In the kingdom of trees. Start out at our farm and drive 10 km till you reach Kötschach. Park your car by the Aquarena in the village. Right by the lift station you’ll notice the signpost “Einsiedelwald – Laas”. After about 10 minutes, cross a tarmac mountain lane and continue to follow the signposts. By now, your nose will already be sensing the fragrant forest air and your ears will perceive the murmuring of water.
Enter the kingdom of trees consciously and try to stride through the woods with all of your senses: see, smell, hear, feel, taste. Connect up to a wealth of sensations. A source of inner peace and serenity will soon open up inside you. Maybe you’d like to walk the path to the petrified tree in silence, because:
“In being quiet there is a wonderful power of clarification, purification, and concentration upon the essential things ”. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

Petrified memory. Carry on and after 10 minutes you’ll reach a forest trail – now you’ve entered the romantic fairytale forest. Benches invite you to pause for a while and enjoy the chirping of lots of different birds. Rest on the bench by the idyllic crossway in the middle of the forest: Gaze into the quiet waters of the brook nearby and let your mind wander. Take this opportunity to let go of any tensions left inside you. When you set out again, take the route “Laas – Ödenhütte”. You’ll notice that the streambed gets drier and drier and that all of the pebbles and stones are overgrown with moss. At the next signpost, follow the sign “Laas – Versteinerter Baum”. The trail will take you across a little bridge and past some meadows. This walk will sharpen your senses for colours and scents, strengthen your power of observation and awake your joy in all things alive.
After an hour, you’ll reach the village of Laas. Cross the federal road and walk through the village for about 10 minutes following the signs saying “Versteinerter Baum”. Flowering meadows and the murmur of the Laas stream will accompany you on your way.

About 30 m above the old power station you’ll find the prehistoric tree of Laas, the biggest petrified plant found in the whole of Austria. Its age is estimated at 200 million years, however the exact species of tree can no longer be determined. The exposed length of the trunk is 8 m, its circumference 30-50 cm. One part of the trunk is still concealed within the rock face.

To return back, take the same route until you reach the meadows. From then on, follow the trail marked “Einsiedelwald – Kötschach”. Later on, follow the sign “Kötschach – Mitte”, and at Hotel Kürschner keep to the right until you arrive at the Aquarena and your car.

If you feel like it, you can now relax in Kötschach’s “water and wellness oasis” or have some refreshments at the restaurant.