Von München nach Italien – Wandern über die Alpen | ARD Reisen

Von München nach Italien – Wandern über die Alpen | ARD Reisen

(Sublime music) (Speaker:) On foot across the Alps. The so-called “dream path” leads from Munich to Venice and is a classic long-distance hiking trail. Many people are fulfilling a lifelong dream. But the path over the mightiest mountain range in Europe is difficult. A total of 22,000 meters in altitude must be overcome. The highest point on the way between Munich and Venice. I think… That’s something to be proud of, right? (Sublime music) You think the Alps are always the same. But no, they aren’t. Each area looks different and is beautiful. (Moving music) The path over the stone giants is not a walk. Some hikers quickly reach their performance limits. I just have to encourage myself a little. (Sobs) You are strong. A sporting and mental challenge. Those who persevere will be rewarded with unique moments. We meet people who live and work on the dream path. Rafts on the Isar are still built in the same way they were hundreds of years ago. An alpine cooperative produces spicy mountain cheese under old maple trees . In South Tyrol, hikers help with the hay harvest. And in the vineyards of northern Italy, delicacies grow along the way. Mmm. (Church bells) The adventure begins in the heart of Munich, at Marienplatz. Every year on August 8th , people from all over Germany meet here to set off together towards Venice. (Upbeat music) The traditional starting point is organized by hikers who have already walked the dream path. One of them is Karl Wammetsberger. I slept in a hay barn, on the bench, on the balcony, some half-finished house. I slept in church. So it’s pure adventure. Martina and Reiner Geiger arrived from Hesse. Most of the excitement is about physical fitness, whether you can actually do it as planned, at 28 days or at all, whether you can run to the end. For Susanne Kamp it is her first big mountain tour. I’m excited, but I think it’s really nice that there are so many people there to accompany you in there. And yes, let’s see what this all brings. (Lively babble of voices) One of them is carrying a particularly large backpack. Will he make it to Venice with it? (Quiet guitar music) The dream path leads from Munich over the Karwendel, the Tux and Zillertal Alps, the Dolomites to the Veneto plain, where Venice is reached after almost 560 kilometers. Reiner is 64 and no longer working. He’s been on the dream path before. This is a new experience for Martina. Do we have to go here, over there, middle or all the way down? Yes, the easiest way is to stay by the river. Okay, then let’s go down here, all the way to the left on the Isar… Directly on the Isar, the next path along the Isar. (Expectant music) The first stage of the day is 34 kilometers long and leads to Wolfratshausen. Those who are particularly athletic can do it in eight hours. For me it’s a sporting challenge and I can still prove myself to some extent if I try hard. Yes, that’s how it is for me. And of course it’s definitely something very special to be on the road for so many weeks and ignore everything else, more or less. Exactly, my husband and I, the two of us, on the road for 28 days. This is very special. Reiner starts with severe pain in his knee and inflammation of the bursa. Susanne Kamp is a trained physiotherapist. She is a breast cancer survivor. Now the 56-year-old is taking a break. Yes, I decided to do the Munich-Venice long-distance hiking trail quite recently, about four weeks ago. I didn’t prepare anything. I prepared the equipment, but otherwise didn’t pre-book any huts except for one, and let me go on an adventure. And let it all come to me. (Moving music) Marcel Butz and his son Florian live in Berlin. You want to camp on the dream path and be largely self-sufficient. That’s why they have a lot of luggage. Three liters of liquid included. Then of course there is food for three weeks and of course video equipment is included. That’s about another five kilos… with batteries and chargers. About 25 kilos per person. More than twice as much as recommended by relevant hiking guides. The rule is no more than ten kilos of luggage. And as you can see, it starts off slowly, a bit… hilly. Just a little foretaste of what’s to come. (He exhales heavily.) So. (Soft guitar music) Katharina Schulte is accompanied by her father on the first stages. After the hike, the 23-year-old medical student wants to stay in Italy. I’m going to study there for a year in Tuscany. And instead of flying there in a hectic manner, I decided to walk. Yes, I would have liked to come the whole way, but I’m not retired yet. But at least the first two days. That’s something too. Finding the right path in the Isar floodplains is not easy. The Munich-Venice hiking trail is not consistently marked. In some places you need a sense of direction and good maps. So far I think we’re doing pretty well. But you definitely notice it in your legs. So the body has to get used to these distances, which will come every day for now. Yes, things don’t seem to be going anywhere here. (murmur of water) I find it somehow lonelier and almost a bit rougher here. Wild. The tree that lies across there. It’s more comfortable on the raft, but only downstream. (Soft guitar music) Five in the morning. The rafts start in Wolfratshausen. An ancient craft, as vehicles are still built today in the same way they were hundreds of years ago. (Quiet conversations) Stefan Angermeier is now running the family business for the fifth generation. It all goes hand in hand. If we then put together five rafts, we can do it in two and a half hours. Every move is really perfect. Everyone knows each other inside and out, and everyone knows what they have to do. This is the ladies’ room on the raft. If the ladies want to go swimming and stuff like that, they can change clothes. But you probably have to relieve yourself sometimes. Nine o’clock. The fun begins. Not a cheap pleasure. Almost 200 euros per passenger. The price includes drinks, snacks and of course the band. (Cheerful folk music) When Stefan Angermeier’s great-great-grandfather founded the rafting business in the middle of the 19th century, more than 10,000 rafts sailed towards Munich every year. The tree trunks were sold and processed there as lumber. At that time it was an important source of income for many people in the upper Isar Valley. The Loisach now comes in from the left. After eight kilometers of leisurely driving, things get turbulent. The longest raft slide in Europe is coming. There we have the first highlight. 18 meter height difference. 