Snowshoeing Austria's Lechtal Valley: A Guide's Journal | Ramble Worldwide

A guide's journal, part 1 of 3

There's something utterly spellbinding about watching our group venture across pristine white meadows in Austria’s Lechtal Valley, their colourful winter gear the only contrast against this stark landscape. The Lechtal Valley in winter transforms into an almost other-worldly place where snow muffles every sound and the hillsides stretch endlessly white as far as the eye can see. 

Bach in the Lechtal sits nestled at just over 1000m, cradled by the Lechtal Alps to the south and the Allgäu Alps to the north. The surrounding peaks soar above 2500m, and from our family-run hotel, those mountains feel both magnificent and welcoming. After our first proper dinner together, we gather in the 'stubli' for drinks and perhaps a leader quiz or board games. The atmosphere is wonderfully cosy, and I can already sense this group relaxing into the rhythm of alpine life.

What strikes me most on these winter tours is watching clients discover snowshoeing for the very first time. There's always that initial hesitation, that wondering if they'll manage it, but within the first hour on the snow, something shifts. The basic techniques are surprisingly easy to master, and the local guides are brilliantly helpful and patient. 

It's a fabulous workout, especially going uphill, but the rewards are absolutely jaw-dropping. We venture properly off-piste here, reaching places that would be impossible without snowshoes. Whether you're a skier or not, snowshoeing makes the winter mountains accessible to everyone, and that's what makes this tour so special.

After a morning spent snowshoeing up through the trees, along quiet tracks and across meadows, it's astonishing to come across a welcoming mountain 'hutte' in what seems like an unlikely spot. We leave our snowshoes at the door and step into warmth and authentic Austrian atmosphere. Hot soup or stew awaits us, and there's nearly always apfelstrudel with vanilla sauce to follow. These huttes become our favourite refuges, places where the group bonds over shared meals and the satisfaction of earning our lunch through the morning's efforts. 

On one particularly challenging walk, our local guide Maria and her husband Freddie produced a bottle of their home-made schnapps at elevenses time, complete with shot glasses. Just what we needed to keep us going until the lunchtime hut appeared through the trees.

Our evenings hold their own special moments. On one night each week, we bundle into our warmest clothing after dinner and explore the village on foot. Our host, Robert, leads us through Bach with flaming torches lighting our way. The torchlight flickers against the snow-laden buildings, and the atmosphere is simply magical. It's these unexpected touches that transform a winter walking holiday into something clients remember for years.