Poppenforst: Vineyard, Chapels and the St. Martin Hill Trail

Poppenforst combines a signposted hiking route with viticulture, views and small religious landmarks. The area is particularly vividly experienced at Plank Winery, also known as Zwinger Poppenforst. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home for a family holiday can choose a destination here where hiking experiences and cultural discoveries can be combined.

Hiking between vineyards and viewpoints

The hiking route running through Poppenforst is signposted and marked. It is maintained by the Deutschlandsberg section of the Alpine Club. This gives the area a clear point of reference for anyone who wants to plan their days not only around individual sights, but along a marked trail. Nevertheless, when planning your day, take the respective planned route and desired course into account.

At Plank Winery, a paved spur path leads to a rise in the terrain with a furnished arbor. There is also an idyllically situated resting place on the rise. At the highest point of the vineyard at Plank Winery, the route reaches a viewpoint in Poppenforst. This sequence makes the area an interesting section for an outing where you can include a vineyard, a resting place and a viewpoint in your own plans.

Chapels and historical traces

The path from Plank Winery continues to a small Marian chapel. The Hohl Chapel stands nearby at an elevation of 412 metres. Before its most recent repainting, the year 1847 and an inscription referring to renovation in 1986 were displayed at the Hohl Chapel, the latter in the gate area. Thus, alongside the landscape, the walk also offers a tangible connection to cultural history.

The course of the St. Martin Hill Trail also places the chapels within their surroundings. After Poppenforst, in Fröhlichberg, the larger of two blue chapels is called the Hohl Chapel. For visitors who enjoy looking out for distinctive buildings and traditional local details along the way, this provides several reasons not to view the route merely as a hiking connection.

Poppenforst in route planning

The St. Martin Hill Trail runs from Deutschlandsberg railway station via the Kogelbauer Chapel, Riemerberg, Poppenforst, Fröhlichberg, Aigneregg and Sulberegg to St. Martin im Sulmtal railway station. Further along the hiking route from Poppenforst, the trail passes the historically significant Taborkogel. Those who want to explore a continuous route can therefore place Poppenforst as a named section within this connection, rather than viewing the area merely as an individual excursion destination.

Travel arrangements can also be included in this consideration: From Graz, trains on lines S6 or S61 reach Deutschlandsberg railway station, the starting point of the St. Martin Hill Trail. If you are travelling from Graz and planning a hike on this trail, Deutschlandsberg railway station is therefore an important reference point for your preparations. It is best to choose suitable accommodation in Poppenforst according to which of the experiences described are most important for your trip.

Choosing accommodation to suit your travel plans

A holiday apartment in Poppenforst may be of interest to travellers who want to include Plank Winery, the viewpoint, the chapels and the St. Martin Hill Trail in their holiday plans. Families can take different daily rhythms into account: One part of the group may be particularly interested in the hiking route, while others may choose the resting place, the arbor or the chapels as specific destinations to explore. It is important to align your own plans with the sections of the St. Martin Hill Trail you actually want to walk.

To compare other destinations, you can also look at Eibiswald, Kornriegl, Freidorf An Der Laßnitz, Sommereben, Trahütten, Trog, Mainsdorf and Sankt Anna Ob Schwanberg.

For the higher-level travel overview: Deutschlandsberg.