Bad St. Leonhard: L3 hike Feistritzgraben

Schlossberg - Kindergarten - Feistritzgraben - Karrer Säge - former guesthouse Weizmühle - Karrer Säge - vlg. Karrer - Leonardi church - bike and footpath toward Bad St. Leonhard Schlossberg

For this route, good footwear and a small backpack with the essentials are sufficient.

Safe Hiking

10 recommendations from the Alpine Club

As a natural sport, mountain hiking offers great opportunities for health, community, and experience. The following recommendations from alpine clubs serve to make hikes as safe and enjoyable as possible.

1. Healthy into the mountains
Mountain hiking is endurance sport. The positive stress stimuli for heart and circulation require health and a realistic self-assessment. Avoid time pressure and choose the pace so that no one in the group runs out of breath.
2. Careful planning
Hiking maps, guide literature, internet and experts inform about length, altitude difference, difficulty and current conditions. Always adapt routes to the group!
Pay special attention to the weather forecast, as rain, wind, and cold increase the risk of accidents.
3. Complete equipment
Adapt your equipment to your undertaking and pay attention to low backpack weight. Rain, cold and sun protection always belong in the backpack, as well as a first aid kit and mobile phone (European emergency number 112). Maps or GPS support orientation.
4. Appropriate footwear
Good hiking shoes protect and relieve the foot and improve surefootedness! When choosing, pay attention to perfect fit, non-slip tread sole, waterproofing and low weight.
5. Surefootedness is key
Falls as a result of slipping or tripping are the most common cause of accidents! Note that too high a pace or fatigue strongly impair your surefootedness and concentration. Beware of rockfall: Careful walking avoids triggering stones.
6. Stay on marked paths
In pathless terrain, the risk of losing orientation, falling, and rockfall increases. Avoid shortcuts and return to the last known point if you have strayed from the path. Often underestimated and very dangerous: steep old snowfields!
7. Regular breaks
Timely rest serves recovery, enjoyment of the landscape, and sociability. Eating and drinking are necessary to maintain performance and concentration. Isotonic drinks are ideal thirst quenchers. Muesli bars, dried fruit, and biscuits satisfy hunger on the way.
8. Responsibility for children
Note that variety and playful discovery are the focus for children! In sections with risk of falling, one adult can only supervise one child. Very exposed routes requiring sustained concentration are not suitable for children.
9. Small groups
Small groups ensure flexibility and enable mutual assistance. Inform trusted persons about destination, route and return. Stay together as a group. Beware of lone hikers: even small incidents can lead to serious emergencies.
10. Respect for nature and environment
To protect mountain nature: do not leave any waste, avoid noise, stay on paths, do not disturb wild and grazing animals, leave plants untouched and respect protected areas. Use public transport or form carpools for arrival.

(Source: Austrian Alpine Club, 2014)

www.region-lavanttal.at/mobil

www.region-lavanttal.at

www.bad-st-leonhard-i-lav.at

Do you know the six source trails in Bad St. Leonhard?

The springs and fountains of the Upper Lavanttal are well known far beyond the region. The Preblauer water, a celebrated sour water since the Middle Ages, is counted among the best drinking and healing waters in Europe.

Information at www.bad-st-leonhard-i-lav.at