Allgäu, Grünten and Bologna 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇮🇹 - the second half begins

Sven Walther

August 30, 2026

Allgäu and 100,000 kilometres

We have reached the beautiful home region of our daughter: we now stay in the Allgäu for two weeks. That ends the big northern loop and with it the first half of Season 2.

During this time Sven drives Mammothon over to the Dachstein. A repair is due there that unfortunately found no room in the calendar in spring. And on the way there is one more special milestone: Mammothon passes 100,000 kilometres.

Odometer in Mammothon's dashboard showing 100000.0 kilometres — 100,000 kilometres

From the Dachstein Sven continues straight on to Munich, and from there he flies to Scandinavia for a few appointments. Planning is everything.

The Grünten

At the weekend the Grünten is finally on the programme. A few years ago we had already almost made it to the top. It was Easter then, and the last 100 metres of altitude consisted of nothing but ice and snow. This time, in August, the problem is more the opposite: it is almost too warm.

Gravel track across a mountain meadow with a view over wooded hills to the lowlands — We start across the meadow

So we fight our way up the steep meadow and finally the last climb. Turns out: without snow the mountain looks a lot friendlier, but it is still hard work.

Steep grassy slope with a path on which several hikers are climbing — The steep meadow

View between two rock faces down onto meadows, forests and villages in the Allgäu — The view between the rocks

And this time we make it all the way to the top. On the summit of the Grünten stands a stone structure with a transmitter mast next to it reaching into the sky, and the view stretches far across the Allgäu and into the mountains.

Stone summit structure with a pointed roof on a rocky ridge, a transmitter mast next to it — Finally at the top

View from the summit into a valley with a town and mountain ranges behind under clouds — View into the valley

Grassy ridge with a red and white transmitter mast, mountains and a lake behind — The ridge with the transmitter mast

Rocky summit ridge with spruces and a wide view over the Alpine foothills — Rocks at the summit

And then it is back down through the forest.

View between spruces and meadow flowers onto a town in the valley and mountains in the background — On the way down

Dachstein

The following weekend we take a rental car, drive over to the Dachstein and finally get our home back.

Several expedition vehicles parked in a yard in front of wooded slopes — Expedition vehicles in the yard

Then it is quickly back to Salzburg to return the rental car, and the second half of this season starts.

Bologna and the Apennines

We head south on the Tauern Autobahn and, after a short stop in Austria, continue across the Po Valley in northern Italy all the way to Bologna. There, of course, comes the first Italian meal first of all. Pasta, as it should be.

With well-filled stomachs we then drive into the mountains south of Bologna, into the Apennines, and venture a tour up the mountain. Because of the heat, however, we do not make progress quite as quickly as hoped.

Rock face above a densely overgrown slope under a blue sky — The rock face above us

Narrow path in the forest along a layered rock face — The path along the rock face

Mossy boulders in the forest, a red and white trail marking on the right — Marked in red and white

The trail takes us past ruined stone houses that the forest is slowly reclaiming.

Ivy-covered stone hut in the forest with a red and white trail marking — Ruined stone hut

Ruined stone house with empty window openings, surrounded by bushes and trees — A house the forest is taking back

We are not quite alone on the way: a green lizard sits in the leaves and looks at us with a composure we would gladly have in this heat. Lou has long since found the best viewpoint anyway, a mossy tree trunk.

Green lizard with its head raised in brown leaf litter — A green lizard

Lou standing on a mossy tree trunk in the green forest — Lou on her tree trunk

After that, of course, we also have to get out of the mountains again. Please do not ask me about the roads here… So on to the next pitch. The second half of the season has started!