Today we leave Denmark and drive through Germany to Austria. We have visited this country for many years and took Abi when she was just was nine months old. She started skiing when she was three and still loves to visit Austria.

As we drive down from Munich, the scenery becomes more and more spectacular. We cross the border at Garmisch-Partenkirchen and soon reach the delightful Tyrolean village of Ehrwald, which sits in the valley surrounded by the Wetterstein mountain range. This range runs from Germany into Austria and the summits can be reached by cable car, hiking or ski lift, depending on the season. The Zugspitze mountain is the background to Ehrwald and the views are stunning from the Spielmann Hotel http://www.hotel-spielmann.com

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We book into the hotel and are greeted by Margaret and Christina. They have a new addition – Christina’s daughter Laura, the next generation of Spielmann in Ehrwald. On our first visit, Laura’s great grandfather, Papa Spielmann, welcomed us. Two generations on, it is Christina, his granddaughter, who now runs the hotel, along with her mother, father and brother, Margaret, Christian and Andreas.

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Lizzie often joins us in Austria and we’ve spent many a night in the Spielmann dining room, enjoying the wine and the music played by Papa Spielmann, Christian and Englebert. Barbara serves us in the restaurant and has worked there since Abi was a baby.

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This is one of our favourite lunchtime dishes in Austria, sometimes served with Wurst (sausages). We also like it with fried eggs.

RECIPE FOR SPECK-KARTOFFEL (potatoes with bacon)

500gm floury potatoes (King Edwards or similar) peeled and cut into quarters

4 Rashers smoked bacon cut into 3cm strips or smoked lardons

1 medium onion chopped

Sunflower oil for frying

Boil the potatoes in salted water and cut into 3cm cubes.

Fry the onion in the oil until cooked, then add the bacon and continue to cook until the bacon is crispy. Remove both and add potatoes to the oil. Cook these until browned. Put the onion and bacon back into the pan, mix and place in a warm serving dish. Fry a couple of eggs and put them on top – serve with brown or tomato sauce.