Pöllau - Safenberg
The castle park in Pöllau is our starting point. At the northern part of our former Augustinian monastery, we turn towards the Aupark via the old fire station (Power Styling Studio, hairdresser) with the "Gerstnerkreuz" wayside shrine on the white-red-white markings. At the end of the Aupark, we keep right, cross the Pöllauer Safenbach after the adventure pool and reach the main road with an information board about the nature park.
Safenberg - Sauberg
About 50 m after the information board, we cross the L 406 and follow the white-red-white markings through a very pretty housing estate, along the Roseggerweg to a crossroads near the Fandler oil mill, which we cross in a northerly direction and after a beautiful crossroads at the Weiglhofer house on the left, we come to a small bridge.
Sauberg - Leherkogel - high trail
We cross this and walk north along the Prätisbach stream until we reach the Prätisbach flood retention facility after a few minutes. We cross the retention dam, where there is a rest area, and follow the retention basin in a northerly direction, crossing the Prätisbach over a large footbridge through a short section of forest until we reach the turn-off to the Masenberg or Schloffereck (folklore museum) via a field path just before the Kohl sawmill. Turn right onto the Masenberg (trail no. 5) and continue straight on to the Schloffereck/Museum (trail no. 11). We choose the white-red-white markings no. 5 towards Masenberg, hike relatively steeply uphill, first on a field path, then through the forest to a farm. From there, walk along the asphalt road for approx. 200 m, then turn left onto the forest path, again relatively steeply uphill. We stay on the forest path until we reach the estate Zeil no. 38, vulgo Hiasl in der Stauden. Past the farm, slightly uphill, we cross a meadow and come to an old farmhouse, where we have to pass between the Leit`n (sloping meadow) and the house. We follow the white-red-white markings and pass houses that have been lovingly converted into little gems. We continue on the Schanerweg", straight ahead over the crossroads past a beautiful farmhouse following the asphalt and we come to the fork in the road with the signs for Pöllau/Höhenweg Pöllau.
High trail - Hotel Muhr
We continue along the asphalt road and after about 500 m we reach the Hotel Muhr.
Hotel Muhr - turn-off for the Folklore Museum
After a short rest at the Hotel Muhr, our hike continues along the white-yellow-white trail no. 4 in the direction of the Folklore Museum and Pöllau. Before the next estate, approx. 200 m to the south, we keep right, cross the farm and then immediately left until we reach the forest after a field path framed by individual trees. After a few minutes in the forest, we walk along the forest/meadow border, see the Prätis estate no. 23 below us, Kohl vulgo Stefan im Stoa, which we walk past and reach the crossroads at "Franzl in der Strass". We walk up the road to the right, past the "Franzl in der Strass" estate and turn left after approx. 100 m at a signpost for house entrances. From here, we follow the markings on the asphalt road until we reach a property on the left via a field path through a small ditch. Following the field path, we descend to the stream and reach Prätis on the other side. At the crossroads in front of the soccer pitch, we keep left and after approx. 300 m we reach the Krogger Folklore Museum in Prätis, which is well worth a visit. It's worth paying a short visit to this museum - admission is free, but a small donation towards its upkeep wouldn't go amiss! (Tel.: 03335/3567) After this very informative stopover, head onto the Prätis settlement trail at the back of the museum, follow this northwards to the last house and walk along the signpost across a meadow and through the forest to the "Abzw. Volkskundemuseum" landmark in the Prätisgraben. On the left bank of the stream there is an old smelting furnace next to the "Bachschmied" estate, Köppelreith No. 6.
Turn off at the folklore museum - Prätisgraben - former GH Hörting
We branch off to the right, following the white-blue-white and white-yellow-white markings in a north-westerly direction, then cross the Prätisbach stream over a small footbridge. The trail climbs steeply and we follow these markings northwards to the "Bachler" farm, Köppelreith No. 7. Behind the "Bachler" estate, situated on a hill, we branch off to the left, follow the white-yellow-white markings no. 4 into a deep ditch and cross a small stream. Our hike leads us uphill through a forest, then across open terrain to the Köppelreith estate no. 20 "Hansl in der Grub". We follow the road, cross the L 406 (Schloffereckstraße) and continue through a forest on the other side of the road. Via a forest path, we reach the Sternbauerkogel with the abandoned barbecue facility, follow the markings in the adjoining forest area and finally end up at the "Sternbauer" farm after a steep section of forest. From here, we follow the road past timber yards to the junction with the L 448, the Gschaiderstraße, keep left at the Bauernhofer Chapel at the Bauernhofer sawmill and after approx. 300 m we reach the former GH Hörting.
GH Hörting - Toni auf der Wiesn - Hotel Restaurant Gruber
After the former Hörting inn, we turn right off the main road and follow the white-yellow-white markings slightly downhill to the property Obersaifen No. 83, Toni auf der Wiesen, where you can visit an old intact mill on request. From there, head south to Pöllau following the yellow-blue markings no. 3 and 2 via a meadow and field path alongside fruit trees through the Kratzer family estate, past a water feature with water wheels and a wayside cross to the asphalt road to the Hotel Restaurant Gruber, where there is a natural bathing pond with a biotope fed by the waters of the Safen.
Hotel Restaurant Gruber - Hinterbrühl - Pöllau
We follow the yellow-blue markings through the local recreation paradise Hinterbrühl with the NaturKraftPark, the outdoor barbecue area, a fitness trail with various equipment, a running track, a children's playground, romantic walking paths with wonderful rest and relaxation areas and the bee show trail. The area of the Hinterbrühl recreational paradise is a guarantee for physical and mental relaxation! Along the Brühlbach stream, we reach the Almbauer bakery/mill, descend the steps and walk along Ortenhofenstraße towards the center of Pöllau or the parking lot in the castle park.