Stage 32 From Glacier to Wine North Route Riegersburg - Fehring

After traveling from east to west on the stage from Unterlamm to Riegersburg, we remember that the northern route of the hiking trail "From Glacier to Wine" also has its destination in the south and therefore change the hiking direction to the south. We follow the Styrian variant of the long-distance hiking trail 07, the East Austrian Borderland Trail, which leads from Nebelstein in the north to Bad Radkersburg in the south.

From Riegersburg we hike on this stage of the hiking route "From Glacier to Wine" first past the bathing lake for a short distance along the road to the southeast. Soon, however, we branch off to the right to head slightly uphill past beautifully situated family homes and farmsteads surrounded by vineyards to reach the Buchberg. As hikers we would prefer field and forest paths, but on this day we have to accept that nowadays even rural access roads are covered with an asphalt surface. Fortunately, there are nevertheless some sections that make our eyes and our feet happy. From time to time, by the way, sections of path through beautiful forests also give us a little shade, which we learn to appreciate especially in high summer. Although the rest of the way is mostly pleasantly flat, the names of the landscapes lead us from mountain to mountain. At the Forchauberg we change the hiking direction to southeast and walk over the Stückelberg and the Faschingberg to Rattenberg. At a crossroads we change direction and go downhill to the right. Soon after, we are surprised at how many asphalt roads crisscross in all directions in this agricultural area. But the Kapper winery, situated on a hill, serves as an orientation aid. We have to go up there to enjoy a beautiful view of the Raab valley, the last part of today's route to Fehring and half of the next stage to Kapfenstein shortly after the start of the descent at a viewing point.

Incidentally, the 250 km long Raab rises in Styria south of the Teichalm in the Almenland Nature Park in eastern Styria and flows into a tributary of the Danube near Györ. Arrived in the Raab valley, the further way brings us past the train station, whose railroad line connects Graz with Hungary. A few hundred meters later we arrive at the Berghofer Mill, which today is one of the most popular foam mills in the region and was already mentioned in documents in the 12th century. Today the mill is run by the three Berghofer sisters in the 6th generation. There are no places to visit today, so we enjoy getting to know the municipality of Fehring, which has now grown to about 7,500 inhabitants, with 17 villages in the geographical center of the Thermenland with its 6 thermal spas - one of which is in Bad Gleichenberg where the next stage takes us. The town has an interesting history, which we will learn about on various panels around the church and in the town center. Here in Fehring we have time and opportunity to enjoy the typical products of the Thermen- & Vulkanland and Eastern Styria from the alpine pastures, from the fruit, vegetable and herb gardens, lovingly prepared by creative chefs or processed into unique products by expert producers. First-class wines, high-quality schnapps, refreshing fruit juices and must specialties, but also some types of beer perfectly round off the culinary offer.