Hiking route Mühlental - circular trail, St. Kathrein/O. - Touren-Impression #1 | © TVB Oststeiermark Hiking route Mühlental - circular trail, St. Kathrein/O. - Touren-Impression #1 | © TVB Oststeiermark

Mühlental - circular trail, St. Kathrein/O.

Open
The Mühlental hiking trail leads through the Lambach valley, where there were once 102 mills. Today, only two of them are still intact.
Somewhat away from the alpine pastures, but still in the centre of the Almenland Nature Park, is St. Kathrein am Offenegg. The village is primarily known as a flower village and highly decorated as such. One of the most beautiful hiking trails is the Mühlental circular trail, which, always near water, leads through forests and valleys. So even in the hot summer you can hike in the pleasantly cool shade.

On the way, several destinations invite you to make an excursion. Flower lovers will make a detour to the Sulamit Garden and let Sissy Sichart guide them through the various gardens at 1,000 m above sea level. Or they can take a walk along the "Duftweg", a herb garden right next to Hotel WILDer EDER. High-percentage spirits, but also juices and jams, await visitors at the Fine Distillery Graf. The speciality here is the excellent rowanberry brandy.

Characteristics

Skill
Fitness
Experience
Scenery

Best season

January
February
March
December

The tour in numbers

medium
Level of difficulty
8,7 km
Route
3:00 h
Time
390 hm
Uphill
390 hm
Downhill
1077 m
Highest point
717 m
Lowest point

Map & downloads

More information

  • via the Brandlucken on the Sommeralmstraße in the direction of Weiz to Klamm in der Weiz, the Karl-Wirt is in the turn-off to St. Kathrein am Offenegg.
  • from Weiz and Graz via the B64 to the Weizklamm exit, then drive in the direction of "Sommeralm, Brandlucken, St. Kathrein/O." to Schmied in der Weiz

Go to Google Maps to calculate your journey.

In keeping with the name, there are several old water mills along the trail. Immediately after the start at the Karl-Wirt, on the left hand side, is the Lambachmühle, which originally even had two water wheels, but since there is unfortunately no longer a water right, renovation is proving difficult. The Pichler family's Grabenflorlmühle is to be renovated true to the original in the course of the year and will then certainly be a gem again. The most beautiful mill is the completely renovated Winkelbauermühle, for which guided tours can also be booked at the Karl-Wirt.

One attraction of St. Kathrein am Offenegg are the oversized horseshoe figures by Almart artist Sascha Exenberger. There is a Styrian panther with a height of 3.3 metres or its "counterpart", the dragon, with a length of 4.1 metres. And there is also a deer, a snail and a fire salamander. The sculptures welcome visitors to St.Kathrein and connect the Vogelbeer-Panoramaweg with the Mühlental hiking trail.

  • We start at the Karl-Wirt inn in Schmied in der Weiz and follow the "Mühlentalweg" markings.
  • The meadow path along the Lambach leads uphill to the "Unterer Lambacher" mill and farmstead.
  • Now we go uphill to the stop "Lambachbrücke", there we cross the Kathreinerstraße.
  • The trail continues uphill on a paved path.
  • The subsequent forest path leads directly to the "Oberer Lambacher" farmstead.
  • We walk approx. 80 m uphill on the Eibisbergstraße to a small warehouse and turn left there.
  • Now we soon reach the restored "Grabenflorlmühle".Follow the meadow path uphill, past the rebuilt "Braun- und Stucknermühle" (brown and stucco mill) to the "Winkelbauermühle" (angular farmer's mill), which is somewhat off the beaten track. The Winkelbauermühle can also be visited inside by appointment.
  • We continue uphill along the forest path until we reach the junction at the bridge.At the fork, continue straight on to the Hotel Spreitzhofer (sign: Mühlental-Gschaid) and along the asphalted Zeil road to the former Pieber ski and panorama hut.
  • Cross the car park of the hut and walk along a beautiful meadow path to the Steinhauser Lindenkapelle chapel.
  • We cross the main road and walk across the car park to the left up to the "Duftweg" and through this uphill into the centre of St. Kathrein.
  • The "Duftweg" ends at the Hotel WILDer EDER, the way back begins a few metres further on at the municipal office (right next to the church).
  • From here we always follow the signs in the direction of "Schmied in der Weiz via Waldlehrpfad" '.
  • Above the "Hinterkircher" farmstead, walk a short distance on the road to Unterhollerbach.
  • After a few metres on the asphalt road, we turn left (watch out!) and then go straight down to the right.
  • The forest path joins a forest road in the Hollerbachgraben, which always leads downhill to Schmied in der Weiz.
  • When we reach the road, we keep left, walk past the Rüsthaus and then left up the road to the Karl-Wirt starting point.
All connoisseurs are in "chocolate heaven" with Eveline Wild at Hotel WILDer EDER - with a cup of coffee and handmade chocolates!
Timetables and travel information can be found at the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) or at www.busbahnbim.at.

For local transport we recommend the SAM-SammelTaxi.

There are regular public buses from Weiz to St. Kathrein with the number 205.

All info about the journey

Parking spaces at the Karl-Wirt.
More info about the region, where to stop for a bite to eat, where to find rooms and descriptions of the excursion destinations and businesses:

Tourismusverband Oststeiermark
Almenland Nature Park Office
Fladnitz 100
8163 Fladnitz/Teichalm
Tel: +43 3179 23000
Mail: almenland@oststeiermark.com
www.almenland.atwww.oststeiermark.com 

Gallery

What the weather will be like

St. Kathrein am Offenegg (965m)

Morning
sunny
11°C
0%
0 km/h
Noon
sunny
19°C
0%
10 km/h
Night
sunny
17°C
0%
5 km/h
Dry and partly sunny throughout the day, with cloudy periods from time to time.
Morning
sunny
14°C
0%
0 km/h
Noon
sunny
22°C
0%
10 km/h
Night
sunny
18°C
0%
5 km/h
Dry and partly sunny throughout the day, with cloudy periods from time to time.
30.04.2024
very sunny
9°C 24°C
01.05.2024
very sunny
8°C 22°C
02.05.2024
slightly cloudy
9°C 19°C
GenussCard Steiermark | © Thermen- und Vulkanland Steiermark, Harald Eisenberger

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