Steinplan over Geierleitengraben

From the main square in Knittelfeld (1), 643 m, we walk in the direction of the railway station and continue to the roundabout at the warehouse, where we keep right. Through the railway subway and then over the Mur bridge we reach the beginning of St. Margarethen / Gobernitz. At the next crossroads, we see the yellow signpost labelled Steinplan. We turn right and follow the asphalt road towards Thalberghof for the next three kilometres. In a sharp bend to the right (2), 766 metres, the hiking trail branches off from the road to the Thalberghof. From here, the trail continues slightly uphill along the Geierleitengraben on a gravel road. At the next crossroads, there are two options for continuing on to the Steinplan. For this tour suggestion, we continue to the right and stay on the gravel road for the next 4 kilometres along the ditch. At a sharp right-hand bend, we leave the "main gravel road" and continue straight ahead.Initially on a gravel road and then on climbs, where we can easily orientate ourselves using the red-white-red markings.Arriving at a clearing, we reach the private Einödhoferhütte (3), 1483 m, which we pass on the left.Just above the hut, we come to a gravel road (access road to the Steinplan hut), which we follow to the left to reach the access road in the direction of Steinplan.The hiking trail now leaves the road and leads along a beautiful path to Steinplan (4), 1670 metres.

Alternative ascent or descent via the long-distance hiking trail 02 - Click here for the link:  Steinplan over Papst Pirschtling

Knittelfeld railway station is easy to reach by train and bus.

General information about public transport in the region: www.verbundlinie.at

Murtal Taxi, Tel.: +43 660 1018101, 8740 Zeltweg, www.murtal-taxi.at

Parking at the station

Refreshment stops and overnight accommodation en route:

Steinplan Schutzhaus, Tel.: +43 3512 72210, 8734 Kleinlobming, Hintertal 77, www.steinplan-schutzhaus.naturfreunde.at

Closed on Mondays in June and open from July until the end of October.

Thalberghof, Tel.: +43 3512 48354, 8720 Rachau, Mitterbach 67, www.thalberghof.at

Closed on Mon and Tue, always open on public holidays. (approx. 500 metres from the hiking trail).

Hiking maps of the Murtal region are available at all tourist information offices and online at www.murtal.at  C. und M. Hlatky, (2017): Murtal – Rund um Spielberg – Seetaler Alpen und Seckauer Alpen. Kral Verlag, S. 160