Schartnerkogel circuit

From the car park at the ProTennis Austria leisure centre (indoor tennis courts), walk about 200 m back to Schiessstattgasse, then turn right along the Grazer Umland-Weg (GUW) 535 hiking trail in the direction of the Licht-Klause, a spiritual, light-infused retreat. 100 m before the Schartner hunting lodge you’ll spot the sessile oak tree. It’s over 300 years old and protected. Folllow the fence to the left of the hunting lodge up to the summit cross of the Schartnerkogel (931 m), where a wonderful view across Deutschfeistritz and Peggau awaits you. March downhill in the direction of Hagensattel till you reach a junction, where you have a choice of routes:

a) Downhill along the Königgraben on the GUWb and 19B trails, past the Bernthaler inn and, along the municipal road and the L322 in a northerly direction, back to your starting point.

b) Descent on trail no. 19 along the Feistergraben (northbound).

c) The longest route is the descent over the Hagensattel saddle and the Gamskogel (859 m). From the Hagensattel, follow path 19a past the bear cave (not far from the Gamskogel, your second summit today!). After having immortalized yourself in the book at the summit cross, hike downhill in the direction of Stübing to the Bernthaler inn in Königgraben. Follow the municipal road and L322 north to get back to your starting point after about 1.5 km. If you are on your last legs, you can get back to the centre of Deutschfeistritz with a GUSTmobil minibus!

A visit to the Deutschfeistritz Scythe Factory Museum is a must!

Hikers can easily arrive without a car by using bus or train services. The frequent S1 trains between Graz and Bruck/Mur make reaching OberGraz easy.

Take the S-Bahn 1 train to Kleinstübing, then a GUSTmobil minivan.

GUSTmobil minivan stops nearby: 1159 (Grossstübing parish church), 1162 (Hiedner inn), 1157 (Zum Bergwerk inn)

Rides can be booked a minimum of 60 minutes before desired departures by phone (0123 500 44 11), or via Internet (www.ISTmobil.at), using the app. (business hours: Monday – Saturday: 6am – 12 midnight, Sundays & public holidays: 6am – 10pm)

More information on train and bus connections: www.verbundlinie.at and www.oebb.at

Public car park at the ProTennisAustria leisure centre.

What the robotic lawnmower does today used to be done with a scythe, and to manufacture such a tool took about 20 operational steps. In the 16th century the production method to make scythes changed from purely manual manufacturing to the use of water-powered hammers; even then, it wasn’t easy work. A visit to the Deutschfeistritz Scythe Forge Museum shows just how laborious it was to make a scythe.

Contact the Deutschfeistritz Scythe Forge Museum: T +43 3127 42 200

Meals and refreshments: café & restaurant ProTennisAustria, Bernthaler inn, Café da Capo, and Viertler’s farm shop on the main square in Deutschfeistritz.