Bike Riding Feistritztal cycle path R8, southern section - Touren-Impression #1 | © Oststeiermark Tourismus Bike Riding Feistritztal cycle path R8, southern section - Touren-Impression #1 | © Oststeiermark Tourismus

Feistritztal cycle path R8, southern section

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The Feistritztal cycle path R8 takes you through the ApfelLand-Stubenbergsee, not for nothing is Eastern Styria also called the garden of Austria.  An equally eventful and romantic cycle path. Adventure awaits in the Feistritzklamm gorge. Thundering water, mighty rock faces and bold fords.

Characteristics

Skill
Fitness
Experience
Scenery

Best season

January
February
November
December

The tour in numbers

medium
Level of difficulty
62,2 km
Route
4:50 h
Time
67 hm
Uphill
345 hm
Downhill
524 m
Highest point
245 m
Lowest point

Map & downloads

More information

By car
Coming from Vienna:
Via the Südautobahn (A2) to the Hartberg exit - via Bundesstraße (B54) in the direction of Graz - 2 km after Kaindorf in the direction of Graz turn off in the direction of ApfelLand-Stubenbergsee.

Coming from Salzburg/Germany:
Freeway via Salzburg - Pyhrnautobahn (A9) to Graz - continue via Südautobahn in the direction of Vienna (A2) to the Gleisdorf West exit - Bundesstraße (B54) to Kaibing - ApfelLand-Stubenbergsee.

If you feel like it before the bike tour, you can visit the summer toboggan run, which is only 5 minutes away from the starting point Koglhof- Bäckerei-Cafe Imbiss B72.We start in Koglhof- Bäckerei-Cafe Imbiss B72 on the R8- Feistritztalradweg- southern section.We continue along the traffic-free cycle path to Anger and TöchterlehofCycle under a viaduct along the Feistritz and after approx. 7 km you come to the Feistritzklamm gorge - certainly one of the most beautiful sections of the cycle path.We cross the Feistritz over two fords before arriving at the Feistritzwerke power station. A drinking fountain invites you to take a break and the power station can be visited free of charge.We then continue towards Stubenbergsee - the leisure paradise in ApfelLand. Outside the lake area, we ride to the Herberstein animal world.A short downhill section takes us to St. Johann bei Herberstein, where the famous Gasthof Prettenhofer awaits with a cyclist's menu, but a detour to the vineyards of Siegersdorf would also be worthwhile.

Strengthened, we cycle on - those who wish can turn left after approx. 1 km and make a detour to Maria Fieberbründl, this small, tranquil place of pilgrimage invites us to take a short break. Behind the beautiful pilgrimage church lies the "Gradieranlage", a tranquil wooden building in the huge "Hofwald" forest area, where salt water trickles over fir brushwood and blackthorn bushes. The whole thing produces the finest "aerosols" (like on the seashore), which are good for the alveoli.Now that our lungs have refueled, we take the same route back to the turn-off point and continue along the R8 to Kaibing- Blaindorf- Kroisbach- Großwilfersdorf- Altenmarkt bei Fürstenfeld- Rudersdorf. A tranquil landscape accompanies us along the entire cycle route.

As the gorge is a flood zone and a nature reserve, the cycle path could only be built under strict conditions with as little impact on nature as possible. The same care that was taken during construction must also be taken when cycling, as the fords (crossings just above the water) have no railings (would lead to blockages in the event of flooding) and are secured by massive stone embankments:

Use at your own risk

The fords may not be entered or used during high water.

The fords must be crossed by bike at walking pace or by pushing the bike

No liability is accepted

Timetables and travel information can be found at Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB) or at Verkehrsauskunft Verbundlinie.

For local transportation we recommend the SAM-Sammeltaxi Oststeiermark.

Start: Koglhof- Bäckerei-Cafe Imbiss B72

or

Start in Rudersdorf: Parking lots in the village

Gallery

What the weather will be like

Puch bei Weiz (432m)

Morning
sunny
5°C
5%
5 km/h
Noon
slightly cloudy
17°C
0%
20 km/h
Night
slightly cloudy
15°C
0%
15 km/h
Dry and partly sunny throughout the day, with cloudy periods from time to time.
Morning
sunny
10°C
0%
5 km/h
Noon
very sunny
22°C
0%
15 km/h
Night
very sunny
18°C
5%
10 km/h
Some clouds in the morning, lateron much sunshine and hardly any clouds
31.03.2024
sunny
9°C 22°C
01.04.2024
cloudy
8°C 22°C
02.04.2024
sunny
6°C 17°C
GenussCard Steiermark | © Thermen- und Vulkanland Steiermark, Harald Eisenberger

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