Stubenbergsee - Kulm (via Kulmkögerl)

Access to starting point:
A) We leave the highway A2 Graz - Vienna / Wien at exit for Gleisdorf, and then we follow the signs for Hartberg and Weiz, and later only for Hartberg and Ilztal. From the roundabout in Ilztal we go on the road towards the settlement Hartberg and Pischelsdorf. The road towards the settlement Hartberg we leave in the settlement Kaibing, where we turn left towards the settlement Fürstenfeld and St. Johan b.h., and at the next crossroad, we go left towards the settlement St. Johan 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 we park on a larger payable parking lot, where parking is allowed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.. Price for parking to 8 p.m. is 3 eur (November 2022).
B) From Prekmurje we at first drive to the border crossing Kuzma, and then we drive towards the settlement Jennersdorf, still before the mentioned settlements we go on the highway in the direction of Vrbna / Feldbach. We soon leave the highway because signs for motorway and settlement Riegersburg point 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. Next follows driving to the settlement Ilz, where we go right and then immediately left towards the lake Stubenbergsee. From the roundabout at the periphery of the settlement Großhartmannsdorf we go to the exit in the direction of the settlement Großsteinbach, and then we on the main road drive all the way to the lake Stubenbergsee, at the end of which we turn left and we park on a larger payable parking lot, where parking is allowed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.. Price for parking to 8 p.m. is 3 eur (November 2022).

Path description:
From the parking lot, we walk to the bridge over the river Bistrica / Feistritz, and after the bridge we get to a smaller crossroad. We continue straight on a footpath Kulmweg 31 and then we continue left and we walk parallel with the nearby road. After few minutes of crossing by a lane of bushes then the path turns right and it ascends steeper. Higher, we reach an asphalt road and few 10 strides we follow it to the right, and then after the fence we go left and we continue the ascent on a narrow footpath which leads us between the fences. Behind the fence we step into the forest and for few minutes we steeply ascend, and when we leave the forest, with a nice view towards the lake Stubenbergsee we walk to another asphalt road which we follow to the left. The path ahead leads us past the inn gasthaus Windhaber, and then we go at a smaller crossroad sharply right. On the asphalt road, we continue to the next hamlet, where for some time we leave the road and we continue by the fence of the nearby plot. When we return on the road we go left, and a little ahead from the road we go right on a grassy path, which ascends on a panoramic slope to the nearby bench. At the bench, the path turns a little to the right, and then we ascend to the next hamlet, where we go past the chapel. Further, we still follow rare blazes, and at a smaller crossroad, we continue on a slightly left road which turns a little more to the left. Signs for Kulm a little further point us to the right on the path by the fence, and above the fence we reach the road which we follow to the left. Also on this road we don't stay long because signs point us right into the forest, through which we are moderately ascending. Higher, we cross two meadows, and when we return into the forest at the crossing we continue slightly left. Some ascending follows, and when we reach an indistinct ridge, we go right in the direction of the peak Kulmgipfel (left - Kulm). Next follows a minute of walking and we reach the peak with a cross.
From the top, we return for few 10 strides to the last crossing, and then we continue on a marked path which continues on an indistinct ridge. By the path, on which we continue we are accompanied by Stations of the Cross, and in few minutes we get to the saddle, which connects both peaks.
On the saddle, we also step on the road, and past the tourist building we get to a crossroad, where we continue on the upper right road. A little further, we go from the asphalt road slightly right on at first a concrete path, which already after few steps changes into a grassy cart track. The cart track quickly brings us to a log cabin, behind which we return on the asphalt road, and it leads past the paragliding take off point. We bypass the take-off point on the right side, and the road then passes into the forest, and in a moderate ascent, we follow it to its end at the church Mariabrunn.
Behind the church and before the private house we go left, and the marked path splits into two parts. To the top of Kulm we can continue on the left northern path, or on the right southern path. Both paths in good 5 minutes of additional walking bring us to the top of Kulm, from which a nice view opens up.
The starting point - Kulmkögerl 1:20, Kulmkögerl - Mariabrunn 0:33, Mariabrunn - Kulm 0:07.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in November 2022.

On the way: Auerberg (548m), Kulmkögerl (Kulmgipfel) (866m), Mariabrunn (940m)