Berliner Höhenweg

The warm-up. From Finkenberg the trail climbs steadily through forest to the Gamshütte at 1,921 m, your first night above the valley. The higher you get, the wider the view back over the Ziller valley, and by the hut terrace the peaks of the Tux ridge line up ahead.

The first big day: across the Tux ridge to the Friesenberghaus at 2,498 m, passing the former Rifflerhütte ruins on the way. A long, demanding climb into high alpine country, rewarded with the first real glacier views from the ridge.

A panorama day. Along the terrace-like path south past the Olpererhütte, where the Olperer (3,476 m) towers overhead, then down to the Schlegeis reservoir and back up through the Schlegeisgrund to the Furtschaglhaus beneath the Hochfeiler north face.

The queen's stage. Up the Furtschaglkar to the Schönbichler Horn, 3,134 m, the highest point of the whole round, with the ice of the Waxeggkees below. Then a long descent to the Berliner Hütte, the 1879 fortress of a hut that started it all.

Over the Schwarzensteinmoor to the mirror-still Schwarzsee at 2,470 m, then up to the Mörchenscharte (2,872 m) with its short cable-secured descent and the famous ladder into the Floitengrund. Steep climbing brings you to the Greizer Hütte under the Floiten glacier.

A long half-circle through the high cirques east of the main ridge: Porta Alpina, a suspension bridge, the secured Elsenklamm gorge and finally the Lapenscharte (2,701 m) with views into the Stilluptal. Down through the Lapenkar to the Kasseler Hütte.

The Siebenschneidensteig: seven ridges in one go, the hardest test of the week. Nearly nine hours on exposed ledges, over the Aschaffenburger Biwak and past the Nofertensmauer, without escape route or water. A dry day is essential; the reward is a unique high-level traverse.

The long glide home. All the way down from 2,238 m into the Ziller valley, past the viewpoints over the Stilluptal, to Mayrhofen. Worth it: the Ahornbahn cable car takes the sting out of the last stretch if knees have had enough.