In the footsteps of Peter Rosegger - The Christmettenweg, St. Kathrein am Hauenstein

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 7,7 km

Time 2:50 h

Uphill 485 hm

Downhill 125 hm

Highest point 1173 m

This route takes you to the birthplace via short stretches of road and forest paths through forests. In between, the path also leads through meadows that bloom beautifully, especially in spring. The Christmettenweg in the Waldheimat is a popular family hiking destination, especially at Christmas time. In winter, it clearly shows the efforts the people of Alpler made to attend the church service back then.

In his story "On Christmas Night" from the famous book "When I was still the forest farmer's boy", Peter Rosegger describes his first walk to Christmas mass from the Kluppeneggerhof down to St. Kathrein am Hauenstein. The path that the Rosegger family took every Christmas Eve, often in storms and blowing snow, is still taken today on a guided torchlight hike in memory of the Waldheimat's great son.

Best season

January

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More information

The B72 takes you directly to St. Kathrein am Hauenstein from both the Mürz (S6 Semmering Expressway) and Feistritztal Further information: village square, St. Kathrein am Hauenstein
St. Karthrein am Hauenstein, church (free)

However, we do not walk the path from the birthplace to St. Kathrein as little Peter and his family did every year on Christmas night, but hike uphill from the idyllic village of St. Kathrein am Hauenstein to the birthplace
The trail starts - how could it be otherwise - at the church of St. Kathrein am Hauenstein, Peter Rosegger's favorite church, beautifully situated just above the village
The trail leads along the Hirschbach stream via the Hochegger farmstead to the Lendkreuz, where we meet the Rosegger Trail, which leads from the Schanzsattel through the entire Waldheimat via the birthplace and the forest school on the Alpl up to the Stuhleck summit
We continue, from now on always uphill, towards the birthplace past the farm where Peter Rosegger was apprenticed to Ignaz Orthofer as a tailor
As quickly as his apprenticeship years passed, so quickly do we reach the place around which the whole Waldheimat "revolves", his birthplace, which is also our destination. We now take our time and immerse ourselves in the history of the local poet, nature lover, alert zeitgeist and promoter of tradition as well as fighter for the rights and preservation of rural life
Peter Rosegger spent his first 17 years here at the "Vorderer Kluppeneggerhof"
Alternatively, we can take the same route back to St. Kathrein am Hauenstein via the Oberer Schlagbauer: on this path, we take a section of the same path back to branch off to the right a few hundred meters after the Lendkreuz onto path 737
This path takes us to the aforementioned Oberer Schlagbauer farm
Shortly after this farm we leave path 737 and turn left towards Unterer Schlagbauer, via which we return to our starting point (walking time 3 hours)

European emergency call: 112
Emergency call mountain rescue: 140 (if possible please provide GPS data)
Rescue: 144
Fire brigade: 122
Police: 133

A few tips on correct and fair behaviour in the forest: (Source: www.bundesforste.at )

Hikers should avoid visits to the forest about 1.5 hours before sunrise and after sunset, as wild animals are particularly active during this time.

Plastic bottles, handkerchiefs, cigarette butts etc. have no place in the forest! Please make sure that you do not leave any rubbish in the forest.

Camping and lighting fires are strictly forbidden in the forest!

In principle, every person is allowed to pick 2 kg of mushrooms and berries per day for personal use. It is only prohibited if the forest owner expressly forbids it.

Small backpack with water bottle (+ provisions)

Sturdy shoes

Appropriate clothing - if possible several layers - "onion principle".
Rain and sun protectionWalking sticks as required
Mobile phone
Small first aid kit
Route description
Before starting the hike, check the possibilities for refreshments, including opening times, or pack appropriate food and drink.

On Christmas Eve, a bus transfer is organized from St. Kathrein am Hauenstein to Alpl, from where the Christmettenweg can be walked. For more information, call +43 (0) 3336 / 20255!

Rosegger Card: with one card you can visit all of the memorial sites of the great local poet! Further information can be found at www.steiermark.com/rosegger

Timetables and travel information can be found at Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB) or at Verkehrsauskunft Verbundlinie. For local transportation we recommend the SAM-Sammeltaxi Oststeiermark.

You can find information about the region, places to stop and stay overnight, excursion destinations, etc. here:

Eastern Styria Tourism Association
Joglland-Waldheimat office
8255 St. Jakob im Walde
Tel.: 03336/20255
info@joglland.at
Joglland-Waldheimat
Eastern Styria

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Mobility Eastern Styria with shared taxi SAM

Wander-, Ski- und Radtourenkarte und -führer (Kompass Verlag) 1:50.000 TV Joglland-Waldheimat Tel. +43 (0)3336 / 20255 www.joglland-waldheimat.at

Magazin "Peter Rosegger - Auf den Spuren des Waldbauernbuben" Steiermark Tourismus Tel. +43 (0)316 / 4003-0 www.steiermark.com Eine große Auswahl an Literaturtipps finden Sie auf www.steiermark.com/rosegger