"Shift path" to the Raven Forest

Name: 'Shift path' to the Raven Forest
Brand: Steiermark
Rating: 5 (5 reviews)

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This challenging trail leads to the Rabenwald and to the long mining history of the whole region. At Rabenwald lies one of the largest talc deposits in Europe

In the footsteps of the former "shift workers" who in those days went on foot to the Rabenwald to work in the mine. Talc is the softest mineral in the world and has always been used in furnace construction. It was brought from Rabenwald on the Roman salt roads to Venice as early as the 9th century.

In 1809, farmers began to mine talc on their land at "talc outcrops" (the places where the talc came to the surface), and from 1900 onwards, mining began in tunnels in order to recover this "treasure", the "white gold", the "feather white", as the talc is called by the local population.

Hardly imaginable today, at that time the talc was only mined "underground" and thus countless tunnels were created by the hard work of the miners.

Shift work at Rabenwald was from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., so the "shift workers" had to leave very early on foot from the valley to the mountain to work.

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

Experience

Scenery

Best season

January

February

March

April

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July

August

September

October

November

December

The tour in numbers

challenging

Level of difficulty

11,8 km

Route

4:30 h

Time

563 hm

Uphill

563 hm

Downhill

993 m

Highest point

467 m

Lowest point

Map & downloads

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More information

Arrival

This described and marked "Schichtweg" starts from Anger, but of course from many sides (from Feistritz bei Anger- Baierdorf and Floing) the workers came to the Rabenwald, where today only the mineral is extracted in surface mining and brought to the mill in Oberfeistritz via the material cableway. The "Schichtweg" runs at the beginning along the "Erlebnisweg Honigbiene" with the starting point at the swimming pool in Anger. The first hiking destination is the "Mill in the Fairytale Forest". A functioning water mill as well as a small Kneipp facility in the "Fresenbach" invite you to linger.Continue along the "Erlebnisweg Honigbiene" (honey bee adventure trail) past a fish pond to a road, keep left and after about 50 m change to the other side and from now on follow the "Schichtweg" markings. After about 10 minutes of walking you will come to the "Schott-Hansl- Kreuz". The cross, which dates back to 1722, was completely renovated last year and offers a magnificent view of "Keppeldorf and Schulhausviertel" in the community of Baierdorf near Anger.Following the markings "Schichtweg" you will come to the material cableway- which still today delivers the talc (Federweiß) from Rabenwald to Feistritz bei Anger. A short rest would certainly be appropriate now and in the trout inn Holzerbauer you can strengthen yourself for the last stage. To do this, you only have to follow the "Genussrundweg" markings for a short while.The cable car now becomes a constant companion until you finally reach your destination at the Rabenwald mine.Unfortunately, for safety reasons, it is not allowed to enter the mine. The hike then goes right back to the starting point in Anger (at the swimming pool), the same way the "Schichtler" went home.But to learn more about the talc mining at Rabenwald, there is a mining and mineral museum at the main square in Anger. Mr. Schmölzer has lovingly and expertly created a museum there that offers visitors a vivid insight into the history of mining.

Museum of Mining and Minerals in Anger

Timetables and travel information can be found directly at:

Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB)

Postbus

Anger swimming pool

Adventure Region Eastern Styria

Office ApfelLand-Stubenbergsee

8223 Stubenberg at the lake 5

Tel.:+43 3176 8882

www.oststeiermark.com