Hiking on the Hochwechsel in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Markus Lang-Bichl Hiking on the Hochwechsel in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Markus Lang-Bichl
Hiking in Eastern Styria

OUR PEAKS & FORESTS

You should definitely venture out on the mysterious trails of fairy tales and legends when hiking. A journey through time that returns with old stories. A region - so worth experiencing and hiking in

Soothing forests, extensive alpine pastures and small villages can be found in the low mountain range landscape of the Fischbach Alps and in the Joglland-Waldheimat region. This hiking region is characterized by panoramic peaks, numerous circular trails, several long-distance hiking trails and the highest point in Eastern Styria, the Stuhleck at 1,782 m above sea level. The Wechsel region and the hilly landscape of the "Bucklige Welt" border to the east.

Eastern Styria is a real hiking paradise where you can discover places with views, refreshment stops and uniqueness. See for yourself and find out more at our local offices.

Summit cross on the Hochwechsel | © TV Oststeiermark | Birgit Kandlbauer

Rajchl travels in Eastern Styria

HIKING IN AUSTRIA'S GARDEN

Hiking in Eastern Styria is versatile. From alpine hikes to summits, forests and hilly landscapes - the garden of Austria has it all. Exercise is good for body and soul, as are regional delicacies. A stop at one of the region's mountain huts, inns and wine taverns is a must after a hike. Get a foretaste here and then head out into the wonderful great outdoors.

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IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL AT THE SUMMIT & I FEEL GOOD IN THE FOREST

Our alpine pastures, peaks, forests, meadows, hills, orchards, towns and villages invite you to enjoy challenging mountain tours, panoramic alpine hikes and leisurely forest and town walks. The scenic attractiveness of the region combined with East Styrian hospitality and the special features along the trails make these hikes an experience. All under the motto "HIKING WITH A VIEW & IN"!

Eastern Styria is so diverse!
That's why our more than 100 tour suggestions have been divided into three different landscape categories:

BAND 1: Our alpine pastures & peaks in the Almenland & Weiz Nature Park

BAND 2: Our peaks & forests in the Joglland-Waldheimt region & Wechselland herb region

BAND 3: Our forests & hills in ApfelLand-Stubenbergsee, Gleisdorf, Hartbergerland, Pöllauer Tal Nature Park, St. Ruprecht an der Raab & Weiz

All three hiking brochures with tour suggestions can be ordered to your home free of charge.

Hiking in Friedberg in the Wechselland herb region | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Markus Lang-Bichl
Cows on the Glatzl Trahütten Alm in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Lang-Bichl - RKP
Hiking break on the Hochwechsel in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Markus Lang-Bichl
BAND 2

OUR THEME PATHS

Hiking and learning about the land, people, flora and fauna has real added value. The appeal of the themed trails lies in the playful and entertaining knowledge transfer - an experience not just for children!

am Planetenweg | © Gemeinde Rettenegg | TV Joglland Waldheimat | © Gemeinde Rettenegg
Wassermühle "Hornschmied" | © TV Miesenbach | Sutdio Fotogen | © TV Miesenbach
View to Ratten, Joglland-Waldheimat in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Christine Pollhammer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Barfußwandern in Wenigzell | © Gemeinde Wenigzell | Johann Zugschwert | © Gemeinde Wenigzell
Aussicht | © Tourismus Info Vorau | Sarah Schweiger | © Tourismus Info Vorau
Kneippweg | © Klaudia Zink | TV Joglland Waldheimat | © Klaudia Zink
Kulturwanderweg | © Wildwiesenhof | © Wildwiesenhof
Wanderer am Kultweg | © Wildwiesenhof | TV Joglland Waldheimat | © Wildwiesenhof
Bärengraben in the municipality of Friedberg in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Markus Lang-Bichl | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
BAND 2

OUR PEAKS & FORESTS

From the Joglland-Waldheimt region to the Wechselland herb region - from the 1,700-meter-high Hochwechsel summit to the town of Friedberg at around 600 meters above sea level. 