360 meters long, we go down at 40. We do a rollover at the bottom. Let’s see. Today we have enough water. Might get a few wet. (Joyful cheering) (They cheer happily.) (Excited babble of voices) Yes, they’re doing well. They can travel relaxed on the raft towards Munich. And I have to go the other way. Fritz Nellenschulte comes from Hanover. The 35-year-old prepared for the hike for months. I heard about the hiking trail from a friend and thought to myself, I have to do it at some point. And at the end of last year I thought, why wait until retirement? Today I’m young and I took five weeks of unpaid vacation this year to experience this adventure. And then doing it alone as a challenge. (Soft music) The first hills on the way to Venice. This is still an easy hiking trail. Over the next four weeks, Fritz has to overcome many difficult rocky passages. In some places, sure-footedness and a head for heights are absolutely necessary. The first night for Florian and his father in the open air. So. After 33 kilometers we sat down there briefly and asked a nice man if he knew where we could sleep somewhere in the area. Then he said, lie down in the yard, on the meadow. No problem, everything is fine. Or in the barn, which was a bit too narrow for us. That’s why we decided to do this. (Idyllic guitar music) Difficult conditions the next morning. Not a problem with little luggage. But for Florian it is. (They laugh, Florian groans.) Yes, we actually got really slow too. Really, really slowly. Take lots of breaks. Yes, things are going differently than expected, I have to admit. (Thoughtful music) Yes, we are a group of six hikers, two families. We go Munich-Venice together. Matteo and I want to go all out. I actually think it’s great that you can really get away for four or five weeks and that I can spend a lot of time with him. Time that you don’t normally have in everyday life. Or doesn’t have that much. And I’m really looking forward to this intense experience. Now the sun is coming out. – Yes now. Matteo Roth is nine years old and quite fit. And I want to get in the water. Do you want to go into the water? Yes, we’re going into the water. He has often traveled in the mountains with his father. Did we do it? The tranquil spa town of Bad Tölz invites you to stroll through the magnificent market street. Really nice. It’s quite a contrast to the Isar floodplains before. Now you’re back in a smaller town. And this is actually the typical Bavarian postcard idyll, as we know it from the cliché. But the Lüftl painting on the facades is really great. And yes, unfortunately the blue and white sky is missing a bit today. But the weather is still good, right? (Quiet conversations) (Spherical music) The dream path now leads from Bad Tölz into the foothills of the Alps, then through the Karwendel Mountains towards Innsbruck. (Mystical music with spherical singing) The Benediktenwand, the first Alpine peak on the way to Venice. The panoramic path along the ridge is considered one of the most beautiful hikes in the Isarwinkel. In the south the Karwendel, in the north the wide view of the foothills of the Alps. With his heavy backpack, Florian can hardly enjoy the view. He and his father have covered around 80 kilometers. Florian now has severe pain in his knee. And here? Here, you can see nice. As you have just seen, we now have to cancel the tour. Florian’s knee is swollen and he can no longer walk downhill. We are now just before the Benediktenwand. Should be visible behind me. Yes, we will now make our way back to Arzbach and then perhaps we will get in touch again. Final destination. Next year they might want to try again. But then with lighter luggage. (Rapid patter of rain, distant rumble of thunder) Morning. – Morning, greetings. And what’s the weather like? Unfortunately I have no reception, so I couldn’t control it. Do you know more? – Yes, I’m just checking. It’s supposed to rain all day. 75 percent chance of rain in the morning, 60 percent in the afternoon. You’re going to get caught in the rain. Well, we have to take it as it comes. We have to get to the next destination. – This is just… Oh yeah, okay. – Yes. Well, okay. (Quiet conversations) Today’s tour to Vorderriß takes at least seven hours and is dangerous if it rains. It climbs 710 meters and then descends more than 1,200 meters. (Thoughtful music) Surprise on the hiking trail. Ibexes are actually very shy and live in higher mountain regions. But ibexes were settled on the Benediktenwand many years ago. Today there are around 100 animals. The steep and slippery path doesn’t bother Matteo. He is usually faster than adults. Matteo, are you coming? Come on, give it a try. Matteo has just gone on strike because the forest path here is too boring for him. He would like to go down the steep mountain path, but it is very slippery in this weather. He doesn’t want to go any further at the moment, but he’ll get there. But it will still take a few minutes. (Thoughtful music) That’s fitting. – Thanks. Ah okay. The signpost is a popular photo motif on the dream path. After all, it’s still 460 kilometers to Venice. (Gentle piano melody) The Karwendel. The first major mountain barrier on the dream path. Fritz didn’t get off to a good start. Lots of rain and many other problems. I got blisters on the first day, broke my shoelace on the second day and then had to walk through the forest in slippers. It was more difficult mentally than physically. The ideas were different than the reality. Then I was alone with my thoughts, alone in the forest, literally. And I really had to nibble on it to keep motivating myself to keep running. (Moving music) Fritz is now traveling with Natalie, who is also heading towards Venice. Twelve kilometers of asphalt lie ahead of them and the first national border. Perfect. Since Fritz no longer hikes alone, his mood has improved. (Distant cowbells) That definitely provided motivation. You could exchange ideas. The experience of the first flat stages up to the foothills of the Alps and then seeing how the other person fared and how I fared. That certainly provided motivation. Since the Tutzinger Hut there are now a few more of us who have already walked forward. That motivates. (Moving music, birdsong, rushing water) The Karwendel is the largest nature park in Austria. Little access to cable cars and roads. A unique natural paradise between alpine pastures and lonely mountain peaks. Give me six beers and I’ll sell you one. Then I milk the cow. (They laugh.) Would anyone like a piece of my cheese? Yes. – No thanks. Please. – No thanks. You wanted. – Thank you, oh well. Do you have this one from around here? – I bought it in Lenggries. Cool. – I can’t tell you what kind it is. Hopefully from a happy cow. I hope the cows are as happy as the ones in the pasture behind us. And? Is good. – Something, huh? The large Ahornboden is a natural monument that does not exist anywhere else in the Alps. There are around 2,300 maple trees here. Some are 700 years old. Happy cows are probably grazing under the gnarled trees. Here you will find valuable forage areas and a particularly large number of herbs. The largest Melkalm in Tyrol is