Ternberg is a small town in Oberösterreich, very near Weyer where I went a few years ago. It’s in a national park, but sadly when I was there I had three days of torrential rain, so I didn’t get to do as much exploring as I’d like. I still saw some spectacular views and did some field recording however.
My flight was delayed, causing me to miss the one semi-direct train of the day, meaning I had to change trains multiple times in the middle of nowhere. At least I had some scenic views.
It rained a lot. In the summer there are a lot of hikers for the mountain trails, but in April it’s too wet and muddy, so the town square was often deserted.
I liked these wonky saints and Jesus outside the church.
Really, this?
We were staying in a very old pub. Austrian buildings are all plastered smooth on the outside though, so you often can’t tell how old something is. Don’t go thinking of Tudor style half-timbering. For a country with a huge forestry industry, they don’t really build houses out of wood. More Fort Knox like stone bunkers.
It was wild garlic season (Bärlauch in German) and the inn did excellent soup.
This is an extremely Rural Austrian thing: the pub savings club. Members post money through their numbered slot, and the innkeeper keeps track of it for them. I saw a few old men put coins in after a few beers. I guess the idea is you put a bit of change in when you’re drunk and then have a pleasant surprise later.
I did try to go up into the mountains, but you couldn’t go off this tarmac path because the ground was too soggy.
Looking down at the village
I did however get to visit a lake outside the town
The lake is actually a reservoir for a hydro-electric dam.
A pretty idyllic street by the lake
There was also a ridiculously scenic sports pitch
And an even more ridiculously scenic BMX track
After a while in rural Austria, you get sick of bread-based meals, but this was my first week, so I still had enthusiasm.
