MOUNTAIN HIGH

A rustic childhood hut is now a comfortable and contemporary family cabin that's built for the warmer months

Trying to spot Caroline and Gerald’s house amongst the dense vegetation of firs and larches just above Ortisei, a picturesque village in the heart of the Dolomites in Val Gardena, is a difficult task – even with Google Maps. Leaving the main road, one must walk along a gravel and pebble path and climb a slope, away from the tourist trails and well-trodden paths of ski enthusiasts.

"It’s not a destination for pleasure seekers, but a quiet place,” the young couple say, who grew up in the area. But surrounded by nature, it is the ideal setting to raise their two children, Paul and baby Jakob. “We are in the middle of nowhere at 1600m above sea level, but it’s less than half an hour from the nearest town. There’s a road for special transport; you can drive up in a Jeep.”

An early riser, Gerald likes to enjoy breakfast before rushing off to work. He’s from a family of cabinetmakers and his workshop is down in the village. “This was my old mountain hut from my childhood weekends,” he says. When his father offered it to him, he and his marketing manager partner Caroline didn’t hesitate and moved in. “It’s the best gift he could have given us,” she adds. “We live among the alpine pastures from May to October.”