Der Teufelstein | © Tourismus Fischbach | Johann Zink | © Tourismus Fischbach
Wald - lichtdurchflutet | © Tourismus Fischbach, Marianne Dornhofer | Marianne Dornhofer | © Tourismus Fischbach, Marianne Dornhofer
Fischbach_Stein am Wanderstartplatz_Oststeiermark | © Gemeinde Fischbach | © Gemeinde Fischbach
View of St. Kathrein am Hauenstein, Joglland forest home in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Kurt Elmleitner | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Wayside cross in St. Kathrein/H., Joglland-Waldheimat in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Christine Pollhammer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Gipfelkreuz_Steinriegel_Oststeiermark | © WEGES | WEGES | © WEGES
Rotes Kreuz_Alpl_Oststeiermark | © WEGES | WEGES | © WEGES
Bergbaumuseum Ratten | © Gemeinde Ratten | TV Joglland Waldheimat | © Gemeinde Ratten
Aussicht am Weg_St. Jakob_Oststeiermak | © Oststeiermarkt Tourismus | Kandlbauer | © Oststeiermarkt Tourismus
Gipfelkreuz Stuhleck | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | TV Joglland-Waldheimat | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Gipfelkreuz am Arzberg | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Tourismusverband Oststeiermark | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
St. Jakob im Walde_1.000 m Kreuz_Oststeiermark | © WEGES | © WEGES
Parish church of Strallegg, Joglland-Waldheimat in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Christine Pollhammer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Kirche_Strallegg_Oststeiermark | © WEGES | WEGES | © WEGES
View over Birkfeld, Joglland-Waldheimat in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Edl-Event GmbH | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Chapel of peace in Waisenegg, Joglland-Waldheimat in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Christine Pollhammer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Miesenbach | © TV Miesenbach, Studio fotogen | TV Joglland Waldheimat | © TV Miesenbach, Studio fotogen
Ausblick von der Warte_Miesenbach_Oststeiermark | © WEGES | WEGES | © WEGES
kraftpfad, wenigzell_img_6728200 | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Birgit Kandlbauer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Rundwanderweg Wenigzell-Waldbach, Nr. 1 | © Silke Almer, Gemeinde Wenigzell | Birgit Kandlbauer | © Silke Almer, Gemeinde Wenigzell
Barbara-Sicharter-Weg | © VVW Sonja Spitzer | TV Joglland-Waldheimat | © VVW Sonja Spitzer
Stift Vorau | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | TV Joglland Waldheimat | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Kreuz auf der Erzherzog Johann Höhe | © Tourismus Info Vorau | Tourismus Info Vorau | © Tourismus Info Vorau
Seasideinn Breineder_from the lake_Eastern Styria | © Tourismusverband Oststeiermark | Maria Rein | © Tourismusverband Oststeiermark
Wetterstation Hochwechsel | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Tourismusverband Oststeiermark | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Glatzl Trahütten Alm outlook, municipality of St. Lorenzen am Wechsel in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Anja Reichenbäck | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Niederwechsel monument, Festenburg in Eastern Styria | © Tourismusverband Oststeiermark | Anja Reichenbäck | © Tourismusverband Oststeiermark
signpost, municipality of Schäffern in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Anja Reichenbäck | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Hilmtor rest area, municipality of Dechantskirchen in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Pollhammer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Stages

Alpannonia®

In 6 days from Fischbach to Hungary. The various stages of different durations ensure that the Alpannonia hiking trail is also suitable for families. 

Fischbach | © Walter Laschober | Walter Laschober | © Walter Laschober
Rattener Windpark | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Birgit Kandlbauer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Gipfelkreuz am Stuhleck | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Birgit Kandlbauer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Blick von der Pretul auf den Rattener Windpark | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Birgit Kandlbauer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Kapelle am Gipfel des Hochwechsels | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | TV Jofglland-Waldheimat | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Chapel and summit cross on the Hochwechsel, Joglland forest home in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Birgit Kandlbauer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Hochwechsel road up to the Hochwechsel summit, Joglland forest home in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Birgit Kandlbauer | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Hauereck-Hütte | © Familie Lehofer | TV Joglland-Waldheimat | © Familie Lehofer
Memorial chapel on the Hochwechsel, Joglland forest home in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Maria Zingl | © Oststeiermark Tourismus
Startplatz am Dorfplatz in St. Kathrein am Hauenstein | © Region Joglland - Waldheimat | Kurt Elmleitner | © Region Joglland - Waldheimat
Rattener Windpark | © Region Joglland - Waldheimat | Zingl | © Region Joglland - Waldheimat
alpannonia Portal in Wenigzell | © Region Joglland - Waldheimat | Klaus Ranger | © Region Joglland - Waldheimat

An eventful history and a flourishing present

HISTORICAL LONG-DISTANCE HIKING TRAIL WECHSELLAND

Discover the Wechselland Historical Long-Distance Hiking Trail (HWW), a network of existing hiking trails peppered with numerous informative information boards. Roam through the communities of St. Lorenzen am Wechsel, Dechantskirchen, Friedberg, Pinggau, Schäffern, Lafnitz, Rohrbach an der Lafnitz, Mönichkirchen, Aspangberg-St.Peter, Aspang-Markt and Zöbern on your hike and immerse yourself in the fascinating history of Wechselland at over 100 HWW stations.

The Wechselland Historical Society also offers guided tours of historical buildings in Wechselland, allowing you to wander even further into the past.

Tip: All HWW stations are also listed on the Wechselland hiking map.

Long-distance hiking on the Wechsel in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Historischer Verein Wechselland
Expansion of the HWW trail network in Wechselland | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Historischer Verein Wechselland
Hiking on the Hochwechsel in Eastern Styria | © Oststeiermark Tourismus | Markus Lang-Bichl

HIKEABLE EASTERN STYRIA

Every season has its charm and every hike its character. All year round you can discover the whole of Eastern Styria by hiking to your heart's content. In winter, in addition to winter sports, there are also opportunities for winter and snowshoe hiking, although there can be big differences between the mountain and hill country due to snow and weather conditions.

In short: there is no "best" season in Eastern Styria - we hikeall year round!

All tours