Raach 9.11.2008
I am spending this weekend singing at a choral seminar in a seminar hotel in Raach near Gloggnitz. Singing all the time? No. Saturday it was raining all time, so no chance to go out,. but the weather changed during the night. Clearing of the sky resulted in fog in the plains. Typical November weather, indeed. On the morning drive to the hotel as well as during the breaks plenty of opportunity for short strolls with the camera...
Dense ground fog over Winzendorf.But shortly before Neunkirchen the fog comes to its end.
A downstairs house to the 1st Vienna´s water pipe. leading through here.
On the drive up to Raach: View down to Gloggnitz
Wartenstein castle
View to the valley´s head with "Adlitzgraeben", a "gorgeous gorge" area. In the background the fog hanging on the upper Muerz valley is lurking. Apparently, this fog is reaching up to the Semmering pass, which in fact is quite a frequent event: the upper Muerz valley is much higher then this area, so the air is supposed to be colder and more prone to fog development.
Zooming in to the cloud wall with Schottwien castle in the foreground.
After these sides went online, Herwig Gieszwein sent me a few pictures from his walk on Rax of the same day:
Looking down on the cloud cascade from upside (seen from Rax). In the foreground the saddle named Preinergscheid, behind is the saddle named Semmering with Sonnwendstein behind. Both locations show a fog cascade pouring over the saddle, dissolving soon afterwards. It seems to be a very delicate balance between air moisture and temperature which makes up for the question fog or no fog, building of fog and its dissolving. Picture: Herwig Gieszwein
Zooming in to Sonnwendstein with the fog cascadde over Semmering. Picture: Herwig Gieszwein
Rax with its large plateau, far left its highest summit, Heukuppe (2.009 m).
Looking on the mist over the upper Muerz valley as seen from the ridge of Rax, on the horizon far left on the picture above. Picture: Herwig Gieszwein
View in direction of Ternitz and Neunkirchen. Even yet the fog area has increased.
Behind the castle, shortly before the little hamlet of Schlagl which is close to Raach: View to Wartenstein castle and Schneeberg.
Panoramic view with Rax, Schneeberg and Wartenstein castle. Click here or into the picture for a larger version.
Zooming in on the castle
Schneeberg
The mountain slopes up to Great Otter (1.358 m) ...
... with lots of autumnly yellow larches.
Arrived in Raach. View from the parking ground at the seminar centre. Still dense fog over the plains.
Larch in yellow ...
... and the mist sea. Behind are the Rosalia mountains.
Larch twigs in backlight.
This bench is casting long shadows. No wonder regarding the recent bank crisis (the German words for "bench" and "bank" both are "Bank" !!!)
The seminar centre of Raach. Far left in the background is Schneeberg ...
... here zooming in.
Sonnwendstein (1.523 m) with the radio- and TV antenna of the ORF.
I walk up a few minutes to a small grass inmidst the forest. Rax in the background.
Autumn colors in the park of the seminar centre.
I am making use of the lunch break for a short drive to the nearby Rams saddle, well known to me from several bicycle rides. On the drive a view down to the mist sea, which has considerably increased in size, also reaching up much higher now. When I drove home at 4 p.m., even Raach was wrapped in mist.
Now I still enjoy the view to Schneeberg.
Behind the Rams saddle I continue my drive for a short distance along the ridge in direction of Hochegg. Gorgeous panorama with Great Otter, Rax and Schneeberg. Click here or into the picture for a larger version.
Once more zooming in to Schneeberg
Hohe Wand on the horizon, with "Gelaend" far left. The prominent summit in front is Goesing with the steep escarpments to the left, leading down to the Sierning valley.
Autumnal colors at the forest outskirts.
The newly contructed family chapel.
