Stage 5 Via Natura: Weather & climate

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 16,3 km

Time 5:50 h

Uphill 941 hm

Downhill 188 hm

Highest point 1591 m

The 5th stage of the Via Natura leads from Neumarkt to Mühlen and the Tonnerhütte alpine village. In the Zirbitzkogel-Grebenzen Nature Park, the weather displays its most diverse side – from sunny alpine spring days to clear autumn days. The mild climate and fresh mountain air make every season an ideal hiking companion.

From the Nature Reading Park in Neumarkt, the trail leads past the leisure center to the Martini Cross and on through St. Georgen near Neumarkt, via Singeregg, to See. The route continues along the idyllic Grabenstraße to Mühlen – here, hikers decide whether they want to climb the Zirbitzkogel. Along the way, you'll experience the changing influences of weather and climate firsthand: from sunny, sheltered valleys to the cooler higher elevations, where fresh mountain air and ever-changing cloud formations define the natural experience. The trail leads over the Jakobsberg up to the Tonnerhütte alpine village – the ideal starting point for the summit ascent the following day. This stage offers a diverse landscape – from gentle valleys and enchanting forests to the majestic heights of the Zirbitzkogel – where the interplay of climate, weather, and nature brings the hike to life.

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

More information

By car from Germany
From Munich, take the A8 towards Salzburg. From Salzburg, take the A10 Tauern Autobahn to St. Michael im Lungau. Take the B 96 to Tamsweg, then continue on the B 95 to Predlitz. The B 97 leads via Stadl/Mur to Murau. At the roundabout, head towards St. Lambrecht to Murau train station and continue via Laßnitz bei Murau to St. Lambrecht. From there, continue to Mariahof. In Mariahof, turn right and cross the railroad crossing. Continue to Neumarkt in der Steiermark.

Arriving from eastern Austria/Hungary
At the motorway junction in St. Michael near Leoben, take the S 36 towards Klagenfurt. Pass Knittelfeld and Judenburg to Scheifling. In Scheifling, continue towards Klagenfurt. Via Unzmarkt and Perchau am Sattel to Neumarkt in der Steiermark.

Arriving from southern Austria/Italy
Via Klagenfurt on the S 37, pass St. Veit/Glan, Treibach, and Friesach. In Friesach, continue towards Vienna, via Dürnstein and Wildbad Einöd to Neumarkt in der Steiermark.

From the Neumarkt Nature Reading and Generations Park, the paved path leads past the Neumarkt Leisure Center to the Martini Cross. Here the paved road ends. In St. Georgen near Neumarkt, the trail continues steadily uphill towards Singeregg and then on to See, passing traditionally managed farms. The Grabenstraße leads from See to Mühlen, where at the entrance to the village, you can ascend via Jakobsberg to the Tonnerhütte alpine village. Alternatively, you can follow the road towards Mühlen and complete the long-distance hiking trail without including the Zirbitzkogel. For those who want to include the Zirbitzkogel, the path leads through the forest to Jakobsberg and continues up to the Tonnerhütte. From there, you start your ascent of the Zirbitzkogel the following day.

With the BusBahnBim app from the interconnected line, timetable information is easier than ever before: all bus, train and tram connections in Austria can be queried by entering locations and/or addresses, stops or important points. The app is available as a free app for smartphones (Android, iOS) - on Google Play and in the App Store.

ÖBB www.oebb.at | Styria connection line www.busbahnbim.at

Public parking spaces are available at the Gasthof Kirchmoar.

Accomodation directly at the end of stage: