Schöckl Mountain
St. Radegund bei Graz
The legendary Schöckl is Graz's local mountain and offers a wide range of leisure fun from summer toboggan run, barrier-free hiking trail, motor skills path, trail area to leisurely gondola rides, everything for young and old.
“The mountains are calling, and I must go”. At 1445 metres not exactly the highest, but the Schöckl, local mountain of Graz, is an extremely popular destination. Featuring everything from steep slopes to an extended plateau, it holds an almost supernatural fascination for visitors. Many hike around it several times per week, ascend on their mountain bikes or treat themselves to the comfortable cable car from St. Radegund, all with a view to rising above workaday concerns for a real highlight.
In terms of its geology, the Schöckl is a limestone mountain with a core of crystalline rock. At the interface of permeable and impermeable rock, springs come to the surface. Thanks to radioactive springs and healthy air, the village of St. Radegund on the southern foot of Schöckl became an internationally renowned spa in the 19th century. If you don't want to walk all the way up the mountain, you can take the modern six-passenger cablecar and "fly" up to the plateau within seven minutes. From the top of Schöckl, you can enjoy a panoramic view: let your gaze wander from the Triglav mountain at the border between Slovenia and Italy and Slemen near Zagreb, over the plains of Pannonia to the mountain tops of Wechsel, Rax and Hochschwab in the north and Stubalpe, Gleinalpe and Koralpe in the west.
A pleasant walk, a stop at one of the traditional restaurants or a ride on the "Hexenexpress" down the winding summer toboggan run guarantee that everybody, from grandparent to grandchild, will enjoy the Schöckl experience. To certain groups of people, the Schöckl is legendary. Mountain bikers consider the permanent downhill trail to be one of the most demanding trails in Austria. Paragliders and hang gliders are able to take advantage of the excellent thermic conditions. And the four-wheel-drive experts from Magna Steyr are fascinated by the steep and rocky test track which can be conquered only by the best offroaders (and drivers).
The prominent 100m-high steel construction on top of Schöckl has been broadcasting radio and TV programmes to southern Styria and Burgenland since 1956. Even in several regions in Slovenia and Hungary, the programmes can be received in high quality.
By the way
There are numerous legends about the Schöckl, many of them about witches who live on the mountain and conjure up hail, threatening eastern Styria in summer. In former days, when bad weather was coming, the farmers threw scythes, sickles and pitchforks out of their barns, in order to chase away the witches and thus the bad weather. Today they rely on hail netting for the protection of their apple orchards.
Even though the Schöckl, at 1,445 metres, is not one of the highest mountains in Styria, it offers a unique panoramic view.
Schöckl - nature experience, action, enjoyment, adventure, leisure fun, sports and fitness.
- a lot of hiking trails (altogether about 40 km) lead up to and around the Schöckl.
- less sporty people prefer to enjoy the Schöckl cable car from St. Radegund.
- Take a leisurely walk and enjoy the wonderful view and a stop at one of the rustic inns or huts.
- A ride on the "Hexenexpress", the winding summer toboggan run, is a thrilling experience, especially for children.
- Schöckl is known as an Eldorado for mountain bikers and downhillers. As a permanent downhill course, the Schöckl Trail Area is one of the most demanding in Austria and is a popular terrain for training and international competitions.
- You can experience the joy of movement in the "Balance" motor parkour, on the new nature play trail or at the foot of the Schöckl in the climbing park with high ropes course.
- Paragliders and hang-gliders appreciate the excellent thermals and like to take to the skies from Schöckl.
- Guests of the Magna Steyr company, on the other hand, are fascinated by the rocky steep test track for all-wheel drive vehicles, which only the best off-roaders (and drivers) can master.
Worth knowing:
From a geological point of view, the Schöckl is a limestone stock standing on crystalline bedrock. Springs come to light at the interface of the rock layers.
Thanks to radioactive springs and healing air, the village of St. Radegund at the southern foot of the Schöckl developed into an internationally renowned health resort in the 19th century. Today, St. Radegund offers state-of-the-art health facilities such as the St. Radegund Special Hospital, which is one of the pioneers of cardiological rehabilitation.
The special gentle climate, aristocratic flair and soothing water can be experienced on the relaxing and romantic spring paths.
The panoramic view from Schöckl stretches from Triglav on the Slovenian-Italian border and Slemen near Zagreb across the depths of Pannonia, to Wechsel, Rax and Hochschwab in the north and Stubalpe, Gleinalpe and Koralpe in the west. The distinctive 100 m high steel tower on the Schöckl has been broadcasting radio and television programmes to all of southern Styria and southern Burgenland since 1956. They can also be received in top quality in large parts of Slovenia and Hungary.
There are numerous legends about the Schöckl, especially about the weather witches who supposedly live here and brew the hail that threatens eastern Styria in summer. In the past, farmers threw scythes, sickles and pitchforks out of their barns when a storm was coming to ward off the witches and thus the bad weather. Today they protect their apple orchards and vineyards with hail nets.
Public transport to the Schöckl:
- On weekends, the RegioBus line 250 runs via St. Radegund to the Schöcklkreuz.
- The Schöckl cable car, a modern six-seater gondola lift, takes visitors from St. Radegund up to the high plateau in just seven minutes.