To the orchids in the Gastertal

From the Sunnbüel bus stop, follow the road that passes the valley station of the gondola lift. After a few minutes, the hiking path into the Gastertal is reached. It first leads through a narrow gorge where the wild Kander river rushes into the valley. Here, already in June, you can see individual specimens of the rare orchid species Yellow Lady's Slipper blooming at the roadside. Exactly when this happens varies from year to year. However, you should also keep an eye upwards, already from the first minute of hiking: often a bearded vulture can be seen before and in the gorge. Therefore binoculars belong in the hiking backpack.

After passing the gorge, a first small detour is worthwhile. For this, walk to the parking lot and follow the road briefly downstream. On the right side of the road you will find a fairytale-like water landscape with the clearest water. Having had your fill of looking, return to the hiking path and after a few minutes reach the Hotel-Restaurant Waldhaus. Now follows the flattest part of the hike. The abundance of flowers delights not only botanists' hearts. Besides orchids, here (though somewhat later than the lady's slipper) blooms, for example, the Turk's cap lily, a magnificent lily species.

About one kilometer before Selden, you reach a signposted turnoff to Gasteregesicht. You therefore leave the hiking path – which runs here on the road – and go up the indicated small street. If you catch the right moment on this second detour, you will meet a sea of lady's slippers that attracts many people every year. Also, don't miss the view of the Gasteregesicht: this means a rock that actually shows a face. It is now not far to the endpoint of the hike in Selden.

Karin Meier