder cable car can park their for free for three hours. The parking is validated at the ticket office. You have to show them your ticket and you get free parking for 3 hours.

From Bregenz to the summit station via cable car. At the old gondola and the playground behind the summit station we follow “Wanderparkplatz” (hiking parking lot) and walk downwards on a paved path in the light forest (always in direction of “Wanderparkplatz”). We reach the parking lot of the Pfänder in Moosegg (1004 meters). This is where we follow the sign “Jungholz” at the bus station. Now our path takes us across meadows and to a less crowded paved road still downwards. We reach an information board (Eichenberg) where the route takes its course into the forest. After a few meters at “Höhenweg/Pfänderstraße” (995 meters) we make a turn to the left onto the gravel path towards “Jungholz”. Now the path takes us uphill. On this section our destination is “Jungholz”.

The route takes its course on some kind of ridge and we reach 1020 meters of altitude before we continue our way downhill. At the crossroads “Höhenweg/Egg” (1010 meters) towards “Jungholz” across the meadows. We reach the small village Jungholz on 955 meters. We follow the sign “Hirschberg” downwards past farms and continue in the same direction. We quickly reach a forest section before we come to a dip onto a beautiful clearing. In the dip there is a wayside cross (Seppeles Cross, 895 meters) next to the paved road. Shortly before that a forest path branches off to the right (on its course there is also a cross). We take this forest path (“Hub”, “Pfänder”) and hike through the forest past clearances and meadows. The path starts to take its course uphill and we reach the houses of Hub; on the left we pass a farm and follow the yellow signs towards the road. Having arrived on the road we take a left towards “Pfänder” to reach our original route. From there we get back to the summit station and go to Bregenz by cable car.

Emergency numbers:

140 Alpine emergengies throughout Austria

144 Alpine emergengies Vorarlberg

112 Euro-emergengy call (works with every cell phone/phone network)

www.vorarlberg.travel/sicherheitstipps

A secret highlight is the section towards "Seppeles Kreuz" to Hub with its picturesque meadows which seem to be hidden in the forest.

Rest-stop possibilities: Gomm's Raststüble, Gasthaus Pfänderdohle, Berghaus Pfänder, Gasthaus Pfänderspitzhütte, Alpengasthof Schwedenschanze, Jausenstation Moosegg, Cafe-Restaurant Pfänderalpe

Pfänderbahn - Betriebszeiten und Tarife