Sommereben: Hiking, Running and the Forest Glassworks

When planning a trip to Sommereben, you can consider hiking trails, a running route and a cultural attraction separately. The starting points offer an initial guide to the routes: the tour around the Reinischkogel and the Sommereben Circular Trail start in Sommereben, while the Sommereben Run starts in Greisdorf and returns there. The Forest Glassworks offers a different focus, with its history of glass production in the 17th century. This allows you to plan each of these topics separately as part of your stay.

Hike around the Reinischkogel

An Alpine Club description of a hike from 2012 refers to the “Tour around the Reinischkogel.” It starts at a car park near the Klugbauer inn/hotel in Sommereben. From there, it initially heads west along Trail 551, climbing gently through open high forest. Notable details include the Reinischkogel summit cross at an elevation of 1,440 m and views of Stainz and the Graz Basin. The extent of these views depends on the weather. Along the hiking route, the description mentions the Klugveitl Chapel, with a bench for resting, and the Lochstein, marked by a sign. These landmarks, the forest section and the high point provide several specific points of reference along the route. As trail markings and conditions may change, check the trail markings on site.

Trails with different starting points

The “Sommereben Circular Trail No. 58” starts at the BIOALM Wassermann inn in Sommereben. The “Sommereben Run” has a different starting point: it leads uphill from culinary Greisdorf along the road towards Sommereben, mostly on asphalt, as far as the Sommereben Chapel. From there, it descends back to Greisdorf. The run therefore differs from the circular trail right from the starting point; its mostly asphalt section to the chapel is another specific feature of the route description. When comparing the trails, these differences can help with your planning: the circular trail starts in Sommereben, while the run climbs from Greisdorf and returns there. The designation “No. 58” is part of the Sommereben Circular Trail’s name and should not be confused with Trail 551 on the Reinischkogel tour.

Forest Glassworks and visitor information

The Forest Glassworks complements the trail descriptions with a cultural and historical focus. The museum and shelter, built entirely of wood, offers insight into glass production in the 17th century. The building and its subject can be considered together: the wooden structure serves as both a museum and a shelter, while historical glass production is at the heart of the site. Public parking for the Forest Glassworks Museum / Glaserwiese is available opposite the Klugbauer inn. This gives you a specific point of reference for finding the museum. If you are interested not only in trails but also in the history of regional production, this site offers a distinct focus from the hiking and running descriptions.

The trail descriptions answer different planning questions: for the Reinischkogel tour, the trail number and weather-dependent views are relevant; for the run, the starting point, asphalt section and return route provide guidance. This lets you compare the specific features of the routes without treating them as the same.

Discover more destinations: Graschuh, Sankt Anna Ob Schwanberg, Preding, Aug, Freidorf An Der Laßnitz, Wetzelsdorf in der Weststeiermark, Wernersdorf, Stainz

For the broader travel overview: Deutschlandsberg.