On this Austrian holiday we spent most of the time in the Tyrol. It was easy to get to the Tyrol alpine regions because the funicular railways put there for winter ski holidays were still operating in summer. On the opposite side of the valley the Wilderkaiser mountains had no such easy access but on one day we toiled up to the hut (restaurant) just at the alpine range where the snow lay in summer. Just before we got there we came across the Spring and Trumpet gentians, and quite a lot of this very pretty Alpine buttercup.

Inside the hut there were photos of wild flowers with warnings not to pick protected species such as Cypripedium calceolus (Lady's-slipper Orchid).

Pick it!! I'd just like to see a native plant in the wild.

Wilderkaiser Mountains, Austria, 13th June 2002

Added on 21st November 2006, updated 19th August 2011