nAtionAL PArK

Into the wild

The Hohe Tauern National Park is the high point of SalzburgerLand in every sense of the word. The vast tract of mountainous terrain is Austria’s largest nature reserve and the biggest in Central Europe. It encompasses 300 peaks with heights of over 3,000m and several glaciers – the Pasterze is the longest and most spectacular. Towering over everything is Austria’s highest peak, the 3,797m Grossglockner.

The park is considered one of the most successful conservation stories in Europe. Uniquely, it is virtually all on private land and it has combined the economic needs of its inhabitants with the conservation needs of a beautiful landscape and its fragile ecology since its inception in 1981.

With a total area of more than 1,800 square metres, the park covers parts of the three provinces of Carinthia, Tyrol and – the largest section in SalzburgerLand. It is dotted with more than 150 lakes left in the mountain corries after the retreat of the last Ice Age. These, combined with the glacial melt and the annual snow-melt, produce a vast torrent of water which pours down the mountains forming stunning waterfalls such as the Krimml Falls (see page 45). This is one of nature’s grandest playgrounds.

To help You enjoy the wonders of the National Park there is a network of highly skilled park rangers. They run an amazing array of events, walks and tours across the whole of the park. The walks appeal to everyone, from the very experienced to the complete novice, from the superfit to the young child. Each Monday morning the rangers are available in one of the 13 tourist offices in most of the key villages and towns in the park to give advice and provide details of the courses and walks they have organized. Besides day-long or shorter walks, they arrange longer excursions into the wilds of the park. Every day during the summer something is going on. Go to www.hohetauern.at to get the latest details. Here are two examples of the sort of things provided...

Primeval Forest

This could be a trip back in time – back to the age of the dinosaurs roaming through primeval forests: a landscape of ancient spruce trees and scattered peat bogs crisscrossed with vast fallen logs. An experienced ranger leads small parties into the wild, ancient forests surrounding Rauris. Here you will be introduced to the forces that shape the natural beauty of the national park.

The forest is what binds the park together. It is the building block which has created the environment we appreciate today. It conserves and protects the physical shape of the land. It acts as a buffer against natural hazard such as landslides, rockfalls, avalanches, and floods. It also acts as a vast lung keeping the air pure and filtering the water that flows through it.

The ranger will explain how the dynamics of the forest actually work and show how individual trees contribute to conserving the whole eco-system.

The forest is also the habitat for a vast number of animals from tiny insects to large mammals. This ever-threatened mountain environment is key to preserving the balance of nature and the vast park is one of the few places left where such an ancient eco-system can still thrive.

With luck the ranger will introduce his walkers to some of the endemic species of the area including butterflies, birds and plants. Who knows what you may encounter during a walk in the ancient forest – the dinosaurs may be long gone, but there are still some big beasts lurking in the mountains.

■ The two-hour hike is run

every Monday from July to September. You can register up until 12 noon on the day of the walk, which leaves in late afternoon. It is considered to be of medium difficulty but children as young as six can join. The cost is €6 for adults

and €4 for children under 14. Contact the Rauris tourist office +43 (0) 6544 20022.

Glaciers, geology and gold

To understand the mountains you have to understand the geology that formed them. The fundamental forces which created the gigantic mountains towering over the park and the steep ravines cutting through the landscape also formed the delicate and tiny crystal

the paRk rangers have a whole range of skills and specialist knowledge. Here, head falconer peter krizan talks about his passion: ‘People have always been fascinated by birds. When we watch them closely we see personalities we recognize from our own lives. I love them and wish – through my job – to show all our visitors the fantastic skills which our birds possess. My aim is to bring you closer to these wonderful and graceful birds of prey. Through daily shows and exhibitions, I try to teach the audience a bit more about the world of the birds. During the show wild birds come to watch our tame birds of prey – I’ve seen golden eagles fly around watching our show!’ Peter is based at Rauris. www.raurisertal.at

Birdman

Left, part of the Krimml Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe; above, head falconer Peter Krizan talks to children and, below, rangers take small groups into the mountains to experience the full wonder of the National Park

formations an experienced eye can discover. They also formed the precious metals such as gold and copper for which man has been seaching the Tauern mountains for thousands of years. What better way to learn about how the natural world evolved than to see the forces in action, to see the impact of geology over time.

The ranger will escort small parties up to the glaciers near Rauris and during the course of the hike introduce you to some of the geological treasures the park is so richly endowed with.

■ the all-day trip is run

every Friday from July to September. You can register until the day before the excursion (no later than 4pm). This hike is over difficult terrain, but experienced children over eight can join. the hike leaves in the morning and returns late afternoon. It costs €9 for adults, €6 for children under 14.

Going for gold

In the 14th century the area around Rauris accounted for 10 per cent of all the gold mined in the world. For thousands of years people have been searching for gold in the area. In the Middle Ages 130km of tunnels and shafts were dug deep into the Tauern mountains and an industry of global significance was centred on this isolated area sitting 2,000m above sea level with waterpowered engines, mountain forges and a population of more than 3,000 people. Mining ended more than 100 years ago, but today you can still give panning a go at one of three gold-washing bays. Visitors receive expert tuition and then are let loose with their pans – you never know your luck! There is a small charge to enter one of the centres – Bodenhaus, Heimalm and Sportalm – which includes the rental of a pan and shovel. You can, for an extra charge, have expert tuition which is well worth the investment as it includes a guaranteed find (a bag of sand already secreted with a tiny amount of gold). The centres are open from June to September daily from 9.30am to 5pm.

Contact: +43 (0) 6544 20022, www.raurisertal.at