Etappe 11: BergZeitReise Stanglalm - Kindberg

The 11th stage is extremely varied. Mighty forests, meadows rich in views and the bustling Kindberg, the town in the heart of the Mürztal, characterize this section of the BergZeitReise.

First, we head slightly downhill from the Stanglalm straight west to the Fuchseck. We can already descend here or a few minutes later on foot at the so-called "Red Cross", keeping to the right, in order to reach the Mürztal and thus Kindberg.

There we should definitely plan a rest and enjoy the lovely village center with the mighty guild tree. After all, Kindberg was already flower city - European champion!

In 2017 and 2018, by the way, the town center will be extensively renovated and made even more beautiful.

From Kindberg, it is now important to reach the open-air swimming pool as well as Oberkindberg Castle, as our further path leads past these two buildings to Gasthof Pölzl.

This section of the trail is also known as the "Herzerlfresserweg" (the gruesome story that goes with it can be found below).

Soon we are at the Gasthof Pölzl, our tonight's accommodation and famous for its mushroom dishes.

The name and the coat of arms of Kindberg are the content of a legend . In former times there is said to have been a lake between Wartberg and Kindberg, which was created by constant flooding. One day the lake level rose sharply due to a storm and washed away a child in a cradle. The mother tried in vain to reach the child. In today's Kindberg the child was finally washed up completely unharmed. It was found there sitting on a meadow and playing with a flower.

Another interpretation of the name is made possible by the discovery of a votive stone from Roman times in the Georgiberg church, a church on a rocky hill mentioned as early as 1232, which shows a girl in Norse costume. In any case, it is certain that there is a first documentary mention as early as 1172 as " Chindeberch ".

In addition to the aforementioned Georgiberg church, there are other interesting cultural monuments in and around Kindberg, such as Oberkindberg Castle - built by the Inzaghi family, the Calvary complex donated by this same family at the end of the 17th century, and also a cult stone, a mysterious prehistoric megalithic structure.

The landmark of Kindberg is certainly the 24 meter high guild tree. According to old custom, this maypole was erected as a visible sign of cheerfulness, joy and vitality. While in former times the guild signs were attached to the lateral strips, later one represented the most important occupations figuratively.

Passing the Oberkindberg castle, a narrow path leads to the Herzogberg - the "Herzlfresserweg". This path commemorates one of the most gruesome murders of the whole region. More than 200 years ago, five women and a little girl were cruelly murdered by a farmhand from Kindberg. The latter was obsessed with a superstition and firmly convinced that he would become invisible and have luck at cards if he ate the hearts of seven virgins. In 1786, the servant was convicted and died in prison in Graz.

In 2015, the last Kindberg ski lift , that of the Pölzl family on Herzogberg closed the operation.

In recent years, other lift operators in the region have experienced a similar situation, as they were no longer able to cope with the increasingly mild winters with less snow, the lack of investment and thus of suitable snow-making equipment, and the cost-intensive regulations.

Alpine stage, no approach possible!

Alpine stage, no approach possible!

www.bergzeitreise.at, www.steiermark.com/wandern The Styria Tours app, available for free on Google Play and in the App Store (Android, iOS), offers detailed first-hand information: short facts (length, duration, difficulty, ascent and descent in altitude meters, ratings), map, route descriptions, altimeter, compass, summit finder, navigation along the tour. In addition, you can create your personal favorites list of favorite tours and points, save tours and destinations offline, play on social media channels and more.With the BusBahnBim app from Verbundlinie, timetable information has never been easier: all bus, train and streetcar 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. Free Pocket Card Hiking route "From glacier to wine" can be found at www.steiermark.com Hiking map BergZeitReise durch die Hochsteiermark can be found at www.hochsteiermark.at Compass WK212 Hochschwab, Mariazell, Eisenwurzen www.steiermark.com/buecher Freytag &Berndt WK41 Hochschwab - Veitschalpe - Eisenerz - Bruck an der Mur www.steiermark.com/buecher BergZeitReise through Hochsteiermark, will be published in autumn / winter 2016.