The trails in the Gösting district in the foothills of the Plabutsch mountains offer a great opportunity near Graz to experience some pastoral hill running on easy surfaces. Nice combination of woods and open views. A several km network of trails (weg) can be accessed off Göstinger Str. A few options:
Ruinenweg trail. Google Street View
Run to Gösting castle. From the Gösting bus stop next to Café Bäckerei König, run the steep, wooded Ruinenweg trail to the hilltop medieval castle & Renaissance chapel ruins. It’s a 125m gain over 1.2 km! ROUTE MAP
Other good options are the ~3 km climb to the Fürstenstand observation deck on Plabutsch Mountain, using the Fürstenstandweg/Thal trails. Wide, & good surface. One can also run the entire Fürstenstandweg trail for 3.2 km. starting from the same area as the Ruinenweg trail to the castle (370m gain for full 6.4 km out and back!).
For some less hilly road running, we recommend running on the bike path/sidewalk alongside Thal Str. It’s a a nice 5 km from Gösting to the Thalersee Lake, in the area of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum.
The trails in the Gösting district in the foothills of the Plabutsch mountains offer a great opportunity near Graz to experience some pastoral hill running on easy surfaces. Nice combination of woods and open views. A several km network of trails (weg) can be accessed off Göstinger Str. A few options:
Ruinenweg trail. Google Street View
Run to Gösting castle. From the Gösting bus stop next to Café Bäckerei König, run the steep, wooded Ruinenweg trail to the hilltop medieval castle & Renaissance chapel ruins. It’s a 125m gain over 1.2 km! ROUTE MAP
Other good options are the ~3 km climb to the Fürstenstand observation deck on Plabutsch Mountain, using the Fürstenstandweg/Thal trails. Wide, & good surface. One can also run the entire Fürstenstandweg trail for 3.2 km. starting from the same area as the Ruinenweg trail to the castle (370m gain for full 6.4 km out and back!).
For some less hilly road running, we recommend running on the bike path/sidewalk alongside Thal Str. It’s a a nice 5 km from Gösting to the Thalersee Lake, in the area of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum.
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Essentials
Depends on route chosen
The trails in the area are VERY hilly. For a gentler run, the Thal Str. from Gösting is flatter
The 7.5 km of paths along both banks of the Mur River are the centerpiece of running in Graz. Nice river views, parks, and landmarks. We've created two loops, or create your own using the numerous pedestrian bridges!
A great 7.5 km route that hits many of the main highlights of Graz: the Schloßberg castle, Stadtpark, Augarten, and a jaunt through the old town (Innere Stadt). The Schloßberg is a short, steep climb.
Leechwald Forest Trail, located just east of Graz, is a great spot for a long off-road run. The trail follows a wooded ridge-line, opening up to some nice views. The full trail is a well-waymarked half-marathon route. Note: hilly!
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Essentials
Depends on route chosen
The trails in the area are VERY hilly. For a gentler run, the Thal Str. from Gösting is flatter
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!