located in the middle of the Ahornboden. It belongs to ten farmers from the Inn Valley who founded an agricultural community here in the 19th century. (rooster crows) Four o’clock in the morning. The work begins for Johanna Pfurtscheller and Martin Höger. The farmer is a member of the agricultural community and is proud of his profession. I think most people don’t even know this when they open their milk carton in the morning. That I had already been in the stable three or four hours before I even had any milk. This work is just so close to nature. You’re a bit of your own boss. And I personally can’t imagine working in an office . But that’s… So my work is certainly not made for everyone. And office work just isn’t for me. (Huring in the background, cowbells) Martin, help me. Ah, I guess… it’s okay. Yes, they like that. After all, Martin and Johanna’s 24 cows deliver around 600 liters of milk every day. (Quiet music with a light bass beat) Martin brings the warm milk straight to the cheese dairy. The milk from other alpine farms also goes into the agricultural community’s large copper kettle . Cheesemaker Eduard Radinger has been at work here for two hours. We start at half past three in the morning. And this is actually the first work. We go into the cellar, take the cheeses that were put into the salt bath three days ago out of the salt bath and put them on the shelf. The agricultural community produces around 1,600 wheels of cheese per year. Cheese from Eng always wins medals at the Cheese Olympics. For example for the Maple King, which Eduard is now testing. It has a nice, long dough. It tastes good. We’ll take it for sale. (Bright cowbells) (Strong moos) Becka, come on! 6.30 a.m. The other alpine farms are now also letting the dairy cows out of the stable. There are around 240 animals in total and they alone know the way. (Bright cowbells) (Soft guitar music) I can’t say no to that. And maybe those too. Martina and Reiner Geiger have already hiked 140 kilometers. Reiner started in Munich with knee pain. How is he now? After three days it was significantly improved. I can’t feel anything from the bursa now. It’s completely gone. I think it’s just all the adrenaline and environment that led to a flash heal. (Music becomes more lively.) Fritz has to deviate from the planned route and use a detour due to the bad weather conditions . The long and strenuous valley hike wears on his nerves. Susanne has arrived in Karwendel. But she doesn’t know where she can sleep next night. It is high season and many mountain huts are fully booked. Yes, hello, hello, this is Susanne. I wanted to ask, do you happen to have a bed available for me in your hut tomorrow? An emergency camp would be okay in this case. Yes, yes, absolutely, the main thing is a bed. (Water rushing) Mattress too, everything’s fine, the main thing is to lie down. Yes, I have a bed. No, I don’t have a bed. I have a place in the room, but it’s fine. Cable car rides are frowned upon by many Munich-Venice hikers. Susanne sees this more pragmatically. It was clear from the start that I wouldn’t do everything on foot and that I would always allow myself to sit or hang or lie down in a gondola. Um… Yes, no, I’ll take the bus sometimes if it gets too much for me. Well, I don’t mind that at all. I’m not that ambitious to follow this path exactly according to the book, to walk every meter. And that’s what I found out, it’s not my thing. I wouldn’t keep it up either. Susanne saved herself the arduous climb to over 2,000 meters. She still has to hike for two and a half hours to the mountain hut high above the Inn Valley . (Expectant music) (Gentle melody begins.) Since her cancer, Susanne has been very health-conscious. Do a few yoga exercises every day to relax. Especially with this view over the Karwendel. (The melody fades away.) (Bubble of voices) I’m really happy that I managed to get a spot. They were kind enough to provide me with an emergency place, which is not the norm, really only in an emergency. Yes, it’s already quiet in the huts. And now the lights are about to go out here. And I close my eyelids and am glad that I can sleep here. (Quiet guitar music) Katharina is now on the road with Marlene and Friedrich. Really nice. The friends from Berlin will accompany you on the next stages. Yes, rain and sun. Oh, look, it looks really dark up there. There’s more to come. After seven hours uphill, the Karwendelhaus finally comes into view. Yesterday my knees suffered a bit. But today things went uphill and no complaints. We had other aches and pains with blisters and… hunger, very hungry. (They laugh.) (Bubble of voices from the restaurant) Hello. – Hello, hello. We have reserved for Katharina Schulte. Great, let me take a quick look. Yes, exactly, wonderful, two people. Exactly, and one person is Friedrich Urban. OK. He also made a reservation. – Wonderful. Do you want to lie with him or not? Otherwise I’ll put you in another camp. No, already together, right? Was just kidding. Are you in the Alpine Club? – Yes. Then I need your IDs, please. – Yes. One, two, three, wonderful. Then I’ll get twelve euros from each of you, please. Hut manager Andreas Ruech knows how to treat blisters. I’ve been bleeding my heels for the last three days. I think it won’t last. Of course I hope that the blisters won’t be too painful tomorrow. Yes, I have shoes that are way too big. There are twelve beds in the room. The lower ones are all already occupied. Is there anything else at the window? Then maybe we’ll take a look upstairs. Look, there are three more here. Perfect, there are three next to each other. – Then we’ll take them together. Can I sleep in the middle? – We can do this. The Karwendelhaus is located at an altitude of almost 1,800 meters. A large gastronomic establishment where everything works a little differently than down in the valley. What makes a good hut owner is that he is flexible. As a hut owner you actually have to be able to do everything. You have to have a lot of skills because no one will help you up there. This evening almost 200 mountain hikers want to be fed. A challenge for the kitchen. They are long working days. It’s just that you don’t know what’s happening every day. And something different happens in this hut every day. What does that mean? – Apricot jam. OK. Can’t you read my beautiful writing? No. Two big buckets? – Two buckets, yes. Andreas runs the hut together with his wife Brigitte, now in the fourth generation. We need chocolate. Alpine milk and hazelnut. If you expect hotel comfort, you’re in the wrong place in mountain huts. There are 47 sleeping places in the warehouse under the roof. I wish there would often be more understanding for things that are produced and done in a hut. It starts with showering. We do not have the option to allow all guests to shower. Our shower brands are limited. Water, energy, sewage treatment plants all