Soul-purifier Leechwald forest

Hello all!

Now, when time is closely coming to end and I need to slowly start packing and leave Graz, I’m thinking about the things I’m going to miss very much. Of course the entire city I’ve written a blog about (If the mountain doesn't go to Mohamed) had a huge impact on me in the past 2 months. But soon, my ERASMUS will be over. In my opinion this Graz experience influenced my personality, my career and life-goals. It formed me and shaped me. I will always keep and have a little piece of Graz in my heart. The place I’m writing today is another venue close to my soul. I had almost everyday-contact with it. In my last days I tried to memorize its appearance and like a snapshot, imprint it in my brain. So on hard days at Budapest, and anywhere else Worldwide, to be able to remember the moments spent there, and gain energy from it. I’m going to write about Leechwald forest.

I love to jog, and when the circumstances allow me, I go jogging up to 5 times a week. Everywhere I traveled around the World, I always went out jogging in nature. While walking or running in a forest, I receive a lot of energy from nature, and also it’s a good opportunity to speak to myself and clean my soul. Regardless jogging is an in fact muscle- and endurance exercise, it’s also a training of personality and refreshment for brain. At Budapest I used to jog on Margaret-island, in the U. S. I chose to run at the athletic centre of Nazareth College. In Helsinki we jogged by the port and the beach of Baltic sea, and back in Cluj, Romania I ran on the bank of Someş river and Central park. If I have to remember a country or a city I can do it by thinking of its aspects, architecture, traditional food and venues, but I also make association with the places where I used to jog.

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In the case of Graz, the locale’s name is Leechwald. Thanks to my fortune, my accommodation, (VAÖ dorm) was right at the bottom of the hill where Leechwald forest is situated. I remember my first day, when I went out jogging. I didn’t have any idea, in which direction I’m going. Am Rehgrund, the street where the dorm is, is part of Mariatrost-City-centre bicycle and pedestrian alley, so I decided to run on this path to where it leads me. I knew, I don’t want to jog on a busy street I wouldn’t like to see car traffic; moreover, running on asphalt is not so good for joints, so the option for me was seeking good terrain and peaceful environment. I knew that there’s Stadtpark, the central park of the city, which is absolutely amazingly beautiful. The only problem with it was, that it’s very far from the dorm. I needed to find a closer mini-Stadtpark, and fortunately I found it, in Leechwald.

All I did was running down on Stenggstrasse pedestrian way till Schönbrunngasse. (But Leechwald can be reached from the direction of Hilmteich Botanical Gardens and Mariatrost as well). At Schönbrungasse I entered the park near lake Hilmteich. The park is very nice, having a playground and several hammocks, I used to lie in after running. But before resting and chilling in the hammocks I had to complete my portion of jogging. I climbed the first acclivity and found myself in th middle of the forest. On my first running I was a bit scared, because I wasn’t used with running in forests. What if a boar attacks me, or some wild bees? What if I get kidnapped? What if I don’t feel good and I need a helping hand? Consequently, on my first trial at Leechwald forest I didn’t spend more than 10 minutes in th woods. I preferred to exit the shadows and run around Hilmteich lake. The lake is absolutely gorgeous. There’s a little small restaurant near it, and there are ducks and big fishes in the water, people walking around it, feeding the animals. However, it wasn’t what I desiring for.

After getting back to the dorm after my run I felt a bit disappointed of myself. I wasn’t satisfied about running in circles around a lake, or on streets. I decided, that I live only once, and I will face Leechwald whatever could happen. It completely transformed running into a thing I was waiting for my entire day. I didn’t feel lazy about going out, but excited, running was not a daily task I must fulfill. To be honest, I couldn’t wait for going out running.

I wasn’t frigtened of nature anymore, because I discovered, that there are many people practicing nordic walking, jogging, or just simply being walking their dogs or riding their bikes. Leechwald is an energy source for every generation. I saw extremely old people walking by crutches, and they were simply enjoying bird tweet, sunshine and the noise of rustling leaves.

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Leechwald has a 18 km long patch for mountain-bikers, hikers, wanderers and runners. The route starts at Hilmteich and finishes after Mariatrost, but I used to run always till Mariatrost, and not further. From Mariatrost there are 13 kilometres left, and the whole trail continues up in the hills. After leaving Hilmteich and starting climbing the hill in the forest You’ll pass by a house called ’wild-house’, which is a little house in the forest where natural peanut butter and chocolate cream with nuts can be bought. Wild house is a mini park of animals, there are rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, polecats, and hamsters live. They all have been taken care by a family living in a house in the woods. Another attraction You’ll pass by whil jogging in the forest is Hilmteich Adventure and Adrenaline Park. I never entered it, but it might be exciting.

If You continue Your run in the forest, You’ll suddenly find Yourself out of the woods. There are some sections of the route which go through inhabited regions of the hill. Little streets, with little houses and gardens with apple trees. There’s also a guesthouse called ’Hauserl im Wald’ (Houses in the woods) where many wanderers and travelers rest, or at least eat a copious traditional Austrian meal. After passing the houses, You’ll find Yourself again jogging in the middle of the woods. What I consider absolutely a mistery and an interesting fact about running in Leechwald is, that there are several religious motives and monuments on the route. Like crosses, sculptures of Jesus and memorial plaques. These all create a more misterious and metaphysical atmosphere.

After 2 kilometres spent again in the forest, You will be out of it and find Yourself jogging by cornfields and family houses.

The last part of the journey is exiting Leechwald, and seeing Mariatrost Bazilika at Your left. This means, that You’ve completed the 5 km route from Hilmteich to the Bazilika. The way back makes 5 km as well, so in total, Your performance will count 10 kilometres. You can choose to run back in the forest on the same trail You got to Mariatrost, or You can simply jog downwards to the Bazilika, enjoy the beautiful view from it, and jog back to the dorm on the bike- and pedestrian path between Mariatrost and Main Square.

I was lucky and privileged to see how nature changes day by day with the coming of Autumn. One day the branches were green, flowers were blossoming, and sunshine fade in between the branches. The other day I felt Autumn smell, and saw that leaves turn brown and red and started falling. The transition was beautiful. Now, Autumn’s arrival symbolizes the end of something gorgeous, the goodbye part. Also for me. In few days I’ll be back to Budapest and leave Graz behind, and God knows when I’ll be back. I’m just sure, that if I return, I will definitely visit Leechwald regardless of weather conditions.

Thanks for reading, Dora

P. s. : Sorry for the quality of the pictures, I'm not a professional photographer.

If You’re interested about other writings of mine, click on the following link.

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