St Batholomew’s Day Cattle Drive

When the Alpine summer comes to an end, so does the secluded life of the ‘Saltner' (the term for shepherds in Ritten) and their herds on the high Alpine pastures. Driving the cattle down from these pastures has always been a turning point in the farming year. On the Ritten, this occurs on "Barthlmastag", August 24, St. Bartholomew’s Day. If the 24th of August falls on a Sunday, as it does this year, the cattle drive and the market are moved to Monday since Sunday is not a market day according to custom.

All the cattle that have grazed on the Ritten alpine pastures during the summer are herded together. From 10 a.m., the Wangen village band will be playing and you can hear their music far and wide over the Schian-Alm, and smell the aroma of grilled sausages in the air. At noon, the procession of the Alpine cattle begins with whip cracking, herdsmen’s calls, and the sound of cows bellowing and mooing. At the assembly point, the farmers will inspect the pastured cattle and, if necessary, negotiate.

After this highlight on the Rittner Alm, the "Barthlmastag" is far from over. In the afternoon, the route leisurely descends to Pemmern, where the Alpine pasture festival turns into a meadow festival.