I am fond of winter but I love to see it go. By the time it leaves it has become an unwelcome guest. It is a relief to see the buds open at Springtime and the trees begin to flourish, as they are this week. Walks home from the supermarket are peppered with mini assaults of blossom fragrance. The footpaths are dusted with their petals. The days are longer, the sky brighter, there is the promise of summer to come. Food becomes more interesting as we are almost out of the Hungry Gap (that period when little grows).
Mountains come into their own in Spring and Summer. No more so than those favoured for their winter culture like the Alps. Last summer I visited Vorarlberg in the Austrian Alps. Our drive from Zürich ascended in the dark, in the morning I was greeted with crisp air, the sights of lush meadows and tall peaks, and bubbling brooks.
The town of Lech is a pretty one. Famed for royal visitors (Princess Diana would ski here), it is also one of the worlds premier ski destinations. But Lech is also a joy in summer. The crowds are gone, and in the place of the snow all is lush. The days are hot and long, but there is crisp clear air accompanying. Continue reading