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Via Natura Stage 1: Water Habitat

Name: Via Natura Stage 1: Water Habitat
Brand: Steiermark
Rating: 4 (3 reviews)

Accessible by public transport

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

The tour in numbers

Level of difficulty medium

Route 21,0 km

Time 8:00 h

Uphill 1060 hm

Downhill 864 hm

Highest point 1870 m

From the spring to the stream to the limestone, where water no longer occurs – the first stage of the Via Natura “Water Habitat” shows how diverse water landscapes can be.

The first stage of the Via Natura leads from Neumarkt's main square to Zeutschach. Along the way, you'll find the Graggerschlucht Natura 2000 protected area with a cascading waterfall. The spring in Zeutschach is one of the most beautiful spots in the nature park. 120 liters of clear spring water bubble up from it. Once there, the trail leads up to the Maria Schönanger pilgrimage church. From there, the alpine path leads to the 1st Grebenzen Höhe. In spring, the Kalkberg is enveloped in a veritable sea of flowers. The mountain is part of the limestone areas and thus represents a geological feature in the nature park, offering breathtaking panoramic views. Once you arrive in St. Lambrecht, a tour of the 950-year-old Benedictine monastery is worthwhile.

Best season

January

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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. From there, continue to Tamsweg and on via Predlitz and Stadl/Mur to Murau. At the roundabout, head towards St. Lambrecht, passing Murau train station. Via Laßnitz near Murau, you will reach St. Lambrecht, which is already located in the nature park. Continue towards Mariahof and Neumarkt in der Steiermark. In Mariahof, turn right towards 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 to Perchau am Sattel and 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.

The first stage of the Via Natura leads from Neumarkt's main square along the main road to St. Marein near Neumarkt. Once there, turn right to Mühldorf and follow the path through the Gragger Gorge to Zeutschach. At the Grasluppteiche (ponds), keep left and follow the path towards the original spring. From there, continue to Zeutschach, where you reach Maria Schönanger via the Stations Trail. The toboggan run then leads you via Grebenzenhaus to the Grebenzen summit on to "Erste Grebenzenhöhe". The descent to St. Lambrecht proceeds via the Dreiwiesenhütte and then via the Pfaffentritt to St. Lambrecht.

If the weather is not favorable, the stage can be shortened from Maria Schönanger. From there, the Stations Trail leads directly down to St. Lambrecht.

With the BusBahmBim app from the composite 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 on the main square, directly at the hiking start point.

A public restroom is located directly at the starting point in the NaturLese-Museum Neumarkt. It is free and accessible at any time.

Accommodations directly in St. Lambrecht: