3-Cone Way Variant (3-Kogel-Weg Variante)

From the Kapfenstein church (1), 407 m, we walk up the path to Kapfenstein Castle. At the parking lot we go downhill again through the forest and the meadow orchard to the Buschenschank Puff. We orient ourselves by the signposts in the direction of Bad Gleichenberg and always stay on the main path on the asphalt roads until we come to a small settlement and see the road designation Trasssteinbruchweg on the right. At the crossroads (2), 425 m, we leave the asphalt road and follow the trail markings Handspur / 3-Kogel-Weg and trail marking 16, which takes us along a forest road on the edge of the mining area to the rest and play area near the millstone quarry and the mountain cross at the Bscheidkogel (3), 460 m. From now on we go downhill through the forest (trail 13) along the forest nature trail to the Eichgrabenweg and on to the center of Bad Gleichenberg. After going downhill along Bergstraße in the village, we keep to the right uphill and immediately follow Wickenburgallee on the left. Through the Kurpark (4), 273 m, we can orient ourselves along the Herzspur, which takes us to the tennis court. Here we leave the Herzspur and continue walking along Tannenheimweg and Bairisch Kölldorfer Straße. After crossing the main road, we continue along the sidewalk and bike path. At the road crossing we turn right to Steinbach (5), 276 m. Through the village slightly uphill, the trail branches off to the left into a side street. We go continuously uphill, pass Restaurant Lounge 81, enjoy the scenic route and a little later reach the end of Steinbach. At the next road junction in the forest we leave the actual 3-Kogel-Weg and thus shorten by about 6.5 km. We go left and follow the asphalt road (trail marker 72) until we come to a crossroads with a wayside cross (6), 383 m, and a rest bench and are thus back on the actual 3-Kogel-Weg. Continue downhill, then follow the asphalt road straight ahead until you see the entrance to the forest on the left. We follow the forest tracks through the forest, continue walking along the edge of the forest and reach the village of Kölldorf (7), 279 m. Through the village, across the meadows and farmland we come to the road, which we follow to the right for a few meters, and then again hike across meadows and farmland in the direction of Kapfenstein. At the Lutz Chapel we go left uphill along the road, turn right into the forest and pass directly by fish ponds. Arrived in Kapfenstein, we go uphill again on the opposite side of the road. In a long left turn we hike on the asphalt road over meadows and pastures with great views and reach our starting point, the parking lot near the Kapfensteinerhof.

If you only want to hike a short loop around Kapfenstein Castle, the Geo Trail is perfect.

This circular hike can also be started in Bad Gleichenberg. Bad Gleichenberg is accessible by public transport.

Timetables and travel information can be found directly at: Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Steiermärkische Landesbahnen (STLB), www.busbahnbim.at.

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.

The Thermenlandbus also takes you directly to Bad Gleichenberg on the fastest way.

Parking near the parish church Kapfenstein and the winery Winkler-Hermaden

Tourist Office Thermen- & Vulkanland
Gästeinfo Bad Gleichenberg
Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Str. 1/top 4
8344 Bad Gleichenberg
Tel. +43 3382 55 100-44
badgleichenberg@thermen-vulkanland.at
www.thermen-vulkanland.at