It’s well and truly summer with the temperature rising and the kids starting their 12 week summer holidays.  When it’s hot in the valleys you’ve always got the mountains as a refuge.  It is the case that the higher up you go, the cooler it should be. This was the plan anyway.

We chose the tried and tested location of Meran/o2000 .  Only a short drive to the cable car and then a 7-minute ride up the mountain to 2000m and the ‘Merano terrace’.  Those of you of the adventurous persuasion, and if you want save €44 for a family return ticket, can drive up to Falzeben and walk the remainder of the way to the cable car station.  

On this particular day we decided on Merano 2000 so we could walk to the Kratzberger See, S. Pancrazio mountain lake in Italian, at an altitude of 2138m.  It’s a lovely walk and not that difficult if you’re not particularly fit, just nice with undulating paths and really quite easy with nice views and the occasional greeting from a friendly cow. 

My daughter and I had planned to take a dip in the lake, something we usually do with mountain lakes, especially when the weather is warm enough, it has sort of become a tradition for us.  Not on this occasion though as we hadn’t planned on the ferocity of the wind.  Think coastal wind and you get the idea, the only difference was that the wind would subside for a few seconds and then come back and smack you in the face like a wet fish.  Usually I don’t mind a wind or breeze, that’s something I miss form the UK.  But then there are days when you’ve had enough.  Windy days are not really common here, it’s just something you don’t usual get, unless of course you live in Vinchgau/ Val Venosta but that is another story.  Lets just say that on this day it was fleece weather all around which anyone going up the mountains knows, always have a rucksack with at least a fleece and rain jacket.

So our excursion consisted of a walk to the lake, a packed lunch picnic by the side of the lake while we dipped our feet in the ice cold water and then the walk back.  We could have continued to the peaks but my two kids in tow weren’t exactly enthusiastic for the continued hike.  Let’s just say we made a decision not to extend our afternoon and we decided to go for a drink.  Now here comes the nightmare for me, what do I drink?  Up the mountain the choice is either the local tosh beer or a Hefe, otherwise known as a wheat beer.  When you have a thirst a Hefe beer just doesn’t do it, but as a beer drinker what can you do.  I took one for the team, drinks for kids, wine for the wife and I took a Hefe and finished the beer, bad choice. Anyway, a quick drink, take the cable car down and off to a bar near home which I know has a decent beer.