At the beginning, most of the way is downhill to Eibiswald with its old town centre. Cultural highlights, such as Limberg Castle, Bad Schwanberg and Deutschlandsberg, await you on the tour through Schilcherland with its vineyards and wine taverns. The tour then continues via Stainz to Söding near Graz. Passing wayside shrines and churches along the way, we hike towards Graz - accompanied by great views of the city. Eggenberg Castle, UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its unique collection of armour and weapons and a beautiful park, invites us to visit. The route leads through the centre of Graz to the Hilmteich pond and the Mariatrost Basilica in the east of Graz.
We can take the cable car to the Schöckl mountain. Arriving in Passail, we enter the natural park Almenland with the Sommeralm, which together with the Teichalm is the largest contiguous alpine pasture area in Europe. The route continues along the mountain ridge towards Waldheimat on the Schanz, a pass above the mountain village of Fischbach. Here, we have to make a decision, as two paths lead to Mariazell. One through the Waldheimat of Peter Rosegger and the other via Mitterdorf im Mürztal and the Hohe Veitsch.
The tour via Mitterdorf im Mürztal takes us via the Stanglalm with the Leopold Wittmaier Hut into the Mürztal to reach the Pretalsattel. Via an alpine path, we reach the Rothsohlam at the foot of the Veitsch. The final section is a beautiful alpine pasture hike, where we enjoy the impressive flora and fauna, and finally reach the basilica in Mariazell via Kreuzberg.
If we decide on the variant via Peter Rosegger's Waldheimat, we hike via his birthplace and the Hochgölk into the Mürztal valley to Krieglach, the former home of the native poet. From Krieglach, we continue over the Schoberstein to Mürzsteg in the natural park Mürzer Oberland. From Mürzsteg, the last part leads over the Buchalpenkreuz and the Mooshuben to Mariazell.
Details of the Mariazell Trail 06 can be found (in German) on the site of the Austrian Alpine Association.