Walking clubs are increasing in popularity – and Catherine Murphy is convinced she’s found the perfect hiking destination in Austria.

To visit Ehrwald is to experience a tale of two regions, two countries.

The pretty, peaceful mountain village is set in the Austrian Tirol but is within hiking distance of Bavaria in Germany. 

While you will sleep and eat in Austria, some of your activities will take place in Germany or between the two.

Zugspitze (2,962m), the highest mountain in Germany and the last high mountain in the Alps chain, forms a natural border between the countries, adding an element of intrigue and history to our hiking trip.

We’re visiting the area with leaders from some of Ireland’s top rambling clubs, who are busy planning next year’s walking trips for club members. 

Mountaineering Ireland is reporting an increase in membership this year, with Cork boasting one of the biggest rambling clubs in the country.

It’s not just about hiking: club members visiting Ehrwald next Spring or Autumn could find themselves hiking and painting, hiking and practising yoga or good old-fashioned hiking and relaxing.

The club leaders, mostly in their sixties, are fitter than most of us and testament to the reality of a healthy active life after retirement. They march on with boundless energy, discussing past hiking trips and the ones yet to come.

There are 150 marked trails to suit different levels in this area but we’re here to hike the Gatterl, a ski touring route in winter and high mountain walking route in summer which forms part of the E4 Alpin long distance route.

We take a cable car from Austria into Germany, then a second cable car to the peak of the Zugspitze and will spend the next five hours traversing and descending back into Austria but first we stop at the ‘Fascination Zugspitze’ experience museum at the top of the Tirol Zugspitzbahn.

Here we learn that the Zugspitze was first ascended in 1820, that the Austrians and Germans raced each other to construct the first cable car and the Austrians won. 

We also learn dolefully that we’re a week too early for the annual Oktoberfest which takes place on top of the Austrian side of the mountain in late September.

We stand momentarily on the museum’s glass bottomed walkway, feeling ourselves drawn to the void. Perched on the 2,950m Zugspitzplatt, we gaze at panoramic views, glimpsing four countries as we do so.

The Gatterl tour takes us through old glacial terrain, the soft white limestone looking like snow from a distance. 

We traverse the gravel fields of this scooped-out glacial area and descend a total of 1,600 metres, with just 250 metres of ascent. 

The highest part of the route offers up unexpected terrain; barren rocky fields with occasional stubby pine trees clinging to Karst limestone.

For much of the time we walk on gravel and while the hike isn’t particularly physically demanding, it requires concentration to avoid slips on loose stone.

We follow the route to the Knorrhutte at 2,052m then encounter a short rocky section that requires walkers to step down holding onto a rope. 

Before setting out on the walk, our guide has advised anyone with a fear of heights to opt for a different route but this area is too spectacular to miss and in fact, the roped section is manageable even for those of us with a moderate fear of heights.

Gatterl translates in English as gate and at the most impressive and intriguing point of the route we find an actual gate in the midst of high mountains, taking us from Germany into Austria.

Up until the 1950s, police patrolled this natural border. A striking wooden memorial marks the area where a number of officers died in an avalanche. 

When a recent G7 summit was held nearby, 25,000 German police officers were stationed in surrounding areas, many of them manning the old mountain border once again.

As Europe’s migrant crisis continues into the late stages of 2015, borders currently exercise our thoughts in a negative or challenging way. 

To cross a natural border while enjoying the outdoors is a more benign affair, reminding us of our luck at being able to do so freely.

From the stunning perspective of the Gatterl, we move on to Feldernjoechl, then Hochfeldern Alm and Erwhalder Alm, by which point we know we are close to home. The word alm pops up often and means both pasture and mountain retreat.

Instead of taking the cable car down, we descend through forest trails and meadows, sore knees telling us that we have hiked mostly downhill for almost five hours.

Once back in Ehrwald, we walk the last few minutes to Gasthaus Sonnenburg, a charming spacious guesthouse that’s owned by Irish company Topflight and run by hospitable, friendly staff. We’ve been told the Sonnenburg is basic but in truth, I’ve stayed in much more basic places.

The Sonnenburg can host up to 108 guests, is re-decorated each year and boasts its own bar, perfect for Tyrolean thigh-slapping and traditional music evenings on group trips.

Ehrwald itself is a pretty village, home to 2,500 people. It feels rural and safe with a smattering of shops, restaurants and bars. It’s part of the Tiroler Zugspitze Arena which covers the nearby and very charming village of Lermoos.

Walking groups will find much to interest them. The ‘Big Five’ tour, run twice during summer, offers hikers the chance to walk five peaks in five days, culminating in the Zugspitze.

There are also local traditions to enjoy; on the 20th of June each year, locals celebrate the solstice by lighting thousands of fires to illuminate the mountains of the area while there’s also a festival to celebrate the sheep being brought down from the mountains.

If you’re willing to go slightly further afield, there’s much more to do, either on a DIY basis or organised by staff at the Sonnenburg.

Take the 25 minute train ride to the lovely mountain town of Garmisch. 

This German resort was a US military base after WW2 and is now home to smart cafes and shops, perfect for an afternoon visit.

Stop at a restaurant on the main street and watch the promenade as you tuck into delicious Kase Spaetzle (noodles with cheese) and sip a glass of Gruner Veltliner white wine.

Another popular trip is to Oberammergau, a town famous for its wood-carving tradition and its staging of the passion play. 

Since 1634, the town has staged the play once every decade to give thanks for being spared from the bubonic plague.

In Bavaria, history lovers will enjoy a visit to the Romanesque castles, Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohen Schwangau, near Fussen. 

Neuschwanstein was built by mad King Ludwig as a retreat (and homage to Wagner) and while it was once a setting for the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang it is now a magnet for tourists.

Many hikers however will prefer to avoid the tourist scene and stay in the high mountains. 

Once you’ve completed the Gatterl tour by descending, the next challenge is to do it in reverse – ascending and traversing to reach a final very steep climb to the Zugspittplatt – a challenge that may bring you back to Ehrwald for a second visit.

GETTING THERE

Topflight ( www.topflight.ie , 01 2401784) offers group packages to Ehrwald with the option of staying at the Gasthaus Sonnenburg or in four star accommodation like the Alpen Residence or the five star Hotel Post in Lermoos.

Erhwald is easily accessible with a one hour forty minute flight from Dublin and 1.5 hour transfer from both Memmingen and Munich.

Fly Ryanair from Dublin to Memmingen (Munich West) or Aer Lingus from Cork and Dublin to Munich.

Eat at

Al Castagno restaurant in Erwhald. While you will want to sample Tirolean favourites like Kase Spaetzle and Kaiserschmarrn (a pancake style dessert served with plum sauce), this Italian restaurant won’t disappoint with its delicious antipasti and fine meats.

Getting around

The Z-Ticket is a three or seven day pass which offers hikers one return trip on the Tirol Zugspitzbhan and access to five more cable cars and local bus services.

Try this:

Ehrwald is also home to 100 mountain biking routes, 50km of Nordic walking trails, boat trips on Lake Heiterwang, swimming in mountain lakes, paragliding, via ferrata climbing routes and a nine-hole golf course with views of the Zugspitze.