I returned to Werfen for the Easter break and once again thoroughly enjoyed it. After a short night at the Travelodge Terminal 5, I flew on British Airways the following morning to Munich.
Having done my utmost to avoid believing the latest news that our part of the country would have a white Easter - we had rain, I believe - I was pleased to find that the weather was fine for flying. I was impressed that we arrived in Munich quite early but, sadly on this occasion, the baggage was so slow in coming that the distinct possibility of catching an earlier train evaporated with the conveyor belt.
It was a lovely journey in fine weather which remained for the rest of the day. It may not have lasted over the weekend but certainly Friday was gorgeous. After arriving at the Pension Vocario in Pfarrwerfen mid-afternoon, I enjoyed a lovely walk. I have stayed three times at the Vocario and it is a simple yet very friendly and convenient place and I am always happy to return.
Burg Hohenwerfen ( or Schloss Adler in Where Eagles Dare) stood, as always, majestically and looked even more so in such perfect weather. That said, at times when fog and mist come down from the Dachstein Mountains, the views can be even more spectacular.
Easter in Austria has sometimes caused headaches in finding a restaurant open so, before leaving on the trip, I did write to some places to establish whether they would be open. It was a sound idea and, having found out that ample were for once open, I inevitably ended up in somewhere which I hadn't written to. It was, like all three places I went to during the visit, excellent.

The weather having changed on Saturday, I took to the meadows where an early part of Where Eagles Dare was filmed. I have been there before although it had previously taken a couple of attempts to find the place. That said, it is not that simple but, this time, I found it first time.
By that stage, rain had turned to snow and the scene was quite spectacular. Burton's words in the film about the huts in the meadows only being used during summer rang true in real life. The last time I went - during the summer - a sign forbade entrance. This time, in winter, the gate was open and no such threat to keep out so I had a little look in.
The whole walk took around two hours and I spent the afternoon in the Aqua Salza spa in Golling an der Salzach before having an earlier meal in the equally nice but comparatively quiet Goldener Ochs in Salzach.
Easter Day was less rainy so I had an idea to take a different Werfen route and take some photos looking down on the castle. First, though, I started in Werfen and followed the tourist office's pamphlet starting " The hills are alive..." Yes, The Sound of Music was also partly filmed in Werfen.
The hills may have been alive with British and American agents in 1968 but Where Eagles Dare is not immortalised in the same way as The Sound of Music. The tourist office's idea about showing the way to the meadow where the film was partly shot is, I believe, a comparatively new one. It is a short walk but thoroughly nice and, although the rain came down a little harder, I enjoyed the wooden memorial area put up to commemorate the film.

I ventured onwards and upwards and had some very fine views of the castle from the other side of the Salzach river. A sign led to Pfarrwerfen through a forest which, well, ran out so I had to return to the hotel via the more familiar route.
I visited another spa that afternoon in Bad Vigaun. It was slightly quieter and very pleasant and any aching and brittle bones felt better afterwards. I ate in the centre of Werfen and, once again, very well.
I had an early train on the Monday morning and actually had the prospect of quite a wait in Munich Airport. As it happened, everything went quite quickly and smoothly and I was delighted that yet another British Airways flight, despite a threat of a delay, arrived early at Heathrow. It had again been a very pleasant trip.