Cosmic forces and grounded specialties from the region
The Himmel-Erden-Weg forms a figure-eight loop. A good entry point is the parking lot of the Vulkanland Observatory. There is an overview board here. The Kornberg loop follows the planetary hiking trail at the beginning, in keeping with its theme. Here our solar system was reduced in scale 1:1 billion to make the distance from the sun to Pluto "hikeable". The information boards about the planets along the planetary hiking trail, which was realized by an international work camp with young people, can also be read in Braille, so that visually impaired people can also use the trail. Accordingly, we start our walk at the Sun, right next to the observatory. Then we go to Mercury at the Kellerstöckl, further to Venus in front of the entrance to the Sterngucker, to Earth at the parking lot and walk past the Mars info board along the hardly used road downhill to Wieden. We cross the Auersbach and stand in front of the turquoise impulse center. The organic brewery Lava Bräu, located here, offers guided tours and tastings of beer and brisky by appointment.
We continue along the flat Auersbach valley to Wetzelsdorf, where we turn off after the hiking overview board and before the bridge and walk along a smaller road. Before the village sign Kleinwalkersdorf we turn left onto the field path, take the footbridge over the Auersbach and through the rose arch we reach the other side of the valley. Accompanied by numerous dwarfs and fabulous stories, we take the climb through the castle forest (this part is maintained by the Boy Scouts as a child-friendly section) until we reach the top of the Kopfspur (right head track & left head track). Here it is worthwhile to take a small detour of about 5 minutes without any further elevation gain to the exhibition center Schloss Kornberg and the Schlosswirt.
Then it goes on the signposted circular route partly on forest paths with many views along the back. At the fruit farm Nestelberger, there is award-winning fruit wine "Caldera" and a Dursthäuserl for self-service. The next hilltop offers a complete panoramic view from the Riegersburg and the Gleichenberg and Stradner volcanoes over Slovenia and the Karawanken to Koralm, Gleinalm and the Fischbacher Alps. Only shortly thereafter we turn left and then go right through the forest down into the Rohrbach Graben and on to the Hausleitner Chapel.
Once again briefly uphill to the sky ladder, which now finally gives our imagination wings! After landing, it is only a few minutes back to the observatory.
We start the Vulcano round at the parking lot of the observatory in western direction. The first detour is worthwhile, it is the visit of the Münzer Chapel (Almkapelle) above the vineyard. Then we continue to follow the yellow signs. Past a farm we hike through the forest down to the village of Auersbach and on the other side up to Eggreith, where the next culinary surprise awaits us. A small bend we go out and the metal ham gate of Vulcano opens for the access to the ham world. After this welcome rest, the path passes a few houses, close to nature, through a special forest with elf houses and ham on the tree. Flat we continue hiking for about 30 minutes until we reach Wieden. Saturn and the thinker, the Saturn quality stands for the thinker. Here we come to the paralell piece, which also again the Lava Bräu in the turquoise center, where the loop with the Kornberg round up to the observatory.