Before we start we should ask the senior chef of the house, Reinhard Ferner, for tips along the route, because he surely has the right tip for each of us. Possibly there is no one who knows the hiking area around the Zirbitzkogel and the wishes of the guests like he does. Right from the start, it's uphill on our stage of the hiking route "From Glacier to Wine" with a stopover at the Zirbitzkogel with its shelter only about 20 meters in altitude below the summit cross. Through a section of forest and across meadows, as well as a short stretch on a forest road, we soon reach the Herterhöhe, a beautiful vantage point on the Murtal mountains. The viewing platform also invites you to take a first rest, which should not take too long, because the summit of the Zirbitzkogel is still waiting for us.
We keep straight on and hike here above the tree line to the ridge, where we reach the 2,396 m high Zirbitzkogel with its shelter (Tel. +43 664 9140283) after a few meters on the left. Its name is not derived from the stone pines, as is often assumed, but from the Slovenian zirbiza, which can be translated as red alpine pasture and refers to the frequently occurring rusty-leaved alpine rose, also called alpine bush. The area of the Zirbitzkogel is not only part of the Zirbitzkogel-Grebenzen Nature Park, but is now also designated as a Natura 2000 European protected area.
After visiting the summit and a well-deserved stop at the Schutzhaus, our route continues west to reach the Waldheimhütte (tel. + 43 3578 8205) on trail 320. This popular rustic hut can also be reached from Obdach, our destination, via a beautiful panoramic road. The rest of the way leads us across beautiful meadows, past idyllic farms and through shady forests, which we appreciate especially in midsummer on a hiking tour, directly to Obdach, our destination for today's stage. In the information office we can also get tips for the next stage, which leads us to the Salzstiegl.