Andelsbuch

The 1st mountain bike obstacle course

in the Bregenzerwald Region

The mountain bike obstacle course was created in order to let people improve their mountain-bike technique and thus increase safety on the bike. Furthermore, it should make us aware of our responsibility towards nature. The Andelsbuch mountain bike obstacle course attracts both beginners and advanced bikers!

:OBSTACLES:

Wooden seesaw: no problem for experienced bikers, can be bypassed
Ramp: Challenging obstacle for experienced bikers, can be bypassed
Table: Obstacle made of gravel (demanding)
Double: 2 little elevations (waves) made of gravel for jumps (easy)
Jump: For experienced bikers only, can be bypassed

:RULES:

1.) Parents are liable for their children's actions.
2.) Every biker uses the obstacle course on his/her own responsibility.
3.) A helmet has to be worn on the obstacle course, .
4.) Stay on the marked track.
5.) Please put your waste in the dustbins provided.

1st Bike Park in Andelsbuch!

From June 2006 in Andelsbuch!
Training course for beginners and advanced riders

Start/finish: Gasthof Ritter Inn, Bersbuch 349. The bike park consists of a 800m course with approx. 80m difference in altitude. The course leads across meadows and through the forest along the Bregenzerach brook with moderate and steep climbs and obstacles (wood/north-shore elements) and different levels of difficulty.

The bike park is accessible for every biker!

We also offer guided tours/courses along the course with certified mountainbike instructors.
Info at Lutz Schmelzinger - Outdoor Input, +43(0)5514-2043 oder www.outdoor-input.com

Further information at the Andelsbuch tourist office

Action for climbing aficionados

Austria´s highest climbing tower (22.3m; levels 4, 5, 6, 7) at Sportpark/Gasthof Ritter in Andelsbuch.

The via ferrata offers a short but charming tour through an unspoiled landscape.

Aqua high rope facilities (dry tour in the Canyon Park in an idyllic gorge above the Bregenzerach river)

The Canyon Park tour is the wet tour in the high rope facilities (Neoprene suit). Besides fun and action, this unique nature park boasts activities such as canyoning, abseiling from a bridge, via ferrata, swimming, river jumping and canoeing.

Further information available at the Bregenzerwald activity center (0043(0)5514-3148).

Rafting, kayaking, canoeing...

Bad weather is ideal for rafting !!!

Splashing waves alternate with quieter parts. According to the river section and water level, the pleasant beginners' tour on the Bregenzerach changes into a challenging trip.

Great summer pleasures!

With the Bregenzerwald Guest Card you can enjoy your summer holidays - lifts, public buses and swimming pools can be used for free.

For only 3 overnight stays you get the Bregenzerwald Guest Card. Available at the tourist offices and the mountain lifts of the Bregenzerwald region.

All advantages:
Free use of the mountain lifts operating in summer
Free entrance to all swimming pools
Free public transport in the Bregenzerwald region
Numerous discounts with partner accommodation businesses

Valid: May 1 - October 31, 2009

And in winter...
... the great 3-Täler super ski pass awaits you!

...unlimited skiing fun...
The 3-Täler skiing region features the Bregenzerwald, Großwalsertal and the Tirolean Lechtal areas. Real skiing fun on well-groomed ski runs for little money.

For further information please see www.3taeler.at

Niedere hiking paradise

Niedere alpine history trail: 1.5 hours
top terminal - panoramic hiking trail: 1.5 hours
top terminal - Alpe Niedere: 10min
top terminal - Baumgartenhöhe: 40min
top terminal - Berggasthof Sonderdach: 2 hours
top terminal - Alpe Stongenhöhe: 1.5 hours
top terminal - Winterstaude: 2.5 hours
top terminal - Alpe Niedere, mid terminal: 1.5 hours
top terminal - Alpe Niedere, base terminal: 3 hours
top terminal - Bezegg reservoir: 4 hours
top terminal - Schönebach: 4.5 hours
top terminal - village of Egg: 5 hours

Day tours:
long Niedere hike: 7 hours
town center - Niedere - Winterstaude: 9 hours

Ways to the water

- circuit hike to the power plant: 2h
- circuit hike to the Brühlbach waterfalls: 1.5h
- circuit hike Achenauen: 2h
- hiking trails in case of bad weather

Further hikes

"Legends and stories" hiking trails:
"On the tracks of the farmers' republic": 3hours
Legends' hike: "On the tracks of the 3 blessed sisters": 6hours

Alpine hiking trails:
circuit hike Äschach - Egg/Rain: 3.5hours
Klausberg mountain in Andelsbuch: 3.5hours

Walking and hiking trails for families with baby carriages

Further information about the hikes (and leaflets) available at the tourist office.