involve immense effort. And I often lack a bit of understanding, that the clocks tick differently up there. (Low humming) Like almost everywhere in Tyrol, roast pork is an important part of the regional cuisine. People often come down from the Hülsekar because they have just come from the Hallerangerhaus. Then he says: "Mei, I’m glad you’re making roast pork." "I thought I was hallucinating." Because that goes over the house directly into the hose car. And he smells the roast pork upstairs and just thinks roast pork. Then he is really happy when he sees that there is one. That it’s not due to effort. But vegetarians will also get their fill here. Beetroot dumplings and spinach dumplings are a hit at dinner. (Lively babble of voices) The Karwendelhaus is one of the largest huts of the German Alpine Club and is known for its hearty Tyrolean cuisine. They are very tasty. Also very filling. In short for everyone: I would make a weather report and tour information. Tomorrow, Wednesday. Are you excited? (several:) Yes. (Some laugh.) Wonderful. Tomorrow, Wednesday. “Foehn southerly wind is coming up.” "It gets warmer and the sun shines at times." "The longest afternoon in North Tyrol." "Only a little sun in East Tyrol." So lucky that we are in North Tyrol. So, the tour to the Hallerangerhaus takes eight to ten hours. It’s 15 kilometers, 1,400 meters up and 1,400 meters down over the day. Sure-footedness, a head for heights and a good level of fitness are absolutely necessary. But I think tomorrow would be a good day to go over there. (all:) Cheers! The next morning. The hut owner recommends breakfast at seven o’clock at the latest for anyone who wants to hike across the Hülsekar today. More bacon. Since we are one of the few huts that still make bacon eggs in the morning, we love eating bacon eggs. Among other things, of course, there are practically two factions. The small breakfast section with bread, butter, jam, and the bacon and egg section. The muesli moves somewhere in between. But we do make bacon eggs… We usually make bacon eggs in two pans, and if there’s a lot, we make bacon eggs in three pans. But yes, bacon eggs are eaten with pleasure. The muesli: homemade with fresh grains and fruit. (buzz of voices, clinking of cutlery) Thank you. – So. Park it somewhere. A cereal with you. Yes. – Herbal tea? For me. (Gentle piano melody) A sporting challenge awaits Katharina, Marlene and Friedrich today. The route over the Hülsekarsattel is considered one of the most difficult stages on the way to Venice. Uphill is actually always no problem. What I’m a bit worried about now is of course going downhill. There are sometimes 3,000 meters of altitude waiting for me in one day. And I’m curious to see whether my slightly damaged knees will handle it as well as I hope. The steep scree slope requires sure-footedness. On top of that, an icy wind is blowing and it starts to drizzle. They managed to climb the Hülsekarsattel , but due to the weather they had to take a break in an emergency shelter. (They mumble to each other.) So that it’s even wetter. But the fitting, no. Sheltered from the wind, but cold. Luckily, the friends have rescue foil in their luggage. It gets warm immediately. Real? – Yes. Hot? Yes? It is getting warmer. – Like in a sauna. Mega good, right? – Yes, awesome. Less skin surface area. – Yes. (Quiet piano melody) Fritz surprisingly gives up. He goes back to Hanover. Yes, I haven’t been able to sleep the last few nights. I was lying awake in bed, my thoughts were spinning. And I always fell asleep around three or four in the morning and then woke up after two or three hours. I think when you do the dream path you have to expect problems to arise. Hiking for 30 days and living out of a backpack is simply a great adventure where things happen that you wouldn’t have expected before. So, I also expected that I would reach my physical limits sooner and that this would be more of a sticking point on the hike. But I didn’t expect that it was the mental kick that made me give up . The weather is improving on the Hülsekarsattel. Finally Sun. (Whispering wind) It would be nice up there. It looks really strong, the summit. Yes, that would be a nice walk up in the sunlight. We just decided against it during the storm and now we’re sticking with it. Plus the wind blows quite a bit up there. That didn’t deter some. You have climbed to the Birkkarspitze, the highest mountain in the Karwendel, and enjoy the breathtaking view at 2,749 meters. (Mystical music with spherical singing) The descent on the other side of the Hülsekarsattel is not for people with weak nerves. Very good. You can see Marlene’s effort. That would have been really nice. At the foot of the rock face the path becomes much easier. If you can see it from here, we’ve really achieved something. Because you don’t think you’re going to get over there if you look at it like that. Nope, not at all. – Mmm. Hey, really good. And came down. (Soft music) Eckhard Schlöder starts his hike at the Hallerangerhaus. The 64-year-old architect from Munich is an experienced mountaineer and has already been on many long-distance hiking trails around the world. For example in the Himalayas or South America. (Moving music) Long-term hiking has a very special appeal for me. If you compare it to a weekend trip, um… a completely different way to embark on such an adventure. At the weekend I know it will continue again on Monday. The long-term hike will become my new way of being. With each passing day I become more and more distant from my everyday life, from my petty, small, insignificant… ultimately insignificant worries. You switch off and come up with completely new ideas. But you also get to know yourself. And I think that’s what’s interesting. You practically discover yourself, which is… um… not actually possible in normal everyday life. (Moving music) So here we are, in this beautiful place, 2,070 meters high. This is called the Lafatscher Joch. And this is a first turning point on our route towards Venice. A new act begins here. Behind us, behind me, lies the wild Karwendel. In front of us, over on the horizon, beyond the Inn Valley, are the Tux Alps. The Seven Summits are now waiting for us next. (Quiet piano melody) A new section on the dream path begins near Innsbruck. It now goes over the main Alpine ridge and the Dolomites to Belluno on the south side of the Alps. The climb to the so-called Seven Tuxer Summits begins at the Glungezer Hut . Seven peaks on one mountain stage. Susanne wants to cross it today. A difficult and strenuous mountain tour, but one that promises magnificent views. Oh God. An overhang. A few more scrambles and then the Tux Alps are presented in widescreen format. (Moving music) It’s overwhelming because I’m sitting here in a panorama, 360 degrees. Really 360 degrees of just mountains, and high mountains, covered in snow. It’s really overwhelming. Because