The Mud Spa Gmös (Moorbad Gmös) in the vicinity of the town of Laakirchen (situated on the edge of the Salzkammergut) is one of the few moor land areas in the Alpine foothills of Upper Austria. The moor dates back to the Mindel glaciation and was created by a "dead ice-hole". In 1987 the local authorities of Upper Austria declared the Area of 3.4 ha of the Gmöser Moor a natural preserve. A path around the area has since then given the visitor the opportunity of observing rare flora and fauna species. In 2002 the spa was chosen as background scenery for the TV-production "Schloßhotel Orth".

About the area

The mud spa was formed on a Moraine of the Mindel glaciation and forms one of the few moors in the Alpine foothills on the east side of the Traun River. Up to the time that humans began to interfere with nature, a moor landscape with its variety of flora and fauna was able to develop. Due to cultivation of the moor landscape by man (drainage, peat-working, litter-harvesting etc.) the 3,4 ha Gmöser Moor can today be designated as a moor land forest or as a lower moor land which the original forms of flora and fauna have survived.

This was the reason that the Gmöser Moor was declared to be a natural preserve.

Fauna

Due to the number of animals - of which some are severely endangered and all under protection - the Gmöser Moor represents a unique refuse and environment in form of a biotope for the region. For example, you can find Amphibians such as Yellow-bellied toads (Bombina variageta) - decidedly water inhabitants - and Reptiles such as the Grass Snake (Natrix natrix) which live in damp forests, swamp and moor lands.

A great number of Bird species find the best conditions for breeding and have been observed for a number of years.

The Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris ) is to be found her with the only breeding colony of the whole area.

The Marsh warbler (Acrocephalus palustris ) is not solely bound to reed landscapeds, but is mainly to be found in bushy areas. It is a summer guest for us and spends the winter in Africa.

The Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra ) can be found in the surrounding meadows, as it is a typical meadow bird, which breeds on the ground. In the surroundings of the Gmöser Moor this bird could only be observed one or two times when breeding. The Whinchat is also a summer guest in Austria and spends the winter in Africa

The Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea ) remains with us all year round. It breeds in caves and draws the observer's attention to itself by being able to crawl headfirst down trees.

The Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus ) only visits us as a summer guest at the end of April on its return journey from Africa. It only breeds irregularly in Gmös, whereby its nest is strictly obscured high up in the trees. The male bird can be easily recognized by its bright yellow and black feathers.

The Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus ) can be observed over all open areas with flattering wings spread over a certain area and then pouncing down with closed wings on its prey of mice or other small mammals.

Other observed Bird species:

hatching bird species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix), Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), Quail (Coturnix coturnix), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Robin (Erithacus rubecula), Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), Blackbird (Turdus merula), Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos), Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin), Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), Goldcrest (Regulus regulus), Firecrest (Regulus ignicapillus), Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris), Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus), Great Tit (Parus major), Coal Tit (Periparus ater), Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius), European Magpie (Pica pica), Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris), Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) und Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus).

migrants, former breeding birds and guests

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), White Stork (Ciconia ciconia), Garganey (Anas querquedula), Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), Red Kite (Milvus milvus), Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Hobby (Falco subbuteo), Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Curlew (Numenius arquata), Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus), Eurasian Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto), Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), Long-eared Owl (Asio otus), Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), Common Swift (Apus apus), Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus), Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis), Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), House Martin (Delichon urbica), Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis), Dunnock (Prunella modularis), Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), Redwing (Turdus iliacus), Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus), Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), Aquatic Warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Icterine Warbler (Hippolais icterina), Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca), Whitethroat (Sylvia communis), Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix), Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), Collared Flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis), Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus), Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus), Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), Common Raven (Corvus corax), Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla), Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes), Serin (Serinus serinus), Siskin (Carduelis spinus), Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), Linnet (Carduelis cannabina), Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) and Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra).

The manifold biotope structures and the special climate features which are prevalent in a moor landscape result in an extremely diverse insect world, which serves as a food source for the birds of the area.

In the area where peat is dug, one can observe the most different sorts of Dragonflies and a great number of Mosquitos (Culicidadae).

Flora

The vegetation of the moor landscape is dominated mainly by moor land forests dominated by moor birch trees. Here one can observe the remnants of a great number of plants which are typical for moor land areas. Among these are the Downy birch (Betula pubescens), European heather (Calluna vulgaris), Milk Parsley (Peucedanum palustre), Blanket Mire (Eriophorum vaginatum) and Common sedge (Carex nigra).

Peat diggings can be found both in the centre and on the edges of the moor. The older sites are covered with marsh moss, whereas others can be identified by their duckweed, marsh cinquefoil and sparganium growth.

