Hinternasswald 13.6.2013
Herwig Gießwein has promised to guide me to a place where he has found Lady´s slipper orchids. So, we drop my car at the Schüttersteig and take his to drive further to Hinternasswald. Using the Peter Jokel - Steig ("Steig" = path) we climb the Rax plateau and leave it via the Schüttersteig. Not so bad - 800 m ascent and 4 3/4 hours on a morning.
At 7 a.m. still no sun in Hinternasswald - even in June.
Of course, there is shadow also higher up on this steep western slope, so I have to use the flash for these pictures. For me, it is the first time for many years to see Lady´s slipper orchids (Cypripedium calceolus).
The terrain is extremely steep ...
... but this changes in a very short distance. Like leaving a staircase to the roof terrace, all of a sudden you enter flat ground. The house in the background is the Habsburg - Haus.
These flowers - Alpenheilglöckchen (Primula matthioli) were growing in large amounts on the steep slope in the shadow. A few have got astray into the plateau´s sunshine.
Lartge puddles after recent heavy rain - the clayey soil keeps the water.
Near the path over the Rax plateau (in fact a lower, wooded western part) we find numerous oxlips (Primula eliator).
SpriAuch der Spring gentian (Gentiana verna) still flourishing up here - a bit late after the huge lots of snow last winter.
View back and to the Schneealpe.
After a while, the route goes down a bit, and we get a short glimpse to Schneeberg.
Beakless red lousewort (Pedicularis recutita) is growing between young trees near the path.
Steep descent via the Schüttersteig passing by high rock walls ...
... and deep abysses.
Huge lots of Sword-leaved Helleborines (Cephalanthera longifolia) inside these forests.
We are down much earlyer than expected. On the drive home, once more I have top stop to admire this poppy- and cornflower field.
Supplement (15.6.2013): as I did not know, that my camera makes so nice flower pictures using the inbuilt flash, I caught up with a picture of a bird´s nest orchid today, near Puchberg, which I could have made also near Hinternasswald - here and there standing inside a dark forest.
Three splendid speciments of bird´s nest orchids (Neottia nidus-avis).
And after a cloudy day walking nearly exclusively through forest (therefore no pictures) an atmospheric evening in Puchberg, taken near the Voka gallery (the artist joined us on our walk after having entertained us in his gallery with sparkling wine and sweeties and showing us around - thanks a lot!).
