Last updated on April 8th, 2020 at 06:49 am
When the animals return from the mountain pastures at the end of summer, we are not just talking about cows. Two Tyrolean villages are holding sheep drives at the beginning of September.
Tarrenz Almabtrieb
Visitors can see around a thousand sheep wandering through long narrow lanes on Sunday, 08 September in Tarrenz near Imst in Tyrol.
Some of them will be decorated with spruce sprigs and flowers made of crepe paper. (The sheep would eat real flowers!)
© Imst Tourismus | Mike Maas
Afterwards the animals are gathered in the “Bangert”, the big meadow behind the Gasthof Sonne, and are distributed to their owners.
This is also the reason for the name of the event – at the “Schafschied” the sheep are separated from each other. In the meantime there is music and local delicacies are on offer for the spectators.
The sheep and lambs traditionally spend the summer on the Hinterberg-Alm high above Tarrenz. Their return to the valley lasts over three hours with stops for water.
More information: www.imst.at
Finkenberg Almabtrieb
One of the biggest sheep drives in the upper Ziller valley will take place on Saturday, 07 September 7, organised by the Finkenberg breeding association and the FC Sporer Finkenberg football club.
The farmers call it “driving home” when they bring their animals back to the valley after a long summer on the alpine pastures.
© Maren Krings
For around 400 sheep and 20 Haflinger horses with their shepherds, the approximately 7-hour, 35 km march leads from the Berliner Hütte through the Zemmgrund to the festival grounds in Finkenberg, where they are expected at around 13.30.
The almabtrieb celebrations will be followed by a festival on the Penkenjoch on Sunday 08 September, with music and regional specialities. (There will be reduced price tickets for those using the mountain lift.)
More information: www.tux.at
Pitztal Almabtrieb
The days are getting shorter and the season is slowly coming to an end on the alpine pastures.
The annual almabtrieb in Jerzens im Pitztal will be held on 07 September. Cows, horses, goats and sheep, decorated with fresh meadow flowers, head towards the valley on their way home and will arrive in Jerzens at about 14.00.
© Chris Walch
The almabtrieb celebrations include local music and a farmers’ market. On Sunday 08 September there will be an open-air mass and church fete, also with music and festivities.
Almabtrieb – History & Customs
More information: www.pitztal.com
