Hammerleck via Sillweger Warte from Rattenberg

The hike starting from Rattenberg via the Sillweg lookout point to the Hammerleck (Hölzelkogel) is a tour with great views of the Gaal mountain range.

The destination of this hike on the Gaaler Höhenzug is an extensive alpine pasture at approx. 1400 m, known to the locals as Hammerleck, or Hammerleck-Wiese. The ascent from Rattenberg leads via the Sillweger Aussichtswarte, from where you already have a magnificent view of the largest inner-alpine basin in Styria (Judenburg-Knittelfelder Becken) and the Seetal Alps, the Glein- and Stubalpe and the southern Limestone Alps towering behind it. The Sillweg lookout point was built back in 1909 and is a popular excursion and hiking destination in the region. This hike, which was newly signposted and marked in 2021, allows you to get to know the southern side of the Gaal mountain range. A descent option would be to hike from Hammerleck via Zwiefelsberg and Rattenberger Graben back to Rattenberg. This hike is not marked as a separate tour, so a good sense of direction and use of a map or GPS are a great advantage.

Characteristics

Skill

Fitness

Best season

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

The tour in numbers

easy

Level of difficulty

15,2 km

Route

5:00 h

Time

770 hm

Uphill

770 hm

Downhill

1451 m

Highest point

Map & downloads

Download GPX data

Download KML data

More information

From St. Michael in Upper Styria via the Murtal expressway S36 (toll sticker required) to the "Zeltweg-Ost" exit. Then past the Red Bull Ring to Rattenberg (30 km, approx. 20 minutes).

From Judenburg via the Murtal expressway S36 (toll sticker required) to the "Judenburg-Ost" exit and via Fohnsdorf to Rattenberg (15 km, approx. 20 minutes).

From Gasthof Hotel Perschler (1), 702 m, in Rattenberg, we walk about 300 meters towards the village center, then turn left and follow the gravel road, which leads as an avenue across meadows and farmland. Once in Sillweg (2), 736 m, we turn right and walk slightly uphill through the village center until we see the turn-off on the left with the sign "Zur Sillweger Aussichtswarte". Now we leave the asphalt road and follow the moderately ascending forest road until we reach the start of the hiking trail after approx. 20 minutes. Now turn right onto a narrow path that leads directly to the Sillweger Aussichtswarte (3), 959 m. After a panoramic break, we follow the path uphill, cross a forest road, go over a few steps and stay on the well-marked path uphill until we come to a wide forest path on the left, which now continues almost flat, past a memorial cross. When the forest thins out, we come to a larger turning point and here the hiking trail branches off to the right. From here, the trail continues uphill along a hollow path to a forest road junction and the detour to Sillweger Berg. Here we keep slightly to the right uphill and follow the wide forest road for approx. 500 m until we reach the junction on the left (4),1310 m, and now continue along a path again. After passing through a fence, continue left on a forest road and soon you will reach the open alpine pastures and the Hammerleck (Hölzelkogel) (5), 1451 m, on the summit in front of you. The way back is via the ascent route, whereby you can shorten the detour to the Sillweger lookout point and come directly via the forest road to the path we already know.

This tour can be done as a circular hike from the Hammerleck via the Zwiefelsberg and the Rattenberger Graben.

Rattenberg is easy to reach by bus. The nearest train stations are Judenburg, Zeltweg and Knittelfeld.

General information about public transportation in the region: www.verbundlinie.at

Murtal Taxi, Tel.: +43 660 1018101, 8740 Zeltweg, www.murtal-taxi.at

Parking allowed at Gasthof Perschler

Hotel Restaurant Perschler, Tel.: +43 3573 34204, 8753 Rattenberg, Landstraße 14, www.gasthof-perschler.at

Region Murtal: www.murtal.at

Freytag & Berndt (2017): Seetaler Alpen, Seckauer Alpen, Judenburg, Knittelfeld. WK 212 Wander-, Rad-, Freizeitkarte; 1 : 50 000 C. und M. Hlatky, (2017): Murtal – Rund um Spielberg – Seetaler Alpen und Seckauer Alpen. Kral Verlag, S. 160