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Around the Stainzbach
A folk-religious treasure awaits you at the Kalvarienberg. Hike the Way of the Cross with its 53 stone steps up to the depiction of the Crucifixion.
Enjoy the cultural landscape with the typical Gibel farmhouses of the region. You will pass by the historic Georgskapelle (St. George's Chapel), pay a visit to the exotic breeds of pigs at the Samahof wine tavern and catch a glimpse of the wonderful Stainz Castle glowing in yellow from afar.
Stainz not only offers a town centre worth seeing, but also everything that nature-loving gourmets could wish for.
Signposting: 6
Characteristics
Best season
The tour in numbers
Map & downloads
More information
From the north: Motorway Munich - Salzburg - Eben - Schladming - Liezen onto the A9 towards Graz. Exit at Lieboch and follow the B76 towards Deutschlandsberg/Stainz. A9 is subject to toll - Gleinalmtunnel. Alternative: At St. Michael take the S6 towards Bruck and in Bruck take the S35 towards Graz. Take the B76 to Stainz.
From the west: In Villach take the A2 towards Klagenfurt. Take the Steinberg exit and drive in the direction of Stainz/Deutschlandsberg. In St. Stefan ob Stainz follow the L314 to Stainz. At the Spar-Markt Stainz turn right into the centre and the road leads directly to the town hall (Hauptplatz).
From the east: A2: Vienna - Aspang - Hartberg - Fürstenfeld - Graz. From Graz continue on the A2 in the direction of Klagenfurt and take the Lieboch exit in the direction of Stainz/Deutschlandsberg/Eibiswald. Follow the B76 to Deutschlandsberg/Stainz.
From the south: A1 from Marburg to Leibnitz. Exit in Leibnitz (Gralla) and continue on the B74 towards Deutschlandsberg, take the second exit at the roundabout in Preding, after approx. 2km turn right onto the L617 towards Stainz. At the Stainz town sign, continue for approx. 300m into the town centre. You have reached your destination.
The first mayor of Stainz was Archduke Johann. Here at the start of our hike you can read the letter from 1850 to his dear Stainzer carved in stone in the town hall.
Via the station of the Flascherlzug you hike into the settlement area of Graschuh. Patients used to come to the miracle doctor Johann Reinbacher in Stainz on the Flascherlzug and from there they marched up the mountain on foot. He used urine bottles to diagnose his patients' illnesses. They were then given herbal teas and tinctures for treatment. That is why the path was lined with discarded bottles, so that no signpost was needed. Hence the name Flascherlzug.
You walk along trail marker six through a small, romantic piece of woodland and continue along a field path alongside flowering meadows until you cross the main road and the railway tracks. You then stroll through another settlement and cross the main road to Preding. Now you pass the sewage plant and enjoy the rural cultural landscape along the Stainzbach for a while.
Children should take advantage of this opportunity to let off steam at the water's edge, and parents will also be happy to have some time to themselves in nature. Let the sound of the water take effect on you and dangle your feet in the cool water.
Wonderfully refreshed, keep to the left at the bridge and hike along a little-used asphalt road to Ettendorf. Past the old fire station, keep to the right and you will soon reach the Georgskapelle chapel. The figure of George is said to still come from the church that used to stand here. An information board explains this place steeped in history, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view over the Schilcherland. Benches also invite you to take a rest here.
After you have had your fill of the natural landscape, hike on and reach a forest. Try to explore a piece of the forest floor without shoes. This way you can combine your hike with a foot zone reflex massage and feel the power of nature up close. At the wayside shrine, which you reach after a while, turn left towards Stallhof. Here you will see the Calvary Chapel "Maria im Elend" on the right at a hiking trail junction. The Way of the Cross, which you will find here, leads from the Calvary Chapel up 53 more or less weathered stone steps, past four Stations of the Cross through a mixed forest to the crucifixion group. The Calvary is accessible all year round.
However, take the path to the left over the Stainzbachsteg. Follow the trail markings to the right and you will see exotic pigs and other animals behind a pasture fence, which belong to the adjacent Heurigen Samahof. The children will have a blast with the pigs wallowing in the mud and you should take the chance to fortify yourself at the Samahof. The Bretteljause (snack) with the farm's own products is a delight and what could go better with it than a glass of rosé-red Schilcher pure or spritzed. It refreshes and gives you new energy.
Don't hesitate to stay a little longer, because from here it is only a few steps to Stainz.
With the BusBahnBim app of the Verbundlinie, timetable information is easier than ever: all connections by bus, train and tram in Austria can be retrieved by entering places and/or addresses, stops or important points. The app is available as a free app for smartphones (Android, iOS) - on Google Play and in the App Store.
Hauptplatz 40
A-8530 Deutschlandsberg
Tel +43 3462 7520
The themed hiking folder and the district-wide hiking map of Deutschlandsberg can be ordered free of charge online at www.schilcherland.at. ONLINE TOURS APPAll hiking tours can be found online at www.schilcherland.at/bewegung or via APP South & West Styria Tours in their app store.