On this hike you will walk along paths that have also found their way into the
TV programme "9 places - 9 treasures". Soon you will realise why. Because you start in St. Stefan ob Stainz along the main road in the direction of the Schilcher town of Stainz. The
Ebner coffee house is the first place to stop. Fortify yourself with a good coffee and a sweet speciality of the house.
Then turn left to the organic juice producer RIBES. You should pack a bottle of milk grape juice for the little ones in your rucksack. Continue along the municipal road until you reach the main road, where you will see the "Auer" village inn on the left. After 100 metres, leave the main road and cross it in a westerly direction to Lemsitz. Now head slightly downhill to the Lemsitzbach stream, where you cross a bridge and hike through a farmstead to the next municipal road. Before that, you should try to discover some fish in the water with the children or let some small stones bounce across the water. Enjoy the babbling of the stream for a while and let the children play in the water and cool their legs in the clear water. This is a welcome opportunity, especially on hot hiking days.
After a few metres on the right, you will come to the farm of the Oswald family. They invite you to try specialities from the Styrian oil pumpkin. Why not taste the wonderfully nutty tasting green gold of Styria - the famous pumpkin seed oil. Take a bottle or two of it home with you, too. The taste will regularly make you dream of your hike around St. Stefan ob Stainz. Enjoy it with an egg dish or a scoop of vanilla ice cream - a real treat.
Afterwards, hike back a few metres along the path and follow the little-used municipal road until you come to a crossroads. The path now leads you left to the "Schleicher" wine tavern or straight ahead to the "Pulvergraben".
Descend to the "Pulvergraben" via a well-paved forest path. Cross the Steinbach stream and follow a short, steep ascent to the main road. Head straight for the Buschenschank Hiden vlg. Hoellerhansl. You should definitely not pass by here. It is time for a hearty Brettljause and a refreshing Schilchermischung. Delicious salad variations are also on offer. Here you can enjoy the full taste of Western Styria.
Full of new energy, you continue over the "best location", an idyllic mountain ridge in the middle of the West Styrian Schilcherland. You are in the famous vineyards of Hochgrail and after enjoying the great view over the vineyards - especially in autumn when the vine leaves change colour - you hike down to Niedergrail and the chapel there. To the right, the hike continues along the municipal road towards the west. However, you leave the road on the right after a few hundred metres to climb Hochgrail again, where the Buschenschank Klug vlg. Voltl awaits you. Here you should try a sweet Germmehlspeise or a homemade schnapps. You have really earned it.
After this refreshment, follow the road in a good mood in a westerly direction, past old winegrowers' houses to Greisdorf. The winegrowers' houses with their small windows and beautiful flower decorations are also popular photo motifs. Capture the moment with your camera for home.
The Gasthaus Zum Fuchswirt and the Buschenschank Achatz already invite you to the next break. If your stomach is only now rumbling, you should try a crispy fried chicken and a glass of Welschriesling.
The path then leads a few metres along the main road and finally to the right into an idyllic forest. Here you can cool off perfectly on hot summer days and in the shade the children can romp around a bit in the leaves.
At the crossroads, turn right and head downhill to Langegg on the Schilcherstraße. Arriving at a clearing, a truly heavenly view opens up into the Graz basin and eastern Styria. On some days, when the view is clear, even Riegersburg Castle is visible from here, high up on its volcanic rocks.
After a few metres downhill, you reach Langegg. Several excellent Buschenschänken, such as at the Seiner Winery, Lazarus Buschenschank Winery and Langmann vlg. Lex welcome you here.
You continue walking in a northerly direction, with a view of Graz's local mountain, the "Schöckl". Through a vineyard, which invites you to take a rest in the grass, you reach a small road. There you turn right and arrive at the Friedrich winery.
A little to the east below, next to the municipal road, is the Weber family vineyard. Follow the hiking signs to the Laubengang and then continue downhill through the Langegg vineyard. Here, too, it truly pays to take time to stop and enjoy the magnificent surroundings.
Continue west until you come to a small stream. Cross it and turn right uphill at the fifth vineyard. At the top, follow the path to the left until you reach a dreamy forest.
Downhill, along the cart track you come to a crossroads, turn left. The path leads you back to St. Stefan ob Stainz. A small, asphalted road leads to Lestein, where you turn right at the first junction and you can already see the Langmann guesthouse.
Turn left through vineyards, follow a cart track and at the next crossroads turn right and after 200 metres you will reach the Buschenschank "Oswald vlg. Trapl". From there, walk downhill to the left across a meadow to the "Fuchs" carpentry workshop.
Follow the municipal road briefly to the left and then turn right immediately afterwards. Cross a small bridge and follow the signs to St. Stefan ob Stainz. At the "Hecher" car dealership, turn right and walk to the "Mediterran" inn. Continue along the main road.
After the former Klug Inn, turn right and take a small path to the centre of St. Stefan. Exhausted but happy and with a full stomach, you have reached your destination.
There is plenty to enjoy on this wonderful hike with a length of 13 kilometres. Enjoy a tour lasting four and a half hours through Western Styria and get to know the home of the Schilcher better. Whether in the forest, on the meadow or in the Buschenschank - forget your worries and open your heart to the Schilcherland.