Ice Age - The glacier in the dead end

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The circular route “The Glacier in the Dead End” leads through the area between St. Blase and the Thajagraben.

The high valley of St. Lambrecht represented a dead end for the Mur glacier in the last part of the cold period. The gentle moraine slopes, the witnesses of the melting glacier and the deep cuts of the Thajabach in the landscape characterize the landscape along the circular route.

The landscape of the Zirbitzkogel-Grebenzen Nature Park owes its current appearance to the processes of the Ice Age. The last cold period of the Ice Age ended around 10,500 years ago. The mighty ice masses of that time sustainably shaped the Neumarkt pass landscape and the high valley of St. Lambrecht. The temperature fluctuations also led to drastic changes in fauna, flora and people.

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

Experience

Scenery

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

The tour in numbers

medium

Level of difficulty

10,2 km

Route

4:00 h

Time

450 hm

Uphill

450 hm

Downhill

1096 m

Highest point

868 m

Lowest point

Map & downloads

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More information

By car from Germany
From Munich via the A8 towards Salzburg. From Salzburg on the A10 Tauernautobahn to St. Michael im Lungau. On the B 96 to Tamsweg, then on the B 95 to Predlitz. The B 97 leads via Stadl/Mur to Murau. There at the roundabout towards St. Lambrecht to Murauer train station and further towards St. Lambrecht. You reach St. Lambrecht via Laßnitz near Murau. Continue straight ahead. Shortly before St. Blase the parking lot is on the left side.

Arrival from Eastern Austria/Hungary
At the motorway junction in St. Michael near Leoben, take the S 36 towards Klagenfurt. Past Knittelfeld and Judenburg to Scheifling. In Scheifling continue towards Klagenfurt to Neumarkt, via Unzmarkt and Perchau am Sattel you reach Neumarkt. Turn right there towards Mariahof and St. Lambrecht. In Mariahof, after the railway crossing, turn left towards St. Lambrecht. Shortly after St. Blase the parking lot is on the right.

Arrival from southern Austria/Italy
Via Klagenfurt on the S37 past St. Veit/Glan, Treibach and Friesach. In Friesach continue towards Vienna, via Dürnstein and Wildbad to Neumarkt. After the town center of Neumarkt turn left towards Murau, in Mariahof turn left after the railway crossing towards St. Lambrecht. Shortly after St. Blase the parking lot is on the right.

The path starts at the reading island in St. Blase in the Thajagraben district in a clockwise direction. (Alternatively, the starting point can also be reached from the EISZEIT island in Oberdorf via the Dürnberger Moor.) From the reading book, the path leads uphill through the forest until you turn right onto the gravel road at the end of the forest. You come to the first experience point “Moränental” with a view towards St. Lambrecht on a relatively level path. Past Felberg you climb steadily uphill. It goes downhill, past the Gruber farm, towards Lessach to the “Ice Decay” experience point. Following the traces of the melting Mur glacier you reach the “Thajagraben” downhill. The large meadow and the Thajabach near the adventure station invite you to take a break. Cross the Thajabach, keep to the right and leave the power plant on your right. You now climb further and further out of the Thajagraben until you can finally enjoy the view of the Murtal and the Teufenbacher landslide at the “Murtalblick” station. Through a short stretch of forest you reach the main road towards St. Lambrecht, past the Schaffer farm. After a short stretch you turn left and reach the starting point in St. Blase Thajagraben via the Podoler farmstead or the ICE AGE island via the Dürnberger Moor.

Ideal for active people! Be sure to plan plenty of time to see the many interesting Ice Age experience points along the circular route.

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 at the bridge towards Karkchau - starting point St. Blase Thajagraben.

The ideal time for this tour is from April to October.