I think I’ve never… yes, sat in such a cauldron of mountains. And that is really fantastic. (Moving music) The Hintertux Glacier is already shining in the distance. But until then Susanne has to hike for two more days. (The music fades away.) (Rapid patter of rain) A cold front is moving over the Tux Alps. High-altitude trails are now dangerous for hikers. Stefan and nine-year-old Matteo therefore have to take a detour. We are now completely lost in the fog. The path is the purest stream. And we are now fighting our way up from the goal yoke. We are now at the Lizumer Hütte. Exactly. The hut landlord strongly advised us against crossing the Geierjoch. It’s raining heavily. And unfortunately we had to completely reschedule. We now go over the Torjoch to Lanersbach and from there take the bus to the Schlegeisspeicher and stay at the Domenikushütte. There’s no other way. But today it’s raining all day long, two to three millimeters per hour. Tomorrow the snow line will drop to 2,000 meters according to the forecast. Therefore, crossing the Friesenbergscharte is unfortunately out of the question. The Lizumer Hut three days later. Today is the first real sunny day in ten days. We are really happy that we can run in the sun today. Yes, otherwise, my blisters have gotten worse and worse and have now healed a bit thanks to the day off. There are no longer any blisters, but the skin is really gone. And I’ve now covered it up with tape and plaster and everything possible and let’s see what it looks like this evening when we arrive at the Tuxer-Joch-Haus. (Quiet piano melody) The Geierjoch opens up new perspectives. Now the white giants of the Zillertal Alps dominate the picture. The Olperer and the peaks of the frozen wall are well over 3,000 meters high. (Exciting, moving music) At the Hintertux Glacier the path leads over the Friesenbergscharte. Another difficult spot on the way to Venice. In bad weather, the dream path can quickly turn into a nightmare. Rain again. And in the Tuxer-Joch-Haus the mood is at zero. (Quiet conversations in the background) We were really looking forward to the Friesenbergscharte. We got up early and walked to the Spannagelhaus. But the weather forecast has really changed completely. And the fog is gathering behind us. It is raining the whole time. And now we somehow have to take two different gondolas to Hintertux and Mayerhofen and then continue on by bus. And yes, the mood is correspondingly bad, but… Yes, somehow we’re really unlucky with the weather at the moment. (Loud babble of voices, tense piano music) You can still ski on the Hintertux Glacier even in midsummer. The third highest ski area in Austria is well served by cable cars. Almost 40,000 people can be transported here per hour. At over 3,200 meters, the glacier is four kilometers long and up to 120 meters thick at its deepest point. At least still. Herbert Grassl has been observing the glacier for many years. He is a nature park guide and shows how the glacier has changed in recent years. If you look at the glacier over there on the Hoher Riffler, it went down to about our height. If you look closely over there, you can see small moraines on the left and right. And a… like a little pool where these larger rocks are. And 35 years ago the glacier went down to this height. The entire basin that you can see up there, halfway up the rock face, was covered with ice. For example, you can see a postcard from the 1940s. And you can see that the Fernerhaus is here, you can see the large moraine. You can see how far down the glacier goes. Global warming is rarely as tangible as in summer on the Hintertux Glacier. In 2003, for example, the glacier lost 30 meters and up to 60 meters on the south side. You could watch the glacier getting smaller every day. The advertising for Austria’s only summer ski area promises 365 days of fun on the slopes. But this is limited, at least in summer. (Soft, sparkling music) At the edge of the glacier: the Friesenbergscharte. 2,904 meters, almost as high as the Zugspitze. (The music becomes more moving.) The infamous descent on the south side is secured with steel cables, but still requires courage. Anyone who has overcome the gap will be rewarded with a unique panorama. Below the Schlegeis reservoir and above there is a famous photo hotspot. The perfect illusion. The bridge is actually just two meters high. It just depends on the right perspective. (Moving music) Just under two minutes for the shoot, then at the latest the next people will be pushing. Thousands of such photos can already be seen on social media. It’s just because of social media, it just came about that way over time. Yes, of course, that’s how it becomes known and that’s how something like this comes about. But we cannot absolve ourselves of it. We also took the opportunity to take a picture while we were up here. (Thoughtful music) Stefan and Matteo have arrived down at the lake. We actually have pretty good weather. It’s just a little cold, eight degrees. Behind us is the beautiful glacier. And the Schlegeis reservoir back there. Yes. Yesterday there was nothing to see, it was just milk soup. Yes. – This morning it tore open. And yes, today we want to go up to the Olperer Hütte. The two have been on the road for ten days now. And Matteo still looks surprisingly fit. (Quiet music with spherical singing) (Bells ringing) With dry feet. After a weather-related detour by bus, Katharina arrived back on the dream path. So here we have the stone. Austria. Italy. I’m at the goal. And more sun shines here too. (Peaceful music) Finally in Italy, in South Tyrol. There are still 350 kilometers to hike from Pfitscherjoch to Venice. (Spherical singing) Now it’s all going downhill. The hikers are looking for a place where they can set up their tents. Maybe in stone? The hamlet at the end of the Pfitscher Valley is one of the northernmost places in Italy. It’s mid-August. The winter food for the animals must be brought in. Despite modern machines, it is still painstaking manual work for Joachim Kaslatter. The farmer is one of eight people who live in Stein. The hiking group is allowed to camp on the freshly mown meadow. Finally legal. Because this is actually not allowed in the mountains. They have a silent companion in their luggage. Here we have the stone. We play with it, snap, snap, snap, every morning. Whoever wins has the honor of carrying the stone. We’ve been doing this since the first… not exactly since Munich. Not the first day, but the second or third day. We want to bring him with us to Venice. This is Peter. And Peter has already experienced a lot. We think it’s coming to Venice, right? Yes definitely. (Machine whirring) As a thank you for the hospitality, the seven hikers help with the hay harvest. Normally we sometimes sleep in tents or huts. Sometimes people invite us. But here… Now the farmer came and offered us the chance to