Ode to autumn in the Tirol Every Autumn Austria�s Tirol region resounds to the sound of cattle returning from their summer pastures, it�s on fire with the colours of the Autumn leaves, comes alive with festivals and feasting and welcomes the winter�s first skiers with the glacier slopes opening throughout October. With 20,000 dumplings about to hit the streets of St. Johann in September, read on for the season�s top highlights�

20,000 DUMPLINGS and the WORLD�S LONGEST DUMPLING TABLE St. Johann in Tirol is staging its 23rd Dumpling Festival on 18th September when more than 20,000 dumplings will be served in more than 20 varieties. These calorie-busting traditional delights will be dished up in the town centre on the longest (300 metre) dumpling table in the world. Entertainment between courses is provided by music and country dancing (tel.: +43.5352.63335-0, fax: +43.5352.65200, E-mail: info@st.johann.tirol.at, Internet: www.knoedelfest.at).

10TH ANNIVERSARY, `NEW EUROPEANS� MUSIC FESTIVAL The new member countries of the European Union is the theme for the 10th anniversary of the Klangspuren, one of the world�s most outstanding festivals of comtemporary music festival that this year takes place in Schwaz from 10 to 26 September. Lithuania, Hungary and Slovenia are a special focal point of the 2004 concert. Vykintas Baltakas, one of Lithuania's leading composers, will be performing some of his works and appearing as conductor. Peter E�tv�s, the renowned conductor and composer from Hungary, will also be there, as will Gy�rgy Kurt�g, one of the outstanding personalities of contemporary music worldwide. Slovenia will also be represented by Vinko Globokar, the trombonist and composer. Further information: tel.: +43.5242.73582, fax: +43.5242.73582�20, E-mail: info@klangspuren.at, Internet: www.klangspuren.at

PHOTO WORKSHOP for LEAF LOVERS Landscape photographers, Alessandra Sart and Reinhard H�lzl are organizing a photo workshop in the Tirol from 3 to 10 October with guided tours to the loveliest spots in the mountain ranges of the Rofan and Karwendel (Euro 795 per person incl. half-board, restricted number of participants. The workshop is called "Golden Autumn on the Achensee" and takes in the Engalm natural forest reserve in the Karwendel mountains, a botanical rarity with more than 2,000 sycamores forming open woodland that extends over an area of some 590 acres � the "Gro�e Ahornboden" (info: www.karwendel.org). In autumn the 400 to 600-year-old trees provide a delightful sight with their golden yellow leaves, a popular motif for photographers. tel.: +43.5242.65629, mobile phone: +43.664.1437188, E-mail: office@die-naturfotografen.com, Internet: www.die-naturfotografen.com).

COLOURS OF THE FALL� A natural Autumnal spectacle awaits visitors to the Mieminger Plateau in the Tirolean Oberland and in the "Zedlacher Paradies" in the East Tirol. Extensive, ancient larch woods turn the area into a reddish gold paradise, a riot of colour. "The larches are afire", say the locals. (Internet: www.sonnenplateau.at and www.osttirol.com.

AUTUMN WALKING in the TIROL For walkers the months of September and October in the "land in the mountains" (the name given to the Tirol in the Middle Ages) are the loveliest time of the year. Fine, settled weather, cool, clear air and incredible views make walking a feast for the senses. Resorts and hotels provide reasonably priced inclusive walking arrangements with a variety of focal points, ranging from Alpine tours for those in peak condition to leisurely walks for the entire family. Walking: Extensive information for walkers can be found at www.wandern.tirol.at. Reasonably priced walking arrangements are provided by Tiroler Wanderhotels, tel.: +43.5412.66030, fax +43.5412.62240, e-Mail: wanderhotels.tirol@tirol.com, Internet: www.wanderhotels.at

SEASON OF SCHNAPPS The dense red clusters of the mountain ash or rowan trees in the mountains of the Tirol attract birds and schnapps distillers alike during the autumn months. The berries provide the raw material for mountain ash schnapps, a Tirolean speciality and a distillate that is highly regarded for its beneficial effects. It takes some 40 litres of laboriously gathered berries are to make just one litre of the coveted elixir, so this is one tipple that could topple the budget.

The Tirolean autumn provides another fruity speciality: Stanz damsons. Blue-black, delicious and with an incomparable aroma, these only thrive in the district of the Upper Inn Valley village of Stanz. Every year they prompt a run on the fruit shops by local people and guest�s in-the-know.

Mountain ash schnapps is available from fine Tirolean distilleries. Top addresses: Feindestillerie Christoph K�ssler/Stanz, tel.: +43.5442.61200, fax: +43.5442.61200-4, mobile phone: 0664-4231560, E-mail: koessler@edelbraendetirol.at, Internet: www.edelbraendetirol.at. Brennerei Rochelt/Fritzens, tel.: +43.5224.52 62, 43.5224.5 24 6220, E-mail: mail@rochelt.com, Internet: www.rochelt.com.

FAIR GAME The Tirol�s Autumn shooting season sees game from local woods found increasingly on many menus. Celebrating the best of the local game, the Ganghofer-St. Hubert week takes place from 3 to 10 October in the Leutasch near Seefeld. Apart from dishes like roast chamois and "poacher's pan", there is a harvest festival, guided walks on ancient hunting tracks, readings, a hunting exhibition and various folk music events, all providing an entertaining variety in connection with hunting (tel.: +43.5214.6207 or 6303, fax: +43.5214.6965, E-mail: info@leutasch.com, Internet: www.leutasch.com).

HARVEST FESTIVAL TIROLEAN-STYLE Autumn brings with it a Tirolean tradition that attracts local people and visitors in equal measure � the festive "Almabtrieb", with celebrations ranging from fairgrounds to festivals, cattle decorating to ceremonial driving back down the mountains. The largest celebration takes place at Imst and is only held every 3 years, this year taking place on 3 October (tel.: +43.5412.69100, fax: +43.5412.69108, E-mail info@imst.at, Internet: www.imst.at)

For the farmers "Almabtrieb� is the time to bring the cattle back down to the valley from the high pastures. Every weekend between mid-September and early October the ceremony of driving down the cattle is held in more than 50 different places. Major popular festivities have grown up around this custom, but the ancient ritual has forfeited none of its meaning. It signifies the farmers' heartfelt gratitude that the cattle have been kept safe from the inclement climate. Those less keen on fairground fuss and in search of rural simplicity will choose small "private" ceremonies like that organized by the Pfister farming family of the Stofferhof in Zell am Ziller. There, guests can walk up to the pastures together, help to decorate the cattle and accompany the herd back down to the valley. As a reward there is a hearty snack with farm produce (tel.: +43.5282.2621, fax: 43.5282.2621).

SKI � FIRST FOOTING One group of leisure lovers can hardly wait for autumn in the Tirol: the skiers and snowboarders. The five glacier skiing areas of Kaunertal, Pitztal, S�lden, Stubaital and Hintertux ring in the winter with spectacular openings in early October. Swinging down over fresh powder in bright autumn sunshine and then enjoying sociable fun in the evening with like-minded folk, that's what makes glacier skiing a very special experience at this time of year (info: www.gletscher.tirol.at).

For general information and brochures on the Tirol: Tirol Info, Maria-Theresien-Stra�e 55, A-6010 Innsbruck, tel.: +43.512.7272-0, fax: +43.512.7272-7, E-mail: info@tirol.at, Internet: www.tirol.at ips and info

For access to 1,000 print quality images of the Austrian Tirol visit www.tirolimages.at Username: tirol06 Password: mstQR6