This beautiful circular hike starts at the Schilcherland car park in St. Stefan opposite the school centre and the church. The path with the S10 marking leads you through the centre of St. Stefan ob Stainz. Cross the main square to the right past a transformer station and the beautiful spruce hedge down over the flowering meadow through the forest until you reach the road. Keep left for a short while and then right again to continue along the S10 hiking trail until you reach an enchanted-looking mill ruin. You should linger a little at this special place and gather strength for the rest of the tour.
From here, the path climbs a little. Through the beautiful forest, which provides shade on hot days, you can already see the unique chestnut gardens of the Klug wine and chestnut farm. Time for a short detour to the farm and a good sip of Schilcher. Don't despair if no one is at home - there is a quiet drinks seller in the old cellar. Now it's time to enjoy peace, wine and the beautiful view of the vineyards, which show themselves in the most magnificent colours in autumn. Then continue on the S10 path in the direction of Greisdorf. Here your stomach may already be rumbling. You can choose between a hearty Buschenschankjause from Achatz or Styrian delicacies from the Fuchswirt kitchen. Why not try a crispy fried chicken with a salad with wonderfully nutty-smelling kernel oil. The green gold of the region.
After this delicious refreshment, the path with the number 551 goes downhill for a bit. Then cross the Steinreib road and walk along path S7A to the Klug-Voltl wine tavern. You can't really walk past it. That's why you should take a sweet break here. Typical Strauben or a Germmehlspeise round off the culinary day.
Then continue on to Niedergrail-Straße, which you follow until you reach the main road. Or keep left at the crossroads, then after about 50 metres turn right across the road onto the S7 hiking trail.
Enjoy the special atmosphere and the peace and quiet of the forest, and you may even spot a deer or two. But you have to be very quiet. Here the trails merge into the S9 - this then runs into the Genuss-Schilcher-Weg, which you follow back to St. Stefan ab Stainz, to the starting point.
A wonderful day of hiking over a distance of eight kilometres, full of wonderful culinary delights, draws to a close here. But fortunately there are still numerous opportunities in the region to stretch your feet in the beautiful landscape of Western Styria.