Foto: On the peaks of the Furstensteig trail (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Liechtenstein - The path immediately climbs steeply. The village behind us quickly becomes smaller and smaller. When we rise above the trees, near the steep bare cliffs, the path also becomes rougher. We step from rock to rock, avoiding loose gravel. Hundreds of meters below us in the valley, we see Liechtenstein, the Swiss mountain slopes, and the Rhine River that separates the two countries. What a magnificent sight. On the narrow and difficult sections, steel cables are attached to the rocks, providing extra grip. The path is barely one meter wide. Next to the path it sometimes drops hundreds of meters. The warning we received was not without reason. After about an hour’s walk, we reach the top of the Fürstensteig. Here we overlook both valleys: Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the left, and the rolling Austrian hills to the right. A herd of cows and the sound of alpine bells complete the picture. At this point, we have a choice. We can return around the mountain to Gaflei or continue along the Drei Schwestern ridge to the mountain village of Planken. We choose the latter and more challenging option. From the Fürstensteig, we see the narrow path winding along the mountainside. We set off for the next goal, the summit of the Gafleispitz. Via the narrow path along the mountainside, we climb higher and higher. The weather is nice today for the hike. The sun is shining and it is dry. A veil of clouds occasionally dims the sun. Perfect hiking weather. At the top of the Kuegrat stands a large cross. We climb the last stretch to the summit using steel cables.
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