Austria

June 17 - July 14, 2009

Monday, June 22 - Schwaz: The Silver Forest of Schwaz

Thanks to 2 multi caches, we spent the morning discovering an area of Schwaz most visitors would probably miss - the Silver Forest of Schwaz (Schwazer Silberwald), named after the silver deep beneath the forest in the Falkenstein mountain.

At the silver woods we found an artistic garden called Loorien Alpha which we spent a while exploring. "Loorien" comes from the celtic-gaelic word for a mystical forest and is the name given to this new type of garden architecture. "alpha" is used to indicate that this is the first of such forests which are planned to be created around Europe. A bus ride to Woergl on a rainy day. From Woergl we took the train to Schwaz.

Coming across the river from the train station we got a great view of Schwaz.

Saint Isidor - patron saint of farmers.

Heading to the walking trails that go through the silver woods.

A fort

A castle on the other side of the Inn valley.

Sammy liked this arch with the colourful ball decorations.

A painted rock ladybug.

We've barely started and Sam is already resting!

The forest kindergarten.

Another fun playground...

with this many things to play with, we'll never finish the cache!

Christopher and Samantha swinging.

Some wooden art sculptures along the way... Samantha playing on the wolves.

This guy isn't looking too welcoming!

Simon and Juda Chapel from the 16th century. The current structure has been standing since 1878 and was last renovated in 1976/77. (This was a waypoint on a multicache)

Arriving at Loorien Alpha - the artistic garden of the Silver Forest.

A giant plastic tote full of books for the taking!
A community project to promote reading.

Samantha playing in the garden.

Lots of fun displays combining nature, art and culture.

Samantha and the monkey puzzle trees.

The poet's chair. Samantha is trying her hand at being the poet.

An arch formed out of willow trees.

Sam climbing into the willow house...
the trees are still very young so the house structure is not very apparent.

Lucky rocks by the artist Ludwig Frank. This work was inspired by korean temples where you can see piles of round rocks placed on top of one another. Newly engaged couples try to pile as many rocks as possible on top of one another... the higher the pile, the more luck the couple will have.

The start of Oeconomia - the tree tower house sponsored by Tirolean business. 17 fast growing red birches have been planted in a circle With a circumference of 8 m. They will grow to about 20m and all branches growing to the outside or inside will be cut off, leaving the remaining branches to build a spiralling wall.

The minotaurs labyrinth - The 5th class of the Schwaz school learned about the history and mythology of the minotaurs labyrinth on the island of Crete and in June 2006 the 29 students built the 11 x 11 m labyrinth out of rocks and dirt.

Sam liked these 'ghost traps'.
One was moving which indicated a freshly caught ghost was trapped inside. :)

The four stones of wisdom (knowledge, truth, honesty and wisdom) represent the ancient symbol of wisdom, to touch and to contemplate. Any visitor who thinks they have achieved one of the steps to wisdom may come and touch the corresponding rock.
(Apparently Sam has achieved the final step of wisdom!)

This red throne was inspired by the mayan pyramids and culture.

Sammy the sun queen (we tried to pray to her to make the sun shine)
She may not have understood all the meaning in the artwork, but Sam liked it all nonetheless.