Stubenbergsee - Mariabrunn (via Kulmkögerl)

Access to starting point:
A) We leave the highway A2 Graz - Vienna / Wien at the exit for Gleisdorf, and then we follow the signs for Hartberg and Weiz, later only for Hartberg and Ilztal. From the roundabout in Ilztal we go on the road towards Hartberg and Pischelsdorf. We leave the road towards Hartberg in the settlement Kaibing, where we turn left towards Fürstenfeld and St. Johann b.h., and at the next crossroad we go left towards St. Johann b.h. From the settlement Sankt Johann bei Herberstein we drive to the nearby lake Stubenbergsee, at the end of which we turn left and park on a larger paid parking lot, where parking is allowed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The price for parking until 8 p.m. is 3 EUR (November 2022).
B) From Prekmurje we first drive to the border crossing Kuzma, and then we drive towards the settlement Jennersdorf, just before the mentioned settlement we turn onto the expressway in the direction of Vrbna / Feldbach. We soon leave the expressway because signs for the motorway and settlement Riegersburg direct us to the right. On the main road we then drive to the settlement Hatzendorf, where we turn left, and when we reach Riegersburg we go right. We then drive to the settlement Ilz, where we go right and then immediately left towards the lake Stubenbergsee. From the roundabout at the edge of the settlement Großhartmannsdorf we take the exit in the direction of the settlement Großsteinbach, but we then drive on the main road all the way to the lake Stubenbergsee, at the end of which we turn left and park on a larger paid parking lot, where parking is allowed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The price for parking until 8 p.m. is 3 EUR (November 2022).

Path description:
From the parking lot we walk to the bridge over the river Bistrica / Feistritz, after the bridge we arrive at a smaller intersection. We continue straight on the footpath Kulmweg 31 and then continue left and walk parallel to the nearby road. After a few minutes crossing along a strip of bushes the path then turns right and ascends more steeply. Higher we reach an asphalt road and follow it to the right for some 10 steps, then behind the fence we go left and continue the ascent on a narrow path that leads us between fences. Behind the fence we enter the forest and ascend steeply for a few minutes; when we leave the forest we walk with a nice view of the lake Stubenbergsee to another asphalt road, which we follow to the left. The path further leads past the inn Gasthaus Windhaber, then from a smaller intersection we go sharply right. Along the asphalt road we continue to the next hamlet, where we temporarily leave the road and continue with the path along the fence of the nearby plot. When we return to the road we go left, a little further from it to the right onto a grassy path that ascends along a panoramic slope to the nearby bench. At the bench the path turns slightly to the right, then we ascend to the next hamlet, where we pass the chapel. We also continue to follow the rare markings; at a smaller intersection we continue along the slightly left road, which turns even more to the left. Signs for Kulm further on direct us right onto the path along the fence, above the fence we reach the road, which we follow to the left. We do not stay long on this road either as signs lead us right into the forest through which we ascend moderately. Higher we cross two meadows, when we return to the forest from the fork we continue slightly left. A little more ascent follows, when we reach the indistinct ridge we go right in the direction of the summit Kulmgipfel (left Kulm). One more minute of walking follows and we reach the summit with a cross.
From the summit we return some 10 steps to the last fork, then continue on the marked path that continues along the indistinct ridge. Along the path we follow, Stations of the Cross accompany us, and we arrive at the saddle connecting both summits in a few minutes.
On the saddle we also step onto the road, past the tourist facility we arrive at the intersection where we continue along the upper right road. A little further from the asphalt road slightly right onto an initially concrete path that after a few steps turns into a grassy cart track. The cart track quickly brings us to a log cabin, behind which we return to the asphalt road that leads past the paragliding take-off site. We bypass the take-off site on the right side, the road then enters the forest, and we follow it in moderate ascent to its end at the Mariabrunn church.
Starting point - Kulmkögerl 1:20, Kulmkögerl - Mariabrunn 0:33.
Description and pictures refer to the state in November 2022.

On the way: Auerberg (548m), Kulmkögerl (Kulmgipfel) (866m)