sleep on his meadow. Then we said we have time and can help. We usually cook spaghetti like this in a large pot in the evening. With Maggi or something like that, some kind of packet soup. And it’s almost always the same, but it tastes good because we’re hungry after hiking. (They laugh.) So delicious. We worked hard and now we get spaghetti and beer for free. Just like that, yes. We would have worked that way too. -Safe. We didn’t think about it, to be honest. The secluded hamlet is a popular destination on the dream path. After many nights in crowded mountain huts, most people are happy to sleep in a real bed again and enjoy the hearty South Tyrolean cuisine. Sonja Angerer knows what hungry hikers like. The most commonly eaten dish is fried eggs with bacon and roasted potatoes. I also always highly recommend the omelet with bacon and cheese. This tastes really, really good. You don’t get that everywhere either. (Distant cowbells) Martina and Reiner Geiger spend the night at the Gasthof Stein and enjoy the famous South Tyrolean omelette. Tastes very tasty. – Yes very good. Perfect. Me too, really good. After such a long day, just the thing. – Exactly. These two women are also on their way to Venice. To be honest, after two weeks we are already wondering how we will ever get back to everyday life. It’s such a beautiful life, get up, start running. And… Gorgeous. It has a completely different experience than a standard vacation that you spend somewhere else . Because you just have to fit into the situation, whether you want to or not. (Quiet guitar music) (Distant sound of water) Reiner usually walks in front, I run behind because I feel more comfortable there. If he’s a little further away, I have to say, hello, I’m still here, waiting for me. But at the moment it’s going very well, fits well. This is definitely a wonderful environment. The first meters of altitude achieved. – The first big view today. And here the huts, that’s something very special. It really looks like someone used to live here. Yes, probably goats or… goats plus people. – Yes. People plus goats. You can well imagine what a hard thing that was. – Yes. (Thoughtful music) Beautiful. What could it be? Cotton grass? Do you know that? Yes, cotton grass, I don’t think it is. You stand there and you can hear the rushing water. Otherwise it is extremely quiet. An incredible silence that you don’t know in that form. And you feel very small, yes. And maybe you can adjust yourself a little bit. Maybe we can take this into everyday life too. On the Gliderscharte they say goodbye to the Central Alps. For Stefan and nine-year-old Matteo it is the last few meters on the dream path. (rushing water) With the last of his strength… Matteo’s blistered feet… walk towards the Brugger Inn, we’re up there. Matteo developed a big blister three days ago. Unfortunately we discovered it too late. And despite the blister plaster, the pain was really severe. He did great yesterday, I’m proud of you. But today we unfortunately have to say that things cannot continue. Munich-Venice is now over for us, at least for this year. Um… that’s a shame, isn’t it? Yes. (Quiet guitar music) Susanne has arrived in the Dolomites. On the last stage she was traveling with Michael and his son Lukas. But now she has to continue hiking alone. The two end their tour at Peitlerkofel and drive home. What seems difficult and tricky to me, I sometimes avoid by bus. Or sometimes by train. And that’s how I keep meeting other people. That means that the people here are somehow all in one place and always meet the same people, more or less. And because I sometimes jump ahead or lag behind a stage, I always meet new people. This is exciting. What’s a bit difficult is that you keep losing touch with the group and actually have to keep making new contacts. From the Peitlerkofel, the dream path now leads for nine days through the fascinating world of the Dolomites to Belluno. Alexander Krüger started in Munich 14 days ago. For him, the hike is a kind of pilgrimage. In the past I have traveled 2,000 kilometers on the Way of St. James in Spain. And I needed a different challenge because I thought the Alps were different than the Way of St. James. And that’s how it is. It’s a challenge for me here. It is a sporting motivation to run here, whereas in Spain, when I walk a Camino de Santiago, I move more spiritually and have deep conversations that I have only been able to have once before. Because every person travels here differently in terms of speed and physical requirements. Alexander was a professional soldier for 20 years and was also stationed in Afghanistan for several years. (Thoughtful music) In the Dolomites the dream path is becoming increasingly more demanding. Susanne looks skeptically at the bizarre rock jagged edges. Back there… that’s where it goes up. So right through there, through there. Some are already crawling up. Not a good feeling, it looked terrible from a distance. But as I get closer to this challenge here, I kind of slow down. (Mystical chant) Well… That’s how it looked from afar. Not a walk. And look, things really go down here. And there’s rubble everywhere. I just have to encourage myself a little. Eckhard has now also arrived in the Dolomites. Because of the colors of the dolomite rock, the mountain group is often called the “Pale Mountains”. This can be clearly seen at the Roa notch. I do think that you need mountain experience. Especially for such a long alpine hike. There are key points that can give you a stomach ache. If you’ve never tested something like this before, then you spend the whole time thinking about it: can I get these key points done, how will it be? But if I have mountain experience, then I can engage with the whole long-term hiking experience in a completely different way. I can get involved with the landscape and the people. And not the sinking feeling in my stomach the closer these key points get. I don’t even know, can I do it? Is the tour perhaps already over for me? It is a completely different pleasure to make this journey with a certain level of security. (Spherical singing) With the last of her strength, Susanne also reaches the top. Done. The view of the Puez Group massif makes up for the test of courage. (Quiet piano melody) Impressive gorges have carved their way into the mighty Sella Stock opposite . A path leads up through this maze of rocky peaks and plateaus . (laughs:) Like a stairwell. Oh yeah. They’re already completely worn out. Stairway to heaven. Eckhard is now on the road with Ursula and Piu. two sisters who are also walking towards Venice. We have reached 2,962 meters here. The clock shows a little more because it only has steps of five. This is exactly the height of the Zugspitze. This is the highest point on our Dolomites Traversal. The highest point on the way between Munich and Venice. I think… That’s something to be proud