Viehscheid Schöllang

Cattle Drive in Oberallgäu

The Viehscheid Schöllang is one of the traditional cattle drives (Almabtrieb) in Oberallgäu and takes place at the Viehscheidplatz on the southern outskirts of Schöllang, a district of the market town Oberstdorf in the Oberallgäu district. The Viehscheid marks the end of the summer on the Alps: after months on the high mountain pastures, the animals return to the valley and are returned to their owners at the Scheidplatz – divided (geschieden).

The Alps and the Cattle Drive

In Schöllang, the herds from four alpine pastures return: Entschenalpe, Gutenalpe, Käseralpe, and Seealpe. A total of around 700 young cattle are driven into the valley. Traditionally, the Kranzkuh (wreath cow), adorned with flowers, mirrors, and bells, leads the procession – a sign that the summer on the Alps passed without mishap. If this decoration is absent, it means there was a loss on the alpine pasture; the wreath thus tells its own story.

Course of Events and Festival Operations

The festival tent at the Scheidplatz opens in the morning, and the first herds arrive by late morning. The Viehscheid is accompanied by traditional brass music, Allgäu delicacies, and stalls selling regional crafts and local products. The access road is closed for several hours during the drive so that the herds can safely reach the square.

Tradition in the Allgäu

In the Allgäu, the Viehscheid is far more than a folkloric spectacle: it is simultaneously a festival of thanks and harvest for alpine farming. Throughout the summer, herdsmen drive the young cattle to the Alps, where they grow strong; the cattle drive in September celebrates their successful return. Schöllang joins the dense series of Allgäu Viehscheid events that characterize the state of Bavaria and the Oberallgäu region in the second half of September. For visitors from outside, the Viehscheid Schöllang offers an authentic insight into living alpine tradition.