Follow the call of the mountains

As a qualified mountain hiking guide, the KAT Walk has become part of home for Elke Henke. As there, where only nature is listening, she finds peace and understands that it is possible to rearrange your own stars in life, if you have the courage to do so.

In her job, Elke Henke, had everything and at the same time nothing. Although she had a managing position and success across the board, internally she was burnt out and empty. So to compensate for her office job she looked for happiness in the Kitzbüheler Alpen mountains, where she finally found what she was looking for. With every step in unspoiled nature, more and more tranquility returned to the overly stressed career woman and the understanding that she must change something fundamentally in her life so that she wouldn’t ever lose this long sought-after feeling again. She resigned from her previous job without further ado, changed her high heels for sturdy hiking boots and what originally began as private mountain tour guiding among friends developed into a new passionate career which has continued unabated since. As a certified mountain hiking guide, Elke takes most of her hiking groups on the KAT Walk, the Kitzbüheler Alpen Trail. “The mountains are my calming influence. Everyday is different. Sometimes the sun is shining, sometimes dense fog spreads across the green grassy Alpine pastures. Mountains are similar to people, they are not the same every day.”

For Elke, the Kitzbüheler Alpen summits are quite simply psychologists: “I go because it gets me out and up there. I can’t explain where this feeling comes from, it’s just there. I return a few hours later full of energy and suddenly know how I can tackle everyday problems.” Elke wants to share this feeling of deceleration with others because it is exactly this that is missing and needed nowadays in many people’s fast pace of life. “A number of holidaymakers come to Tyrol and are unable to switch off mentally. On a guided tour, their primary concern is how fast they can get to the mountain top and return to the valley.” However, with Elke “personal bests” don’t play an important role. “In fact I take my time. If an attractive place catches our attention along the KAT Walk, then we simply relax on the meadow and enjoy the distant views, smell the scent of freshly cut grass in Summer or observe falling leaves in Autumn, listen to the buzzing bees, chirping birds or whistling wind. Only when I feel that the guests begin to relax and unwind, that is the moment when they have really arrived. Such moments stay with you. They cannot be captured with your mobile phone or camera – just with your heart.”

For hikers the KAT Walk is the “catwalk across the Kitzbüheler Alpen, with the exception that you wear hiking boots instead of high heels.” On one hand you enjoy picturesque views and always know where the trail is leading and how far you have travelled already. On the other hand it’s the particular connection between nature and the luxury of knowing that at the end of the day-long trail a freshly laundered bed and a pre-ordered meal of regional culinary delicacies await you. Ultimately, the official end of the trail is Pillersee but Elke knows: “even when this point is highlighted on the map, the actual goal is different for everyone. Of this I am convinced.” One that can only be felt with the heart.

#KitzbühelerAlpen | #KATWalkTirol | #LebenswegeTirol