Hiking route Zirknitz-Gundersdorf circular trail - Touren-Impression #1 | © Schilcherland Steiermark Hiking route Zirknitz-Gundersdorf circular trail - Touren-Impression #1 | © Schilcherland Steiermark

Zirknitz-Gundersdorf circular trail

Open
This family-friendly circular walk is a varied experience for children, especially because of the fallow deer and the shaggy highland cattle whose enclosures you walk past.
Six and a half kilometres through the beautiful Schilcherheimat region around St. Stefan ob Stainz. This hike is ideal to experience with the whole family. In addition to delicious delicacies, and elegant wines that invite you to enjoy them, children in particular will be delighted to see the shaggy highland cattle that you wouldn't expect to see here in the pastures and the elegant fallow deer, which you absolutely must pay a visit to.

A special treat for beer lovers is a visit to the Köberl family, where you can taste the home-brewed Hausmi beer. A welcome change in an area historically dominated by viticulture.

The farm museum of the hospitable Strohmeier family offers many interesting things. Here you can learn how farm work has changed due to motorisation and has become easier for farmers.

In general, you should make sure you wear good shoes, as the path across meadows and paths can still be damp and slippery even on sunny days.

Characteristics

Skill
Fitness
Experience
Scenery

Best season

January
December

The tour in numbers

easy
Level of difficulty
6,5 km
Route
1:55 h
Time
189 hm
Uphill
232 hm
Downhill
491 m
Highest point
339 m
Lowest point

Map & downloads

More information

Plan your journey via Google Maps to the starting point of the tour: www.google.at/maps

From the north: Motorway Munich - Salzburg - Eben - Schladming - Liezen onto the A9 towards Graz. Exit at Lieboch and follow the B76 towards Deutschlandsberg/Stainz. A9 is subject to toll - Gleinalmtunnel. Alternative: At St. Michael take the S6 towards Bruck and in Bruck take the S35 towards Graz. On the B76 in Schlieb turn right to St. Stefan ob Stainz until the next crossroads, turn left here after approx. 1.5km the car park is on the left.

From the west: In Villach take the A2 towards Klagenfurt. Take the Steinberg exit and drive in the direction of Stainz. In the village of St. Stefan ob Stainz turn left at the Stiegler Haus crossroads and after 50m you will find the car park on the right-hand side.

From the east: A2: Vienna - Aspang - Hartberg - Fürstenfeld - Graz. From Graz continue on the A2 in the direction of Klagenfurt and take the Lieboch exit in the direction of Stainz/Deutschlandsberg/Eibiswald. Follow the B76 to Deutschlandsberg/Stainz. On the B76 in Schlieb turn right to St. Stefan ob Stainz until the next crossroads, here turn left after approx. 1.5km the car park is on the left.

From the south: A 1 from Marburg to Leibnitz. Exit in Leibnitz (Gralla) and continue on the B74 in the direction of Deutschlandsberg, take the second exit at the roundabout in Preding, after approx. 2km turn right onto the L617 in the direction of Stainz. In Stainz, drive through the town centre in the direction of Graz, and at the Spar-Markt crossroads turn left into St. Stefan. In the village of St. Stefan in the 30 km zone on the priority road at the church, cross the intersection and after 50 m you will have reached the car park on the right-hand side.

Right opposite the school centre and the church at the Schilcherland car park in the centre of St. Stefan, they start out on a hike over a distance of six and a half kilometres that has many a treat in store for you.

You start off with great anticipation of a unique day of hiking through the Schilcherheimat via the road in the direction of the primary schools. Along the path with the number S1 and 6 you hike through the shady forest to Puxhof. Here in the forest you can cool off well on hot days and especially in spring, when nature turns green, there is a magical atmosphere in the forest that you should let have a special effect on you.

Continue across beautiful meadows in bloom and blowing in the wind until you reach the intersection with the S3 hiking trail from Pirkhof. Once there, turn left onto the trail numbered S3 and follow the road for a short distance.

Here you have the chance to visit the lovingly designed farm museum of the friendly Strohmeier family. A short climb awaits you, but it is well worth it. The house people will be happy to explain everything they know about the strenuous work of the farmers and how it has changed due to progress.

Afterwards, with lots of new knowledge in your head, head down the road until you turn into the footpath through the meadow numbered S3. Through a beautiful forest path where many adventures await the children. Why not take the time and let the little ones twirl a bit through the leaves.

Through picturesque vineyards, which shine in colourful hues especially in autumn, the route continues easily to Gundersdorf. Here you are spoilt for choice from a culinary point of view. The wine that you have just seen on the vine can also be tasted here in numerous pubs and taverns. The Schilcher, which gives our region its name, tastes particularly good with hearty dishes, which are offered in cold form as a hearty snack in the Buschenschank or warm in the form of a regional game dish in the great inns. Take it easy and let yourself be pampered with a little culinary treat.

Well fortified, hike along the S1 trail to the fire station, where you turn left onto the S2A trail and hike in the direction of Schachen.

Here, beer lovers in particular get their money's worth, as home-brewed Hausmi beer awaits them at the Köberl family's adventure farm. Especially on hot days, welcome refreshment for every beer-drinking hiker.

Then walk along a fence with highland cattle through the idyllic forest path to the junction with path S2. After a short left-right bend, the trail leads along the fallow deer enclosure to the bend, then descends left to the junction of trails S1 and 6 where you continue the hike back to St. Stefan to the starting point.

But before you reach your destination again you should watch both the shaggy highland cattle and the elegant fallow deer grazing for a while. The good-naturedness that emanates from these beautiful animals has an incredibly calming effect. They have a special charisma, especially for children.

Then the circle soon closes and you reach the centre of the beautiful village of St. Stefan again. Why not stay here for a while and have a delicious ice cream at Café Kainz. There is probably enough to talk about after all you have experienced.

Visit to the highland cattle: You wouldn't expect to find highland cattle in the wine region. But on this hike you can pay a visit to the shaggy animals.
You can find timetables and travel information directly at

With the BusBahnBim app of the Verbundlinie, timetable information is easier than ever: all connections by bus, train and tram in Austria can be retrieved by entering places 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.

Schilcherland car park in St. Stefan ob Stainz 
Tourism Association Schilcherland Styria

Hauptplatz 40

A-8530 Deutschlandsberg

Tel +43 3462 7520

office@schilcherland.at

www.schilcherland.at

Gallery

What the weather will be like

St. Stefan ob Stainz (401m)

Morning
sunny
7°C
5%
5 km/h
Noon
slightly cloudy
17°C
0%
15 km/h
Night
slightly cloudy
16°C
0%
10 km/h
Dry and partly sunny throughout the day, with cloudy periods from time to time.
Morning
sunny
11°C
0%
5 km/h
Noon
very sunny
22°C
5%
15 km/h
Night
sunny
18°C
5%
10 km/h
Rather sunny weather during the day with clouds mainly in the morning and towards the evening
30.03.2024
sunny
9°C 24°C
31.03.2024
sunny
9°C 23°C
01.04.2024
cloudy
10°C 21°C

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