Gnome Trail in Wald am Arlberg

Welcome to the Gnome Adventure Trail!

My name is Alfonz, because I was born in the Alfenz, but everyone call me Alfi. My dad is a
forest gnome and my mum is a water gnome. So I belong to the the rare species of the water-forest gnome. I would like to tell you a little story about my family and me.

The little people to whom we belong were once numerous in the Klostertal- Mountain, earth, forest and water gnomes lived together here as one family. We were industrious and dug for silver on the Kristberg and for gypsum on the Arlberg. We showed the river Alfenz its way through the valley and made sure that it was always clean.

I am happy if you accompany me on my adventure path.
For more details on the Gnome adventure trail with detailed directions simply go to scan the QR code.

A big thank you for the idea and the realisation goes to Claudia Margreitter, the municipality of Dalaas, Klostertal Tourism and numerous helping hands.

Telephoning with the tree phone

So, did you heard on us through the forest radio? Perhaps you heard our quiet work, but not our voices. How do I know? We gnomes are masters of secret language and only use our tree phone for conversations. We send our messages from one end of the tree to the other. This way we remain undisturbed by attentive human ears. But every now and then curious human children also join the tree trunks and listen. But they don't understand our language, because only we gnomes can decipher it.

Would you like to try out our tree phone?
Send your message by scratching and tapping on the tree trunk. Someone at the other end of the trunk can hear your message through the tree. Have fun!

Discover the forest dwellers

We gmoes care about nature and its animals and plants. We have many friends in the forestand also in the water.
I would like to introduce you to my six best friends:
- Finn, the clever fox
- Ella, the wise owl
- Hans, the flinke rabbit
- Emma, the sweet squirrel
- Berthold, the funny woodpecker
- Raphael, the gentle deer

They accompany me on my adventures through the forest.
Like me, they are all a bit shy and like to hide in the thicket of the forest.

Would you like to meet my friends?
Then keep your eyes o en along the way! Find my six playmates along the gnome adventure trail.

Water-Art on the Alfenz

Hello! Nice of you to join me.
The Alfenz is a special habitat for us gnomes. We have an important job here: we look after the river and its creatures. With our tiny nets, baskets and shovels, we make sure that the water stays clean and that the animals have a safe home. During our breaks, we love to play on the banks and be creative! We paint pictures in the sand and use the landscape as our canvas. When the water comes, our art is washed away - then we start again!

Would you like to help us decorate the river and its banks? We can create artworks together in the sand and play with stamps in the mud. Are you with us?

Embrace a tree

As you have probably noticed, we are deeply rooted in the trees here in the forest. They are not only our friends and telephones, they also provide us with shade, food and clean the air we breathe. Look around you, do you see all the many trees around you?
They are a real family of trees. Wrap your arms all the way around the trunk of the tree. If you can embrace it completely then you have probably found a young tree. But if your arms are not enough, you have probably met a tree-grandma or tree-grandpa who has been
years here in the forest.

Stand in front of your favourite tree and hug it with both arms. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. Feel the energy flowing into your body.

Building gnome houses

Welcome to our enchanting gnome village! Here we live in our little houses and relax, when we come home after a long day's work. Here we eat and drink together and sing
our songs together. But there is a problem: our family is growing and we urgently need more space. But we are so busy taking care of the forest and its animals, that we don't have time to build new houses. Maybe you can help us?

Can you build us a new house with a nice garden? We are very close to nature and love to be surrounded by flowers and plants, be creative!

Three wins - Game!

Hey, I bet you think we work all day and never have time to play, do we? Well, that's not true!
We arWe are busy, but sometimes we play a fun game. It's called "three wins"! Would you like to know how it works? You have to try to get three of your tiles in a row - horizontally, vertically or diagonally. If you manage you get a point! But watch out: Your opponent tries to do the same and wants to stop you. The first player has three points, wins the game.

Would you like to play too? Then go for it! We often play it outside in the forest or by the stream and it's so much fun.

Create a forest art mandala

Hello little forest artists!
Not only the sandbanks on the Alfenz serve as our canvas, but also the forest floor. Here we only use objects that we find in the forest to create our pictures. We create colourful patterns that delight everyone who passes by. Would you like to join us
and create your own forest art mandala? Collect everything you can find in the forest - stones, branches, tree needles, leaves and other beautiful things. Create your own forest art mandala. If the frame is already full, expand the work of art or make a new frame next to it.

Barefoot on the way

As a water-forest gnome, I can not only move in the water, but also on land. We gnomes run and jump with our short legs as fast as you do. But we don't wear shoes! Running barefoot has the advantage that we can feel the forest floor under the soles of our feet. We feel the soft moss cushions, the hard stones and the crunchy branches. It's like a kind of superpower, because we always know what's on the forest floor. This helps us to quickly find new building material for our huts and hiding places. And by the way, it's also really cool to walk barefoot through the forest!

Do you want to feel the forest just like us pixies? Then I have a a great tip for you. Why don't you try our barefoot trail Take off your shoes and feel nature under your toes.

Kneipp station at the barbecue area

For us gmoes, the Kneipp basin is like a huge pool, in which we can dive. The cold water is refreshing, stimulates our senses and gets us going! Kneipp helps us gmoes to stay fit and healthy. It is also great fun! But what does a Kneipp pool do for you humans? In the cold water stimulates the circulation and strengthens the immune system. The various materials gently massage the soles of your feet and stimulate your circulation.

Why not try it out right now and take a turn in the Kneipp pool? It's best to do it in the stork walk - your parents can tell you how to do it. It will refresh you!

Spruce cone toss

Sometimes we also challenge each other to competitions. I have already told you that the trees speak to us and tell us their secrets. And do you know what the spruces have told me? Their cones are perfect for throwing! That's why we regularly organise a cone toss. Each gnome gets three cones, and the one who triggers the target the most times is the best cone-throwing gnome. But be careful! Before you start, please make sure that no one is in your path.
Here you can test your pine cone throwing skills. Do you look as skilled as an gmoe?
You'll be amazed at how much skill it takes!

Listen to the forest radio

Everyone knows a car radio... but what about a forest radio? This is a special device with which you can dive into the secrets of the forest. If you put your ear to the funnel you can experience nature up close. You might hear the rustling of leaves as they sway in the wind, the buzzing of insects as they fly through the air, or the chirping of the birds as the baby birds fight over an earthworm. And if you are very still and listen carefully, you can also hear us gnomes at work. Can you hear the creaking of our tools and the banging of our hammers when we build our houses? Take your time and listen attentively. The forest has many stories to tell.

Time for a photo

Congratulations, you've made it to the end of the Gnome Trail! I hope you had as much fun as we did, even if we didn't meet in person. Before you go any further, you should take a photo with our cute wooden gnomes. It's a nice souvenir of your trip to the forest of Wald am Arlberg. Before you go, I would like to say a few words to you:
The forest is home to an infinite number of treasures. I hope this walk has made you curious to learn more about the forest. Continue to explore nature, and treat it with care and respect. We gnomes are to accompany you on your way through the forest - secretly.

Tip: For the suggested route and the detailed directions, scan the QR code!

See you soon in Wald am Arlberg,
your gnome Alfonz