Moedling to Baden: the Wasserleitungsweg in the sun

Look, it's not always sunny in Austria. But frankly it is sunny often enough that it sometimes feels that way to me. One of the most enjoyable things about spring in a country with a summer is that every beautiful day can be taken as a promise of more to come, not just a teaser for something that will never actually come to pass. Of course, one can see it that way however many sunny days one expects in the next several months, but in Britain, let's face it, we don't. In fact, often every sunny day is taken as an opportunity to complain about how it is never sunny! I was once told that there is a Swedish word/phrase for 'feeling sad in early Summer because you are reminded it will all too soon be over', which just goes to show that it isn't just the British who aren't very good at the whole positive outlook thing.

Anyway, todays photos are from a very leisurely hike purposefully designed to be inclusive to all (me as well after a night of dancing) by starting after 11am and avoiding any big hills. It was a fantastic and very warm spring day, with temperatures over 20 degrees. Due to aformentioned leisureliness and the fact that big high mountains do still actually have snow on them, this walk was along the local branch of the Wiener Wasserleitungsweg. Despite a lovely walk between Gumpoldskirchen and Moedling at sunset a couple of summers ago, I realised I had never actually gone further than Gumpoldskirchen, and made that the goal for the day (along with wine and food consumption, this is a VERY good walk for that as there are many many small wine stands along the way).

The whole walk takes place in vineyards on the slopes at the edge of the Vienna basin, offering sweeping views, misty ranks of hills, and the ever-present dramatic flourish of row upon row of vines receding into the distance. These factors combine together to give a great impression of perspective in the landscape, which nicely carries through into photos and makes it a pretty easy place to get some nice shots, especially with the addition of picturesque architecture and fruit trees loaded down with blossom. On our way we also saw a whole bunch of hunting kestrels and heard a cuckoo! Welcome, Spring.

Hope you enjoy the pictures, you will find them here.

Bis bald,

Der Tom