Bregenzer Wald Attractions

The Bregenzer Wald (Bregenz Forest), the northern part of the Vorarlberg Alps, rises from Lake Constance to the Arlberg. The lower parts consist of rounded hills, partly forest-covered; higher up it is dominated by rugged peaks. The deeply slashed valley of the Bregenzer Ache descends from the Hochtannberg to Lake Constance, into which the river flows at Bregenz, and through this valley runs a federal highway which gives easy access to the holiday areas and the fine walking country. In spite of its name there is relatively little forest left in the Bregenzer Wald, large areas having been cleared in past centuries to win grazing land. The meadow-covered slopes of the hills are increasingly being developed for skiing and equipped with ski lifts and other facilities. The barrier effect of the Alps brings down heavy falls of snow, though at this comparatively low altitude (between 500-2,000m/1,600-6,500ft) it frequently disappears again quite quickly.

The area between the upper reaches of the Lech valley, the Ill and Rhine valleys and the German frontier is occupied by the Bregenzer Wald, a beautiful upland region which takes on an almost mountainous character in the southeast, with a great variety of scenery. Here visitors will find relatively unspoiled natural beauty, quiet little villages and distinctive local customs and traditions. The Kleinwalsertal, although in Vorarlberg, can be reached only from the town of Oberstdorf in Bavaria.