Let your feelings run free
"Fresh wild garlic, murauenfrischer Wild garlic" shouts a stallholder on the main square of Bad Radkersburg. This plant, popularly known as "wild spinach," shouldn't be the only thing that stirs your emotions on the pleasure tour. Wild garlic litter the bottom of the floodplain in a lush green natural carpet and gives off the unmistakable scent of garlic in spring. If you want to discover a typical flat Mura landscape in Austria and Slovenia, this is the tour for you. You will cross an area of 11,000 hectares, which is the second largest closed floodplain in Austria. When you enter the floodplain, you think you are in an alien world: a jungle-like thicket of poplars, English oaks, acacias, on which many climbing plants climb up, such as hops, wild grapevine and ivy.
There is an immense wealth of species here. Woodpeckers alone are represented by seven species. The reason for this species richness is the occurrence of many marginal biotopes as transitional habitats.
Typical of the Mur floodplains are the lakes, former oxbow lakes of the Mur. They are among the most valuable habitats of all and are home to many rare plants and animals such as cormorants, black woodpeckers, rooks and robins. The Nachdenkraum Natur begins directly in Bad Radkersburg. The sight of the dense vegetation and the variety of living creatures is overwhelming. The first rest at the Liebmann Lake becomes an experience. The swans majestically cross the lake and the children can hardly keep up with the feeding. An insider tip in Dietzen is the beetle bean cabinet Bäcksteffl.
Simply feel, simply live.
Past the community chapel "Madlhof" you reach the suspension bridge, which leads you directly to Slovenia - light vibrations accompany your crossing. Via Apace you cycle on and cross the Pannonian forest in Apasko Polje. Thick oaks and meter-high ant hills revive the long-forgotten Indian game from childhood. The famous winegrower Steyer Vina in Plitvica, will be happy to explain you the baptized vineyard with over 128 different grape varieties. Behind the Schlossberg, on which the Oberradkersburg Castle is enthroned, you will cross the Mura Bridge and end your tour in Bad Radkersburg with the relaxing Parktherme. The body washed around - by the well-tempered thermal water - begins to live anew, you feel the peace and serenity. That feels good. And makes you want to experience more cycling.