When the big heat wave hits the valley, many seek the cool air up high in search for a summer retreat. Active vacationers enjoy hiking across alpine pastures, others hit the pedals, swing the golf clubs or gently glide through the air. Here are the best activities for an adventurous summer in the mountains.

Endless expanses

Few activities are as relaxing for the soul as extensive hiking in the mountains. © Pascal Gertschen

For a long time, hiking wasn't a leisure activity, but a means to an end. Before there were cable cars and automobiles, people had to rely on walking. It wasn't until about 150 years ago, when the railroad was invented, that our view of walking changed as well. Suddenly, it was an active choice in order to connect with nature. As cities grew larger with the dawn of industrialization, people would long for a weekend in the great outdoors. In 1869, the German Alpine Club was founded; in 1907, the first girls' hiking groups followed suit- hiking had become a popular sport.

Putting the mountain in mountain bike 

If you're craving an extra dose of adrenaline, get on your bike and hit the pedals this summer. © saalbach.com/Mia Knoll

Sometimes you come home looking like you’ve been in a mud fight. Mountain biking in all weathers isn’t a pursuit for the fainthearted. It’s not just about riding up hill and down dale; there are plenty of puddles and streams to negotiate too. The unpredictabil- ity of the terrain is a constant challenge. So, while you’re pedalling along taking in the scenery, you’re also giving your body and mind a strenuous workout. There is now a wide range of mountain bike products and services on offer – like handy e-bikes that help out when you get tired or propel you up those steep climbs, and bike parks for every level of fitness. Zigzagging along right next to a steep mountain slope makes downhill riding a real adventure.

Tee off with a view

A challenge even for die-hard golf pros: teeing off in the mountains requires serious skill. © Helmut Rier

Anyone can golf on a flat meadow, but on a steep mountain, you have to learn to keep your body perpendicular to the slope. It takes a lot more strength to play alpine golf, but it's also much more beautiful: on some golf courses in the Alps, you hike through streams and forest sections, passing magnificent vantage points; some love the panorama, others the sporty challenge. What's more: at higher altitudes, there is less air pressure – and thus less resistance. It will release the length of your drive, releasing endorphins aplenty.

Life's a breeze

There is probably no better way to enjoy this incredible view. © Getty Images

Honestly, just don't overthink it. "Simply run towards the slope until you can't feel the ground under your feet, and then just keep running," explains the paraglider pilot, who takes over the steering and landing on a tandem flight. Taking the first step into the void is indeed a challenge, but once you're in the air, you can watch all your fears just drift away. As you glide like a bird, everything else is quiet. It feels oddly natural to be so weightless – and incredibly peaceful to fly without the noise of an engine.

Text: Karin Cerny, Katharina Florian and Michaela Hessenberger