Fly over Andelsbuch

Whether beginner or pro ...
The Andelsbuch/Bezau flying area is great for everyone and can be used throughout the year. Information and brochures on the flying area and the Flugschule Bregenzerwald flight school can be obtained at the tourist office!

Like butterflies in the air ...

The sky above the Niedere wouldn't be that multicolored if paragliders hadn't used the good thermal winds and laminal flows to get to know Andelsbuch from above! Whether from the valley or from the mountain top it's always nice to watch the colorful "butterflies".

Free as a bird ...

You also want to fly and feel free as a bird? We offer tandem flights and paragliding courses.

A tandem flight is the perfect present.

Andelsbuch cultural association

Dear guests and culture lovers!

In December 1999 the cultural association Andelsbuch was founded. The BAHNHOF cultural association was developed from the Andelsbuch cultural society.

The rooms are suitable for exhibitions, courses and events. The BAHNHOF cafe welcomes you every Saturday. For further information about events (concerts and exhibitons), please see www.bahnhof.cc

At the train station our guests have the possibility to meet locals from Andelsbuch and the Bregenzerwald region.

Get to know other people and meet friends!

In order to sustain the BAHNHOF cultural association, we are looking for members from abroad.
For further information about membership, please call 05512-4947.

We are looking forward to welcoming you!

Families are very welcome here!

Indian parties and BBQ evenings, story telling under the chestnut tree, balloon shooting, painting and handicraft courses, movies, kids playroom at your hosts, two public playgrounds, visit of animals on a farm, ...

Other family offers

Babysitting service for our small ones. For further information, please call Cornelia Wirth (phone +43(0)5512-26005).

Inatura Dornbirn (nature show), Rappenlochschlucht hike, cave visit and canyon park,
Wälderbähnle train from Bezau to Bersbuch, kids´ world at Diedamskopf, summer toboggan run Bizau, local heritage museum in Schwarzenberg, hiking trails for kids (Brühlbach waterfalls, reservoirs)
bowling at the Mühle, Pfänder/Adlerwarte game park
game park in Feldkirch, kids´ museum in Götzis, mill museum in Hohenems, toy museum in Wolfurt, doll´s museum in Blons
Mainau flower island, mini golf in Bregenz, Dornbirn and Hard

History of Andelsbuch

After the ice age and the retreat of the Rheintal glacier a lake emerged in the Bregenzerwald region. Different rivers formed then the plain on which Andelsbuch is situated today.

Around the year 1077 emperor Heinrich IV and pope Gregor VII fought a terrible war mainly in southern Germany. Due to the desperate situation (fires, murders, hunger and plagues) many people to find a refuge on the mountains behind Bregenz.

In 1080 the name Andoltisbuoc was mentioned for the first time. There are numerous hints that Andelsbuch dates back to the Frankish era.

In this time the hermit Diedo, who was beatified later, settled down in Andelsbuch. According to historical tradition he lived where today's church is situated, next to the Brühlbach. The Diedo fountain next to the parish church commemorates of this. A few years ago the water of the fountain was still used for healing purposes. However the fountain ran dry afterwards.

Parish, Landammann and the first town hall ...

After Diedo's death, a church was built instead of his home. In 1170 the first parish in the middle and lower Bregenzerwald region was founded.

After 1380 the farmers of the region founded the so-called farmers' republic. Long before democracies came into existance in Middle Europe the farmers had their representation of the people. They municipality had its own constitution and their own jurisdiction. The director was the so-called LANDAMMANN who came from respected families of the Bregenzerwald region. He was elected for 2 years. The first prove of a Landammann in the Bregenzerwald region dates back to 1353. The town hall of the Landammann was situated in Bezegg, the pass between Andelsbuch and Bezau. A wooden house on pillars was erected here and the laws of the lower Bregenzerwald region were passed in this house.

Continuation

The special thing about the town hall was that it could only be accessed via a ladder which was taken away during the meetings and replaced afterwards. So the outer world was cut off during a meeting, which probably had a positive effect on the aldermen and their efficiency.

The first meeting in Bezegg was probably held in 1522. The old territorial sovereignity was abolished at the beginning of the 19th century under the Bavarian ruler Joseph II.

The Habsburger dinasty reigned the Vorarlberg villages from Tirol or from other parts of Austria. Between 1805 and 1814 Andelsbuch was part of Bavaria and then came back to Austria. Andelsbuch belongs to Vorarlberg since its foundation in 1861.

In 1871 was the Bezeggsul - a monument resembling the old town hall on the Bezegg - was built. Today it's Andelsbuch's landmark.

In 2001 the town hall was rebuilt and now characterizes the center of Andelsbuch due to its location and architecture. Next to the town hall, the tourist office and the post office several exhibitions take place at the assembly hall. The assembly hall is the modern counterpart to the old town hall on the Bezegg.