Satteinser Alpe

Above the Nenzigasttal, in the Verwall Natura 2000 conservation area, lies the Satteinser Alpe. It is a clear summer morning. The sun casts its first rays on the alpine hut, which stands on a hill at 1,714 meters above sea level. The Satteinser Alpe can only be reached on foot, so hikers rarely pass by. It is quiet. Two flags fly in front of the hut - one Austrian and one Swiss. Miriam, a native of Klostertal, is the tenant of the Alpe, her partner Urs comes from Switzerland and is a shepherd.

They spend the alpine summer here from mid-June to mid-September. While Miriam works in the valley during the week and comes to the alp at weekends, Urs stays here the whole time. Together they look after 28 horses, 58 mother cows raising their calves, ten goats, six donkeys, eight chickens and the young tomcat Mäxle, who is the couple's favorite.

Urs' three children - Janick, Alina and Annika - spend every other weekend at the Alpe. Janick likes to help his father with the cows and goats, while Alina and Annika prefer to look after the horses. Urs emphasizes how important it is to involve the children in the day on the alp.

No two days are the same, because the weather determines the work. The day starts early: with shepherd's crook in hand, Urs and Miriam make their way to the suckler cows in the morning and later to the horses, donkeys and goats, whose bells immediately sound the alarm as soon as someone comes.

In addition to looking after the animals, they are also responsible for maintaining the fences, as they are frequently damaged by wild animals. A total of 17 kilometers of fence have to be maintained here at an altitude of 1,600 to 2,300 meters above sea level. It is a vast alpine pasture and you are on the move a lot.

For Miriam and Urs, the Satteinser Alpe is more than just a workplace. Far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is a place of tranquillity and harmonious coexistence.