of, right? Then we move on and behind it lies the Lido of Venice. (They all laugh.) It’s not just the landscape context that you experience, but also the encounters with the people. And with people who you meet at certain points, wherever you happen to be passing by. But also people who started with you. Sometimes they go with you for a while, then you meet again a few days later. They have changed a bit, just as you have changed yourself. Pure happiness, just happiness and enjoy. (Expectant music) Katharina has now also arrived on the Sella Plateau. There’s the Piz Boè back there, I want to go there today. And then I would be well over 3,000 meters. But it’s really nice up here. A scenery like on the moon. The magnificent scenic highlight of your hike from Munich to Venice. (Fast, moving music) (The music fades away.) I’m definitely on the way. It took a few days. But now I ca n’t even imagine everyday life anymore because you’re just stuck in it and running every day. And it’s really really beautiful. Since I’ve been in Italy, it’s actually gotten more and more beautiful. The Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Dolomites. Many people want to enjoy the great view today. It’s holiday time and the car park at Pordoi Pass is not far. Katharina is now traveling with her boyfriend Matti. They want to spend the night in the mountain hut and hope that the many day guests will have disappeared again in the evening. (Lively babble of voices) (Quiet guitar music) Susanne has bypassed the Sella massif by bus and is already in the southern Dolomites. Here she meets Alexander again. She was out with him a few days ago. This is my first gondola ride in thousands of kilometers, which I somehow do while hiking. Yes, exciting. – I’m already experienced in gondolas. (Quiet conversations) The path leads past the mighty Monte Pelmo along the Civetta mountain group. But first, Lake Coldai beckons. You say when we jump. Heyhopps! Woohoo! (She laughs.) The majestic northwest face of the Civetta Group is a paradise for extreme climbers. 1,000 meters high and more than four kilometers long. The hiking trail leads along the wall and offers impressive views of the valley. Yes. (She mumbles something.) (The music fades away.) (Birds chirping, quiet conversations) Well done! – Very good. (She sighs.) Norbert. – Great. Terrific. – Done. So, now another bed. – Yes, a bed, then that’s good. (Thoughtful piano music) Directly behind the mountain hut. A superlative viewing balcony. You can hardly experience a more beautiful sunset. Cheers. -Cheers. To a gigantic evening. – Evening. Of course it’s something special to sit on this wall. I feel overwhelmed, I think it’s really great. This is day 21 for me since I started running in Munich, I feel super happy. Two thirds are over, I’m getting goosebumps, so I’m feeling great. (Quiet conversations) (Music fades away.) (Quiet music) (Distant cowbells) Well, now you all get out of here. Eckhard is now traveling with Angela. She started in Munich 20 days ago and she also wants to run all the way to Venice. But Angela has severe pain in her foot and can hardly keep up. (Moving music) (She sobs bitterly.) You are strong. You know what, you just give me a piece of your luggage. Then things will get better. Yes. And we can put all the apples in there too. Am I in the right place? Yes, exactly, it’s really extreme right now. A few kilos were taken off my backpack. You notice that now. And now it’s straight downhill, without any big stones that always make your foot wobble a little. I find a tar road like this very pleasant. (The music becomes quiet.) (Idyllic birdsong) Alice Marcolin lives in Veneto. Whenever the weather permits, she is out in the mountains of her homeland, often climbing difficult routes. (Italian:) At the moment I am the only person on the path. I haven’t met anyone yet. A very lonely tour. The only company at the moment are butterflies and marmots. Maybe we’ll be lucky and see them. The Schiara massif is the last rocky bastion on the way to Venice. And also the wildest mountain range on the entire Alpine crossing. Only a few dare go up here. Most hikers avoid the Via Ferrata Marmol, descend into the valley beforehand and take the bus to Belluno. Protective helmet and via ferrata equipment are a must for this stage. And luck in the weather is part of it. When it rains or even thunderstorms, the path secured with iron ropes can become a deadly trap. (Haunting piano music) This isolated cabin is an emergency shelter. Alice has already spent the night here in the best weather. A very special mountain experience. The sunset was beautiful. There are beautiful lights over the Schiara and you can see the city of Belluno from here. It now goes steeply down 600 meters, always along the steel cable. The two carabiners are Alice’s life insurance. Done. After three strenuous hours in the gorges of the Schiara. (Music fades away brilliantly.) Hello, where are you from? I come from up there, from the Marmol via ferrata, and was at the bivouac. The descent is certainly one of the most difficult stages of the hike, especially if someone is carrying a heavy backpack. (Soft music) Belluno means, loosely translated, the radiant city. It lies at the foot of the Dolomites. Italian flair, piazzi full of life, old town streets with Renaissance buildings and of course a portion of charming southern chaos. (Quiet babble of voices) (clinking of cutlery) I really like it here in Belluno. I’ve been in Italy for a long time, ten days or so. But here in the city you really have the feeling of having arrived in Italy. Everyone sits in their seats and has a drink. And the arcades… Well, I’ll be staying here for a year now. And it was a good start, I can get used to it. Tired hikers can also be happy about this. The almost 200 meter long escalator leads down to a parking lot on the Piave River. A few more minutes and then Katharina has to say goodbye to her Italian boyfriend Matti . She will hike the last stages alone. But the two will meet again in Tuscany. Katharina will study there during her semester abroad in Matti’s hometown. See you soon, Matti. – See you soon, Dina. Good luck. Ciao, ciao. – Ciao, ciao. At Belluno we go uphill one last time over the Nevegal ridge. Then the landscape turns into the Venetian plain. (Relaxed music) (clinking of bells, bleating) The last hiking stage for Eckhard. He has to say goodbye to Angela, with whom he has been traveling for the last few days. And he has to say goodbye to the mountains, because his annual vacation is coming to an end. He goes back to Munich. Now I have walked with you through the entire Dolomites. A wonderful challenge for me. But what matters is not the mountains, but the people you meet, who go with you. Wonderful. (Emotional music) After six strenuous hours, Katharina also reaches the 1,764 meter high Col Visentin. The last mountain peak on