EXPLORER ROUTE

Mysterious treehouse poses a real puzzle

Children’s search parties on the trail of missing scientist in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis/Tyrol!

A mysterious treehouse and the strange appearance of larger-than-life animals and plants have led to a major investigation being launched in part of a wood near the little village of Ladis in the Upper Tyrol’s Inntal valley. According to an initial statement issued by the local authorities the treehouse may be the home of an unknown scientist who was conducting nature experiments in the area. There is no sign of the scientist’s current whereabouts, however. Plans are now in place to send out children’s search parties from the start of summer to investigate the area surrounding the treehouse and to find an explanation for these puzzling occurrences.

“Mountains of Adventure” is the name of the innovative programme of activities which Austrian children’s author and TV presenter Thomas Brezina has created to provide children of different age groups with a completely new approach to a holiday in the mountains. Children are invited to become actors in a story presented in outline with lots of information gaps. By using their resourcefulness and some joined-up thinking young visitors are gradually able to get to the bottom of the puzzle. The “Scientist’s Trail” in Ladis is one such story. At the start the children only know that a mysterious tree house has been discovered in a wood. On the way to the tree house they have to acquire the skills of a trapper to solve many tasks and deal with lots of adventures.

They encounter giant snails, see the world from the perspective of an ant, have to recognise animal tracks and touch and feel animal skins. They even have to decipher animal droppings in order to close in on the treehouse.

Items needed to solve the puzzle such as a telescope, magnifying glass, compass, investigator’s notebook and pencil, etc., are included in an “Adventure” rucksack which is handed out to each child in the tourist board office at the start of the journey of discovery. The scientist’s house which the youngsters eventually discover is probably everything a child could wish for and testifies to the inventive mind of an eccentric scientist. Who he was and what he really did is something the children discover at the end of this story.