Stories from Bad Kleinkirchheim

For some time now the term „healing landscape“ has been going around Bad Kleinkirchheim. But what exactly does that mean? That’s what I wanted to find out, and so I joined a small group for a hike through the „healing landscape“. The region becomes a walking experience with the motto „the journey is its own reward“. 19 signs around Bad Kleinkirchheim bid you to pause for a moment. Our lifestyle nowadays really demands a lot from us, and we often don’t give ourselves and our surrounding the attention we actually should. And only those who can pause for a moment will find things that give inner security, and only those who have inner security will find a meaning to life. And that’s exactly the point of our walking tour - to get a bit closer to nature and ourselves, and to lend new energy for everyday life.

We met with Markus, the manager of the national park, at the tourism office and went on a quiet 3 hour “search for traces”. We walked along at a comfortable pace – as everyone should find his own rhythm – and Markus provided us with very interesting information about plants along the way and the region itself. Thanks! Every now and then somebody in our group would take a loud breath, and I too could feel how a soft, cheery feeling eased the tension of the last days. The way led from the center of town to the St.Kathrein Church, over the old babbling Trattnig Mill and aromatic grasslands, back to the west end of Bad Kleinkirchheim. Step for step we continued along the Tiefenbach stream, directly into the “Sinnespark”. Where, at the end of our march, we could “feel” our feet walking barefoot…and after a wonderfully refreshing “Kneipgang” in the stream, enjoyed the pleasure of some drops of Speik-oil. My personal conclusion – it was a wonderful afternoon “recharging batteries” and relaxing our minds.

Image and text courtesy of Verena Schneider for the editorial team of the website www.badkleinkirchheim.at