Alpine hike with mystical flair

If you want to visit the mystical Toten Hengstofen, the Kupplerbrunn or the centuries-old Kugelfichte at the foot of the Saualpe, there is another reason why the family will hardly be able to say no: In the immediate vicinity of these places are the Druckerhütte and the Steinerhütte, two places that are known far beyond the Görtschitztal for their culinary delights. But first things first!

Shuttering stones and stallions

If you drive from Eberstein via St. Oswald in the direction of Steinerhütte, you will pass the Toten Hengstofen. However, as it is somewhat hidden from prying eyes next to the road and the yellow sign can be overlooked, it is best to park at Gasthof Druckerhütte. Directly opposite you will see the yellow sign with the inscription “Toter Hengstofen – early Stone Age cup or bowl stone”. Five steps further on are some boulders and now it’s time to discover and marvel. If you take a closer look during this alpine hike with a mystical flair, you can actually discover indentations in the rock that look like bowls. Nobody knows for sure whether animal sacrifices were made here. Nevertheless, the stone bowls quickly spark the imagination and lead to all kinds of assumptions and interpretations. The babbling brook right next to the Toten Hengstofen does the rest, and you imagine yourself to be in an enchanted forest, which incidentally – how practical – is right next to the road. You just have to know it!

Kupplerbrunn

Who knows, for example, that there used to be a fountain at the foot of the Saualm where people from all over the Görtschitztal valley and far beyond would gather once a year to get married? Nowadays you would call it hanging out together. In those days, people met at the Kupperlbrunn to look for brides, and in large numbers if you believe the reports of older people. A few years ago, a stone fountain was erected right next to the road to commemorate these times, when bridal showers took place without cell phones or text messages. An eclogite, a type of rock that can only be found in this form and frequency in the Görtschitztal and Saualpe valleys, was carved into a pair of lovers, giving the new Kupplerbrunn its dignified shape. Incidentally, the Kupplerbrunn is only a few hundred meters away from the Toten Hengstofen.

Mystical spherical spruce

If you have made it on foot from the Toten Hengstofen to Kupplerbrunn, you should definitely take a look at the Kugelfichte spruce. The path there, which leads directly from the road under Kupplerbrunn to the right into the forest, is well signposted. The path winds through the forest for around three hundred meters and leads directly to the mighty crown of the spruce, which has been designated a natural monument. It has grown very densely and is widely branched. Even in view of this natural monument, it’s time to marvel and linger. Return to the road via the same path.

Grabenköhler water rest stop

To invigorate the body, we recommend the Grabenköhler water rest area on the forest path from Mirnig to St. Oswald. The Kneipp area consists of a large water treading pool in which you can walk around 50 steps at calf height. This stimulates the metabolism and circulation. Arm baths also promote heart function. Information boards provide tips on how to use the water properly.

Food and drink is also provided

And now hungry hikers are literally spoiled for choice. After all, you have to decide whether you fancy a barbecue, a snack or the finest home cooking. For wonderfully grilled food, it’s just a few hundred meters uphill to the Steinerhütte. Here, Roland Florianz, European barbecue champion, serves up dishes such as delicious steaks and smoked trout that you won’t find anywhere else. At the Druckerhütte, the landlord offers home-style cooking on the menu. This includes his famous meat noodles with sauerkraut, for which connoisseurs are happy to travel long distances.
As you can see, both are possible on the Saualpe: mysterious discoveries in nature and the finest culinary delights. The practical thing about it is that both take place side by side, so to speak, and can therefore be experienced in perfect combination!

Alpine inn Druckerhütte