There’s nothing nicer than hiking with the whole family. No matter whether you’re just a small family with parents and a child or a huge family with grandma, grandpa, cousins, aunts and uncles. Whoever’s ready and willing.

I can remember exactly what it used to be like when I was young – at first you’re full of enthusiasm, then there’s an exhausting phase, yet arriving at the top I was always completely overjoyed. What a fabulous view from one mountain side to the other and in all directions. Those who’ve never been up on the mountain in Wagrain-Kleinarl and seen it for themselves just can’t imagine it. A magical moment.

Today I’m going hiking with my extended family. My job is to choose a tour. It shouldn’t be too difficult for the children, not too far away and not too demanding. Phew, it’s not that easy. How about to Tappenkarsee Lake? Hmm, we’ve been there so often. How about the Wagrainer Alm/Arzkendl? We could even drive up the first part. But then it’s only 30 minutes on foot, that’s better suited to a day when we don’t have much time. So I take a look at the walk to the Jausenstation Grub. Even suitable for pushchairs. Hmm, we don’t have a pushchair, but the playground at the top is really cool. I’ve always enjoyed the hike from the Edelweiss-Alm to the Berghofalm, but as this year the Flying Mozart cable car is being renovated, it’s not in operation. So maybe next year or the year after. The children know all the green trails in the valley too. Now, I’ve found the perfect hike for today!

Lucky for me that there are so many children, I’ll be able to keep up. I hope that the hike to the Kleinarler Hütte via the Kurzeggalm, is not too strenuous for the younger ones. I just need to keep their spirits up. Then I remember, I brought a copy of the booklet “Spielend wandern“ (playful hiking) with me! Maybe I can find a cool task to entertain them on the hike up.

“A hat, a stick, a lady’s petticoat“, I laugh out loud. I remember that game from my childhood, that was always great fun. “Forest Boccia“ – that’s a game I know from the beach, but why not? So, we collect some pine cones, search for a unusual target stone and choose a suitable spot which is nearly flat. The youngest child can place the target stone, so simply anywhere, not too far away at first. I draw a short line in the ground with my heel, which serves as a starting line. Oh well, you can’t see it very well. Then my cousin comes along with a bunch of flowers and remarks the line. Good idea, I should have thought of that myself. We all stand up and take turns to throw our cones as far as the target stone. The one nearest the stone is the winner. Guess what, I lost – on purpose maybe – I’ll let you decide 😉

At the next stream we build little rafts out of leaves. We collect large leaves and place them in the stream. A fly has landed on one of our leaves! Now our raft has even got a little stowaway! It looks so cool how the water plays with the leaves.

Up at the alpine hut we diligently stamp our hiking passes, enjoy the sunshine and look forward to our next family hike.

Bildnachweis: Wagrain-Kleinarl, Anuja Tilj – pixabay