Mountain Worlds: Stuimändle Trail with New Adventure Stations
Photos: Courtesy of Bergbahnen Ofterschwang-Gunzesried
(eap) The mountain landscape around the Ofterschwanger Horn in the Bavarian Oberallgäu region is a paradise for snow sports enthusiasts in winter. But even in the warmer months of the year, the mountain destination has plenty to offer for guests who wish to spend some leisure time in the great outdoors. In addition to sporting activities such as a descent on downhill scooters from the mountain station at 1,300 metres above sea level and a Frizbee course suitable for many age groups, there are cosy restaurants with views of the spectacular Alpine panorama and, since 2018, an adventure hiking trail that is almost four kilometres long and appeals to families in particular with several educational stations, an adventure playground and sections such as a wobbly course.
This “Stuimändleweg” trail – named after the cairn “Steini”, mascot of the mountain destination – has now been extended to include five new adventure stations for visitors to discover. A new viewing platform – a wooden platform with cairn seating and an archway frame – provides the perfect photo backdrop for short breaks to enjoy the view. Elsewhere along the trail, an information stele on the topic of “Alpine pastures and grazing livestock” has been installed with display boxes to provide interesting facts about animal husbandry the region. Hikers who want to recognize the local birdlife by their twittering can explore bird sounds at a new kinetic audio installation. There is also an interactive quiz station that focuses on the changes in nature throughout the seasons. A “cloud cinema” has also been specially developed for the Stuimändleweg: With a view towards the sky, guests can make a weather forecast here – if the views are good, they might stop off at one of the many restaurants with outdoor terraces after completing the adventure trail.
The adventure stations were planned by the Ofterschwang-Gunzesried Mountain Railways in collaboration with the company hochkant, a specialist for the design of interactive nature trails. In our trend article “Summer in the mountains” (published in EAP issue 4/2023), we recently reported on the development of winter sports resorts into year-round destinations that also attract numerous guests in summer thanks to their diverse attractions. ■
