Hooray! The clouds parted and blue skies returned. We could see the mountain peaks again.  Time to head for the hills.  Back through Hallstatt again (still no parking to be had), and on to the base of the Dachstein cable car. We ummed and aahed about the cost, but decided to buy tickets for the Ice Cave and the panoramic view from the second cable car station.  It was already 3pm so the Ice Cave came first, as instructed by the ticket man in a friendly but firm manner. One does not broach such instructions, so we alighted at the caves.  A sign pointed vaguely uphill, to the “Eishole”. Guessing this was the Ice Cave, we set off.  The path quickly tilted upward through lovely forest, then zigzagged across the face of the mountain.  We were puffing quite hard by now.

On reaching the cave entrance we saw something about a group number on our tickets. We looked at each other in dawning realisation – we were supposed to get a group number back down at the cable car station, now many contours below! Luckily they took pity on us (and the other people who did the same thing), and let us join group 5.

Through a wooden doorway and down a dark ramp, we were soon in another world.  The cave was massive, and was full of what was once a river of ice.  Down soon became up, and we ascended several hundred steps. What we saw was unique – glittering ice sculptures carved by nature and time. It was beautiful. We saw ice pillars, curtains and waterfalls. At the end of the walk, we crossed a gently swaying suspension bridge. The formations were lit in vivid colours, and “The Hall of the Mountain King” resounded through the cavern.

Stepping back into sunlight was strange. We made our way back down the winding path, happy to be able to breathe normally.  Then it was on to the next cable car, and up to the top station. Here we were in a world of limestone boulders and crevices, and views for miles.  The main attraction is the “Five Fingers” lookout platform, which looks much scarier than it is.  I’m grimacing a bit not from the height, but because I’ve contorted myself to squeeze awkwardly under a low metal bar, into a space not intended for human habitation.

On the way down, we saw a helicopter delivering concrete to a construction site up near the cave entrance. The cost per cubic metre must be astronomical!

We said goodbye to the mountains in the same way as we’d greeted them three days ago – in perfect weather.