Rappenlochschlucht gorge to be reopened

A famous steep sided river valley known as the Rappenlochschlucht in Austria is set to be reopened after a massive rockfall closed it in 2011.

The Austrian town of Dornbirn has now agreed to invest between 300,000 and 500,000 Euros in the project to put a tunnel along the side of the river that is located in one of the biggest gorges – or chines – in Europe.

The money will also be used to create new viewing platforms to make the route even more attractive.

It has been closed since May of last year when thousands of cubic metres of rubble crashed down into the chine cutting off a 20 square metre section of footpath. Previously Dornbirn had enjoyed an additional 200,000 visitors a year because of the attraction.

The plan is that the tunnel will start going into the rock shortly before the rockfall and come out again on the other side.

Dornbirn spokesman Ralf Hämmerle said the building work would probably start in summer.

Tourism expert Robert Wildhaber who is also involved in the project so that they would be taking the opportunity of the rebuilding to also look at ways of making the whole chine more attractive.

The Rappenlochschlucht is roughly 5 kilometres south-east from Dornbirn in Vorarlberg.

The name apparently comes from the Ibis bird – which lived in Europe for millions of years before being wiped out 300 years ago by hunters.

Interestingly the Ibis was recently introduced by Austrian scientist through some of the birds back behind the microlight glider – as the austrian times reported earlier in the month.

The Austrian town of Dornbirn has now agreed to invest between 300,000 and 500,000 Euros in the project to put a tunnel along the side of the river that is located in one of the biggest gorges – or chines – in Europe.

The money will also be used to create new viewing platforms to make the route even more attractive.

It has been closed since May of last year when thousands of cubic metres of rubble crashed down into the chine cutting off a 20 square metre section of footpath. Previously Dornbirn had enjoyed an additional 200,000 visitors a year because of the attraction.

The plan is that the tunnel will start going into the rock shortly before the rockfall and come out again on the other side.

Dornbirn spokesman Ralf Hämmerle said the building work would probably start in summer.

Tourism expert Robert Wildhaber who is also involved in the project so that they would be taking the opportunity of the rebuilding to also look at ways of making the whole chine more attractive.

The Rappenlochschlucht is roughly 5 kilometres south-east from Dornbirn in Vorarlberg.

The name apparently comes from the Ibis bird – which lived in Europe for millions of years before being wiped out 300 years ago by hunters.

Interestingly the Ibis was recently introduced by Austrian scientist through some of the birds back behind the microlight glider – as the austrian times reported earlier in the month.