Before we reach the Waldrutschenpark we can hear it. In the form of many-voiced laughter and cheerful cheering. We are at the top of Natrun, the adventure mountain in the Hochkönig area and at the same time Maria Almer's local mountain. The Natrun really deserves the nickname "Prinzenberg", we can convince ourselves of this on our excursion. Not only slide kings of all ages get their money's worth here with more than 200 meters of slide distance and slides of up to 55 meters in length. Also for climbing princesses and princes there is a lot to experience high up on the mountain in the forest rope garden.
Slide fun, not only for children
But back to our experience in the Waldrutschenpark. We wait at the entrance of the first slide, the "Deep Impact" with an impressive 55 meters length. In front of us a group of children giggles giggling up the rungs and disappears - one after the other - under loud howling in the tunnel slide made of stainless steel. A total of five slides are embedded between the trees - each slide takes you a little further towards the Postalm. For all those who prefer to watch the fun of the slides rather than join in themselves, a forest path suitable for baby carriages leads through the forest next to the slides.
Again, again!
Now it's our turn. Of course, we can't afford to be naked after the children from before are standing behind us again with reddened cheeks and eyes glowing with anticipation. So just a quick look inside the tube - hui, pretty dark, luckily there are big portholes at regular intervals to look out - and off we go! Right ahead: Suitable clothing is advisable in the "tube" in any case. The T-shirt should be tucked into your pants so that you can glide through the tunnels in best Superman-manner. With a slightly raised pulse and a broad grin we arrive at the bottom. The child in us screams: "Again, again!" But since we still have five slides to go, we let reason prevail for once and march full of anticipation to the next stainless steel slide.
Forest Rope Garden: Action at ten meters height
Between the penultimate and the last slide we walk a good distance through the forest, in sight of the mountain bike trail Flow-One. Every now and then we stop and watch the bikers who rush along the specially created trail at a brisk pace. Yes, the active mountain really lives up to its name. Speaking of active: If the forest slide park - the first and only one of its kind in Austria, by the way, which is also free of charge - was not enough action, we recommend the forest rope garden. You can reach it very easily - just like the entrance to the forest slide park - with the gondolas of the Natrunbahn. Or, of course, during a short hike. The meeting point of the Waldseilgarten is located at the top station of the lift. In the main season twice a day, at 9.30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., small and big climbing friends can participate in the guided tours through the park. And to prove their skills at many different stations. We'll take a look at the climbing park for our next visit to Natrun - there's really a lot more to discover here! But for today, we will let the afternoon fade away with a last slide. The fifth and last slide of the Forest Ropes Course is an open slide with several adjacent lanes - perfect for competition slides. And because everyone wants to be the first to reach the finish line, we slide down this last slide a few times. Until the children are waiting behind us again. Then we stroll leisurely down into the valley, back to the valley station of the Natrubahn and our car. For about half an hour we walk along the beautiful hiking trail across the meadows, below us Maria Alm with the beautiful church in the center, in front of and around us the magnificent panorama of the majestic Hochkönig Massif. And we end such a day's excursion as it is written in the book - in the middle of the beautiful Hochkönig area.