the way to Venice. (Quiet chirping of insects) It wasn’t easy for me to say goodbye to the mountains. Today was the last climb. And as much as I sometimes cursed the steep climbs, I have to be honest, my motivation for the flatlands isn’t that great yet. I would rather travel further into the mountains. But it’s just a new section now. I still have to adjust to that. (Quiet piano melody) (Distant rumble of thunder) The alpine character of the dream path slowly fades away and gives way to gentle chains of hills. The final now begins for Martina and Reiner. Personally, I’m now happy that I’ve got the mountain stages behind me, that it’s getting flatter now, and that a certain level of civilization is coming back. Because as nice as it was, it’s just as nice to have a nice hotel room and a bathroom. And also a normal everyday life again, of course, yes. (Quiet conversations) We’ve come this far. – Good luck. Yes, for the remaining days. Martina and Reiner live in an inn that many people visit on their hike to Venice. Traditional Veneto dishes are served here. For example, potato soup with fresh porcini mushrooms. Have to try carefully. (Lively babble of voices) (Relaxed music) In the vineyards of Veneto you can move faster than in the Alps. A landscape entirely to Susanne’s taste. Mmm. The area’s gold, the Glera grape, grows on the green hills . The famous Prosecco is made from this. Here the dream path crosses the Strada del Prosecco. It leads through the classic growing area. The Toffoli winery is located exactly where the dream path and the wine route intersect. A family business that has been growing wine for 60 years. The grape harvest is approaching. But winemaker Sante Toffoli has to test it again and again when exactly . (Music fades away.) (Italian:) Good. Very good. We are close to harvest. But the sugar is not at its maximum yet. It is very important for us to find the right balance between acid and sugar. But we’ll be there soon. I believe we can start harvesting in a few days. (Idyllic chirping of birds) We are in Refrontolo, in the heart of the Prosecco growing area, between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. But we also produce a dry red wine from Marzemino grapes, which we bottle today. 8,000 bottles go through the fully automatic filling system that day . However, red wine is only a small part of the Toffoli winery’s products. 95 percent of the total annual production is classic Prosecco. The pasta sauce has been simmering in the canteen for an hour. Buongiorno. – (several:) Buongiorno. After hours of work on the bottling line, it’s now time to eat. Pasta with lots of Parmesan. Of course, the home-grown wine should not be missing. (Quiet conversations, clinking of cutlery) As with almost every winery in Veneto, there is also a bar here. Susanne hardly drinks alcohol, but when do you ever have the opportunity to taste real Prosecco directly from the producer? A little sweeter or more dry. Rosé or classic. There is a bottle to suit every taste. Can you taste the difference? – Yes, tastes different. That’s right, it’s sugar-free. Susanne ends her hike in Arfanta and takes the train to Venice. (Moving piano music) Yes, of course it’s a completely different hike than it is now here in the foothills of Venice. The panorama is missing. – Yes, because Panorama is missing. The travel companions are also very thin now. It’s just a big coincidence when you meet someone, because the accommodations are so scattered, and that’s where the whole thing falls apart. (Moving music) Three days later, Reiner and Martina reach the Venice lagoon. 520 kilometers lie behind them. (The music fades away.) (The sound of wind and waves, the screeching of seagulls) (Quiet babble of voices) (Quiet piano melody begins again.) Alexander has also arrived at his destination. It’s also a bit strange to suddenly arrive here in mass tourism when you’ve been… yes, alone all day or only in small groups and only saw several people when you were in a hut. That’s quite bizarre. (The music fades away briefly.) (The quiet melody continues to play again.) So it’s a mixture of… sadness that it’s over, but also just joy that I’m arriving now, seeing my mother again. So the rain accompanied me at the beginning and also at the end. And right now I find it pleasant because it’s not that hot. And yes, it’s actually rather refreshing. So the rain bothered me more in the mountains than here. (Moving music) But I’m feeling great, I’m feeling really great. So crossing the Alps was my first alpine high tour. It was really great. I saw different landscapes. The Alps are not always the same. Each area looks different and is beautiful. (Lively babble of voices) (The music becomes expectant.) (The music fades away briefly, then continues playing quietly.) Hello. (Awakened string music) Somehow a lot of pressure is released now because I kind of wanted to get there, but it was so uncertain whether I would be able to do it. So I wasn’t sure about that at the beginning. Martina and Reiner have finally arrived at St. Mark’s Square. Susanne is already there. I have achieved my goal and I am overjoyed. It was a challenge, it was a great effort. Not always everything on foot, but at least it was done. And now I’m looking forward to Venice, exploring Venice and having a good time here. The stone that the hikers dragged from the Isar to Venice finds a place in the Grand Canal . You have the honor of throwing it down now. -Nice. We also make sure there is no boat coming. This is all safe. Get rid of that, and then get rid of it. (They cheer happily.) Not everyone who started in Munich arrived in Venice. But they all had one experience in common: the journey is the destination. (Moving Music) SWR 2024

An Seen und Almen vorbei führt der „Traumpfad“ von Deutschland über Österreich bis nach Italien. Doch der Weg über die Berge bringt so manche an ihre Grenzen.

Mehr Traumziele findet ihr in der ARD Mediathek:
https://1.ard.de/reisen-traumziele-uebersicht?yt=d

00:00 Intro
02:07 Von München nach Wolfratshausen
13:20 Von Bad Tölz in die Voralpen
20:05 Über die Alpen zum Karwendelhaus
30:23 Im Karwendelhaus
37:35 Über das Karwendel nach Innsbruck
44:02 Österreich – Über die Zillertaler Alpen
54:15 Italien – Wandern durch Südtirol
01:02:14 Über die Dolomiten nach Belluno
01:18:18 Vom Nevegal hinunter nach Venedig

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Weitere Infos:
► ARD Mediathek: https://www.ardmediathek.de/reisen
► WDR Reisen: https://reisen.wdr.de
► Wunderschön: https://wunderschoen.wdr.de
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#münchen #venedig #ardreisen #alpen #wandern #traumziele #italien

“Über die Alpen – Zu Fuß von München nach Venedig” ist ein Film von Reinhold Rühl. Dieser Film wurde 2024 im Auftrag des SWR produziert. Alle Aussagen und Fakten entsprechen dem damaligen Stand und wurden seitdem nicht aktualisiert.