Hiking With The Cows

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Right now in Austria, Switzerland, and in the South of Germany, you will see cows high up in the Alps, hiking on the trails, over bridges and steep hills up to the alpine pastures, where they will be staying all summer long.

The yearly cattle drive, the alpine season begins -depending on the snow conditions- by the end of May, and June, and ends in September, sometimes even early October. Then the herders return to the valleys with all the animals.

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Every year young cattle are brought up to the high altitude of the Alps for a number of reasons. Most and foremost, the mountains are good for the cows. The fresh, herb-rich grass of the meadows and the exercise they get in the open fields make them robust and fit.

There are no fences, other than the main gate that is opened and closed by the hikers -an honor system everybody understands, this way hikers are kept safe and the cows, sheep, and goats can’t leave the summer fields.

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Most farmers who have or use alpine pastures have old alp houses and huts, often smaller versions of their farms, which will be occupied by the herder for the whole summer.

The picture above shows an alp house in the Dolomites, a part of the Alps that belongs to South Tyrol where I am from. In the whole area, there were about 10-15 alpine huts. Some newer models, others were up to 200 years old, weathered like a witch cottage from a fairy tale. Every farmer who drives his cattle up to the pastures in the summer has the right to put a hut on the pastures, a right given by the government.

The smaller places are cabins and have only one or two rooms, the bigger ones are real houses and often have a second story or a barn attached to it, so backpackers can stay overnight. Room and board in the Alps mean cold well water, a good hearty breakfast, a cod to sleep on, and an ice-cold shower or horse bath with well water.

The herder spends the whole summer with the cows. Their work is dangerous and hard, it’s easy to slip or hurt yourself with a cow’s horn or an ax. The herders and shepherds look out for each other and try to hear from each other once a week, but the next Alm house is often hours away and messages are often sent through the hikers.

A helicopter delivers the basic supply of groceries before the livestock and the herders reach the Alm. For the daily needs that often means canned food in the midst of organic farming, but also, soap, razors, toilet paper, and medicine are brought up as well as lots of beer and Schnaps, some fresh fruits and vegetables, candles, and sweets for the ones who can’t resist. All is carefully planned, dish detergent and laundry soap can’t be forgotten because even cold-washed socks deserve to be clean.

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Our alp house had a big kitchen and two big rooms downstairs, both has a fireplace. No electricity, just candles, and oil lanterns. The toilet was an outhouse, the entertainment an old guitar and an accordion, played by anybody who could play and all sang along.

Hikers and herders are tired in the evening. They enjoy a cold beer, sometimes a glass of wine, and even a Schnaps now and then. An Austrian Speckbrot is an extravaganza, something I still crave these days.

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The herder stays with the livestock all summer long. He takes care of the animals, bakes bread, makes cheese, and takes care of the house. The money he makes is his. The tip others make who help him -is theirs.

Too many hungry and thirsty tourists stopping by in the afternoon, all resting outside, often means other guests have to help cook and serve the food and drinks. It works somehow. Life is different high up in the mountains. Honesty is not optional.

Life up there is not always as idyllic as it might sound, it’s actually hard work. The cows have to be milked every day and they have to be counted every day, all cows wear large bells around their neck so they can be located easily. Not all cows will survive, and the weather can be unpredictable. Snow in July is not as rare as one might think and the summer storms are heavier, and the nights are darker.

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Dead cows are being picked up by a helicopter now. Hundred years earlier a hole had to be dug -sometimes more than one. Not an easy job under any circumstances.

When I was a little girl, I stood with a wooden stick at the end of our farm and shouted at the cows when they left. When I got older I hiked with the cows, and the last two summers, after I had turned sixteen, I spent a few weeks in the Alps with the herders. I wandered with the tourists, sang with them in the evening, and read books late at night until the candle burned out.

To this day I remember how it made me feel. Free like a bird, alone but not lonely, bound to nature the way we were meant to live. I felt healthy and strong, my soul at peace, my mind in balance.

I couldn’t find a video about the Almauftrieb (the hike up with the cows) in South Tyrol but found one from Switzerland that will show how tricky it can be to get them all up there.

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And now you might wonder why the farmers might go through all the trouble.

In South Tyrol, alpine pastures make up 34% of the total land area, and in Tyrol as much as 47% -these percentages alone show the importance of alpine farming. Around 95,000 head of cattle in South Tyrol and 190,000 in Tyrol –in addition to goats, sheep, and sometimes even horses– find food on the alpine fields in summer, which is a huge economic factor.

If the animals remained in the valley, the farmers would have to buy enormous amounts of feed. With most of the livestock in the Alps, only the older cows have to be taken care of, which gives the farmers more free time to work in the fields and prepare for winter. Hay has to be made, so the cows can eat all winter long.

In our case, we had summer guests -and while they are lots of fun and paid well, they are also lots of work.