Winter hike at Gleinberg

Accessible by public transport

Public bus (within 15 minutes walking distance from starting point)

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 7,6 km

Time 2:30 h

Uphill 260 hm

Downhill 260 hm

Highest point 897 m

Winter hike to the Calvary Chapel and the Gleinberg

This winter hike starts in St. Margarethen, a municipality with around 2800 inhabitants, and takes us to the Calvary Chapel, which was built in 1856 and is around 20 minutes from the starting point. The route continues along the Gleinberg, a long, mostly wooded ridge that stretches to the east and rises to an altitude of almost 900 meters. The exposed location of the Calvary Chapel promises a beautiful view of St. Margarethen and the surrounding area, even if the forest around the chapel is quite dense. A lovingly decorated nativity scene and two Christmas trees adorned with straw stars can be seen in the chapel at Christmas time. The hike mostly leads along forest roads, although caution is advised on the few steep sections - especially when there is snow. For a short winter hike, we recommend only walking up to the Calvary Chapel and back down along the Way of the Cross.

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

From Vienna (approx. 2.5 hours):

Take the A2 towards Graz.
At 161-St. Michael junction, switch to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Knittelfeld-Ost.
Follow the signs to St. Margarethen bei Knittelfeld (approx. 5 km).

From Graz (approx. 1 hour):

Take the A9 towards Linz/Salzburg.
At 161-St. Michael junction, change to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Knittelfeld-Ost.
Follow the signs to St. Margarethen bei Knittelfeld.

From Salzburg (approx. 3 hours):

Take the A10 towards Villach.
At exit 63-Altenmarkt, change to the B320 towards Radstadt/Schladming.
Continue via Schladming to Liezen.
Join the A9 towards Graz.
At 161-St. Michael junction, switch to the S36 towards Judenburg/Knittelfeld.
Exit at Knittelfeld-Ost.
Follow the signs to St. Margarethen bei Knittelfeld.

Parking just before the Glein junction

From St. Margarethen (1), 623 m, at the crossroads in the direction of Rachau / Glein, we see the yellow signpost in the direction of Glein (path no. 524) just a few meters away. We turn left and walk directly past the house and stable. We keep left and walk uphill, past a memorial column and continue following the red-white-red markings until we come to a wide forest road and now take a detour to the right to the Calvary Chapel (2), 702 m. We take some time at the chapel to enjoy the view and look at the lovingly designed nativity scene. After the break, we follow the wide forest road slightly uphill, where the red-white-red markings are clearly visible. We stay on the main path for the next 2.3 km until we reach the highest point of the hike at just under 900 m above sea level. Now it's another 500 m downhill until we reach the turn-off (3), 876 m, "Vorderglein / Gobernitz / Knittelfeld". The junction can be recognized by yellow and grey signposts. This is followed by an unmarked, somewhat overgrown section of the trail, so we continue downhill along a road or path until we reach a clearly recognizable forest road, on which we now continue to the right. Now it's a leisurely walk - always slightly downhill - with beautiful views in between back to St. Margarethen. Before we reach the Calvary Chapel again, there is a bench (4) with a wonderful view where we can enjoy the afternoon sun. At the Calvary Chapel we turn left and follow the road along the Stations of the Cross back to the starting point.

Equipment for Winter Hiking

Sturdy, waterproof hiking boots with good grip
Backpack with rain cover
Layering system: functional underwear, mid-layer, weatherproof winter jacket
Warm hiking pants, gaiters if needed
Gloves (plus a spare pair), hat/headband, scarf/buff
Sunglasses and sun protection
Hiking poles (with winter baskets)
Water bottle or thermos, snacks
First aid kit, emergency blanket, personal medication
Headlamp, mobile phone with emergency numbers, hiking map or GPS

Additional safety gear in alpine terrain:
For snowshoe or ski tours in unsecured alpine areas, an avalanche transceiver, probe, and shovel are essential. They are crucial for enabling quick rescue in case of an emergency.

Even a basic winter hike needs proper preparation:

Mountain weather for Styria (including Murtal): wetter.ORF – Bergwetter Steiermark
Emergency numbers: Mountain Rescue 140 | EU Emergency Number 112

Delicacies such as doughnuts, coffee or tea sweeten this winter hike!

This tour can be reached by public transport.

Timetable information: Verbundlinie Styria
Tip: Always check the latest bus and train schedules before departure.

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