“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity", John Muir
Spring means longer, warmer days. With the arrival of spring, our ski days changed and our motto became: "Go early and go higher."
As we mentioned in a previous article, skiing in spring on the glaciers of Tyrol is a magnificent opportunity to extend our season by a few months until the arrival of summer. But also to enjoy more time in the mountains. After a morning on the slopes, there is no better way to complete our day outdoors than walking in the now-green valleys contemplating the peaks still covered in snow.
Mankind has long known that being in nature is good for the mind and body. Over the centuries, humans have looked to nature as a place for healing and personal growth.
Now, research is documenting all the different ways that nature benefits our well-being, health, and our social, psychological, and emotional life.
To be in contact with nature helps us to have a more fulfilling way of living that enriches ourselves.
Walking in nature is linked to an idea of well-being. It makes us feel good in the moment, but also has a more lasting effect on our stress levels and our mental health.
Walking is now being touted as "the closest thing we have to a wonder drug," in the words of Dr. Thomas Frieden, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. It increases cardiovascular fitness, strengthens bones, improves balance, reduces excess body fat, and boosts muscle power and endurance. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers.
Getting immersed in a walk in the mountain Valleys makes us feel cleansed.
The best thing about walking is that it is truly an activity everyone can do. Whether you are young or old, or your level of fitness, there is a trail out there that will be perfect for you.
Everything is possible: from a leisurely family walk to a challenging high-altitude hike.
There are so many reasons to spend time walking.
Walking helps us bond with the people, the countryside, and the history of a place.
Walking is the gateway to the mountains.
Walking is one of the best and easiest ways to enjoy outdoor recreation.
We have made walking a central part of our life here in Tirol. We wonder if walking, like skiing, is so good for us because it is a great way to cultivate some sort of calm, of being with the body rather than in the mind. Walking allows us to feel grounded, very rooted in being part of nature and the mountain landscape. Walking in the mountains combines all the things we love: Being active, in nature, and surrounded by beauty. It allows us to be, to live in the moment.
There are thousands of walks and hikes in Tirol for immersing yourself in the beauty of nature and the mountains.
The Tirolean Mountains in the Heart of the Alps, in Austria, have opened up to us as a fascinating mountain world, a walking paradise of 24,000 kilometers of marked hiking and mountain trails.
Rambling through the mountain peaks, lakes, and forests of Tirol is one of the best ways to find these sought-after havens of peace and tranquility.
There is an ancient tradition in Japan of forest bathing, also known as having a forest shower. The idea is that when you go into the forest, you try to connect through your senses. You stop, you listen, you inhale. Doing this produces measurable benefits. Studies have shown, for example, that spending time in a forest can boost an important component of the immune system called natural killer cells, even a few hours seems to have an impact.
Our day walking in the mountains must include a visit to one of the many numerous mountain restaurants (Alms) to experience authentic Tyrolean home-cooked food and homemade cakes.
