Hammerleck via Sillweger Warte from Rattenberg

From Gasthof Hotel Perschler (1), 702 m, in Rattenberg, we walk about 300 meters towards the village center, then turn left and follow the gravel road, which leads as an avenue across meadows and farmland. Once in Sillweg (2), 736 m, we turn right and walk slightly uphill through the village center until we see the turn-off on the left with the sign "Zur Sillweger Aussichtswarte". Now we leave the asphalt road and follow the moderately ascending forest road until we reach the start of the hiking trail after approx. 20 minutes. Now turn right onto a narrow path that leads directly to the Sillweger Aussichtswarte (3), 959 m. After a panoramic break, we follow the path uphill, cross a forest road, go over a few steps and stay on the well-marked path uphill until we come to a wide forest path on the left, which now continues almost flat, past a memorial cross. When the forest thins out, we come to a larger turning point and here the hiking trail branches off to the right. From here, the trail continues uphill along a hollow path to a forest road junction and the detour to Sillweger Berg. Here we keep slightly to the right uphill and follow the wide forest road for approx. 500 m until we reach the junction on the left (4),1310 m, and now continue along a path again. After passing through a fence, continue left on a forest road and soon you will reach the open alpine pastures and the Hammerleck (Hölzelkogel) (5), 1451 m, on the summit in front of you. The way back is via the ascent route, whereby you can shorten the detour to the Sillweger lookout point and come directly via the forest road to the path we already know.

For a conflict-free coexistence on alpine pastures and meadows it is important to observe a few rules, especially when traveling with dogs. (Source: www.sichere-almen.at - 06/2021)

• Avoid contact with grazing animals, do not feed them, keep a safe distance!
• Keep calm, do not frighten grazing animals!
• Mother cows protect their calves. Avoid encounters between mother cows and dogs!
• Always keep dogs under control and on a short leash. If an attack by a grazing animal is foreseeable: Immediately unleash!
• Do not leave hiking trails on alpine pastures and meadows!
• If grazing animals block the way, avoid them as far as possible!
• When grazing animals approach: Stay calm, do not turn your back, avoid the animals!
• Leave the grazing area quickly at the first sign of restlessness of the animals!Fences must be respected!
• If there is a gate, use it, then close it well and cross the pasture quickly!
• Treat the people working here, nature and the animals with respect!

A few tips for correct and fair behavior in the forest: (Source: www.bundesforste.at - 6/2021)

• Hikers should avoid visits to the forest about 1.5 hours before sunrise and after sunset, as wildlife is especially active during this time.
• Plastic bottles, handkerchiefs, cigarette butts & Co have no place in the forest! Please make sure that you do not leave any trash in the forest.
• Camping and making fire - is strictly forbidden in the forest!
• In principle, each person is allowed to collect 2 kg of mushrooms and berries per day for personal use in the forest. It is only forbidden if the forest owner expressly forbids it.

Alpine emergency call:

Mountain rescue emergency number: 140

EU emergency number: 112

Weather service: www.zamg.ac.at 

Direct link mountain weather Styria: https://www.zamg.ac.at/cms/de/wetter/produkte-und-services/bergwetter/steiermark 

•  Backpack with rain cover
• Telescopic / hiking poles
• Mountain / hiking boots
• Gloves: waterproof and warming
• Headgear / sunglasses
• Outerwear: Onion layer system, T-shirt, sweater, jacket and winter jacket with hood
• Hiking pants
• Seat pad
• Drinking bottle / thermos flask (on cooler days a warming drink is pleasant)
• Snack
• First aid kit with blister plaster and tick tongs

Other important equipment

• Route descriptionDetailed
• plan of the hike
• Hiking map: For overview a map in scale 1 : 50 000 of the respective region
• GPS device
• cell phone

This tour can be done as a circular hike from the Hammerleck via the Zwiefelsberg and the Rattenberger Graben.

Rattenberg is easy to reach by bus. The nearest train stations are Judenburg, Zeltweg and Knittelfeld.

General information about public transportation in the region: www.verbundlinie.at 

Murtal Taxi, Tel.: +43 660 1018101, 8740 Zeltweg, www.murtal-taxi.at 

Hotel Restaurant Perschler, Tel.: +43 3573 34204, 8753 Rattenberg, Landstraße 14, www.gasthof-perschler.at 

Region Murtal: www.murtal.at  

Freytag & Berndt (2017): Seetaler Alpen, Seckauer Alpen, Judenburg, Knittelfeld. WK 212 Wander-, Rad-, Freizeitkarte; 1 : 50 000 C. und M. Hlatky, (2017): Murtal – Rund um Spielberg – Seetaler Alpen und Seckauer Alpen. Kral Verlag, S. 160