Peat Moss (Sphagnum sp.) is an excellent water store. They die off at the point where they stand in water and continue growing above this point. The underlying dead particles are continually compressed downwards by the new growth from above. Thus, over a period of several ten thousands of centuries, provided that the climate and environmental conditions are in order, smaller or larger layers of peat are create. The moor layer in Gmös is, however, not exceptionally thick, as the peat mosses could not compete with the pressure applied and could therefore not turn into an ombrothopfic moor.

On the pond within the moor landscape a wide-spread reed-cultivation has developed.

The Mud Spa

History of the Mud Spa in Gmös

Around 1900 Johann Vizithum - a farmer in the neighbouring village of Rahstorf - used to dig peat in order to obtain fuel to run his threshing machine. He had suffered over years from severe Arthritis and realised, that whenever he trod barefoot in the mud, he experienced a definite improvement of his ailments. This was the reason that the peat pulp bath Gmös was founded in 1907. Since that time peat has been manually dug and prepared on a daily basis. Following the applications the peat is returned to the moor.

Centennial

100 years ago – in time of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, when the Emperor of Austria had spent his summer holidays at the spas of Karlovy Vary, Františkovy Lázně and Mariánské Lázně in the Czech Republic – even a small Upper-Austrian village got its first mud spa. 1907 the first owner named the spa after his wife Cäcilia and people from all over the country came not only because of the established guest house but also because of the new bath house.
Comparing the pictures of that time and of today you would hardly recognize it. Cäcilienbad has been renamed into Moorbad Gmös, the infrastructure has been adapted to the contemporary requirements and even the methods of treatment have been improved and expanded in order to guarantee the patient’s recovery.
The 100th anniversary was July 7, 2007. Accompanied by art and music performances one will be able to visit the bath and guest rooms of the spa, watch the way of the mud – from nature into the mud packs – and walk through the preserve mud area. Free massages and a rich culinary choice round off the celebrations.

On August 11^th an event of the Gmundner Festival is guest in Gmös for the first time. Peter Raab reads Thomas Bernhard's „Wut und Komik" in a Matinee

The Cure in the Bath House

The traditional cure in Gmös is a combination of mud baths, mud packs and massages. This results in a synergetic effect, which in turn positively enforces the healing and soothing processes. The mud bath and the mud packs especially cleanse the muscles and the body.

Massages

Individually specified massages are essential for improving the muscular function and serve to improve all the muscular movements apparatus. Foot- and ear-reflex zone massage and special forms of traditional massage are used as supportive measures. Thus any tension and over acidification of the muscles, which often lead to pain and loss of mobility, can be treated.

The Mud-bath

The mud-bath is prepared directly from peat taken from the moor together with moor water which is rich in content. In order to increase the typical thermal factor the water is mixed with peat.

Mud-Packs

The parts if the body to be treated are covered with permeable fleece packs containing peat. According to requirement either the whole or parts of the body are then wrapped and subjected to a 50 Min cleansing procedure.

Indications

The cure helps with rheumatism, lumbago, sciatica, gout, all wear symptoms of the joints and the spine, chronic arthritis, the symptoms following broken bones and all over-tension of the muscles.

The Guest House

The guest house is in the direct vicinity of the Bath-House, in order to offer those guests who do not live near the possibility of being treated. Both the Guest House and the Spa are family businesses, which with their maximum capacity of 16 guests, offer everybody individual treatment.

Chapel Gmös

Following suggestions of our guests, the building of the Chapel Gmös began in 1982. After a construction period of 3 months the consecration ceremony could be carried out in the form of mass conducted by the abbot - Mr. Siebenhütter - of the monastery in Lambach. The musical accompaniment was by the "Laakirchner Stubenmusi" and the MGV Steyrermühl. A number of honorary guests were present and in their speeches thanked the Forstinger family for their leading role in the construction of the chapel. The efforts of the "Committee for the construction of a chapel in Gmös" which was set up by guests of long-standing were crowned by renowned success. The idea of building a chapel was based on the need of the guests to find peace, contemplation, reflection, meditation all within the bounds of a moor land area. The 75^th jubilee of the spa itself was enriched by the construction of this beautiful building. Since then the spa in Gmös has contributed with its treatment with peat and massages not only to the beauty and stillness of the surrounding nature and rustic life but also to the positive effect of spiritual influences on both body and spirit.

External links

• www.moorbad.gmoes.at - official website of Moorbad Gmös
• DORIS interMAP-Entry detailed view of the area in the map of the local authorities
• The municipality's Information about the preserve