Mur - Frohnleiten

Level of difficulty 3 |  Gastronomy 1 |  Length 10.2 km |  Time 2 – 2.5 hours

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A visit to the historic small town of Frohnleiten directly by the Mur River is like a journey into the past - whether on foot or on SUP. Thanks to the town's colorful facades, its industrial zone and tranquil nature there is a lot of variety on this leisurely section of the river. 

General information

• Styria tourist information
• Frohnleiten tourist information
• Frohnleiten Wikipedia
• Climate
• Wind, waves, weather

Navigation rules

In the area of the town Frohnleiten and towards the dam you could occasionally encounter boats. Bypass them ahead of time! In addition, the reed banks should not be touched in order to protect the animals living in them.

Dangers and risks

The starting point below the Frohnleiten power plant is deep, but quite safe thanks to the stepped stones. However, we recommend that you wear sturdy footwear and, if in doubt, have two people lift the boards over the lowest stones.

The flow speed at the start is slightly elevated (approx. whitewater level I-II) and definitely requires experience in such water. The lower sections of the tour then quickly become navigable for everyone (as long as the water level is normal).

It is also important to pay attention to the bridge pillars along the route and to avoid the moles that protrude about 15 m into the river from both sides.

The right turn after the industrial area should be mastered on the left, as a shallow gravel bed on the right lets the fins sit up.

The main bridge, which leads to the center of Frohnleiten, runs diagonally across the water. It can be passed standing on one side, but only kneeling or bending over on the other side.

At the lower turning point of the tour, keep enough distance to the weir of the Rabenstein power plant.

Directions

Coming from Graz respectively Bruck an der Mur take the Brucker Schnellstraße (expressway) S 35 to the Rothleiten exit. From there, drive in the direction of the bridge directly east under the Frohnleiten power plant (Kühau, to the left of the SB car wash). Cross the bridge and at the end turn sharp left onto the small path. Here you can park well on the left side of this road.

From all directions, public transport, is also a great option for getting to Frohnleiten.

Parking

After crossing the bridge (Kühau), there is a small path on its north side immediately to the left between the Mur and the railway line. There is enough space to park your car on the left side of the path.

Swimming

Except for the upper half of the route, the water is calm and there is little current. You could definitely cool off in the few publicly accessible places (but this is not a recommendation). On the other hand, the small town has an adventure pool anyway and there are several more bathing opportunities.

Adventure pool in the Frohnleiten leisure park
Grazer Str. 20, 8130 Frohnleiten
Phone +43 (0)3126 51190

Worth seeing

It always pays off to take a walk through the center of Frohnleiten. The very well-preserved buildings tell of the town's more than 700-year-old story.

The almost 900-year-old tower of the Rabenstein Castle lies above the Mur Valley (Murtal). Once built to monitor and secure traffic routes, it now serves as an event location and is also very popular for weddings.

For everyone looking for a place of peace and quiet, the Monastery Garden is worth a visit. The cultivated garden is used for the self-sufficiency of the monastery residents and can also be visited by prior arrangement (Phone +43 (0)3126 2488).

On the main square in Frohnleiten you will find the art gallery Galerie Raimann. Culture enthusiasts can admire paintings, sculptures, installations and performances by the artist Michael Raimann from Graz.

Extra Tips

On the main square in Frohnleiten you will find the art gallery Galerie Raimann. Culture enthusiasts can admire paintings, sculptures, installations and performances by the artist Michael Raimann from Graz.

For beer lovers we recommend the Brauerei Flecks brewery. Thursday is THIRSTday, everyone is welcome to taste the homegrown brew from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Lurgrotte grotto is the largest water-bearing stalactite cave in Austria. Guided tours usually last one to two hours. Particularly adventurous folks can join special adventure tours.

Tour

From the starting point under the Frohnleiten power plant down to the Rabenstein power plant and back again.

Length

10.2 km

Time

2 – 2.5 hours

Start and landing

Right under the wayside shrine at the bridge (Kühau), about 200 m below the weir.

SUP rental

none

Overnight Stay

Murhof Hotel und Restaurant
Adriach-Rabenstein 53, 8130 Frohnleiten
Phone +43 (0)3126 3000

Gastkeusche Höss
Schöneggerstrasse 54, 8102 Semriach
Phone +43 (0)680 2308697

Gasthof Lembacherhof
Bruckerstrasse 1, 8130 Frohnleiten
Phone +43 (0)3126 2453

Gastronomy

Heiningers Schlemmerei
Brucker Str. 7, 8130 Frohnleiten
Phone +43 (0)3126 44444

Trend Lokal
Mauritzener Hauptstrasse 1, 8130 Frohnleiten
Phone +43 (0)3126 51199

Through the multifaceted Murtal Valley 

This tour is again the classic example that satellite images cannot always be trusted, especially since the vegetation and the building infrastructure may have changed since it was taken. The starting point, which we had targeted in advance, turns out to be impassable due to the slope of the bank. It therefore takes a while before we find the best access to the river under the Frohnleiten power plant.

Due to industry, many accesses are blocked anyway and possible off-road routes to the water are inaccessible through the thicket. Ultimately, however, we find an optimal descent to the Mur, which lies far below, to the left of the bridge (Kühau) on the right bank at the small wayside shrine. The stepped stones lead to a small and hidden cove with gravel and coarse sand.

With our boards under our armpits, we walk down quickly and start directly into the strongest current of the entire tour. We are kneeling at the beginning and as soon as the water calms down we are already on our feet despite the slightly higher waves. The first few meters are level 1-2 whitewater, so it is advisable to paddle this tour with some river experience. 

On both river banks, moles made of rocks and stones protrude about 10 to 20 meters into the course of the river - an ideal playground for practicing approaching eddies. Here the conditions are also ideal for river rookies.

Then we paddle past industrial plants, and while it's not the prettiest backdrop, it has potential for some interesting and unusual SUP photos. Here, too, you can still incorporate a little eddy training in many places and even take a break under the trees on the shallow left bank before you leave the industrial zone behind and are driven into a long right-hand bend. Here the water gets a little choppy again and depending on the water level, only the left side can be navigated well. If you then paddle too far to the right, fins and paddles could land directly on the river bed.

With the first bridge (Brucker Schnellstraße) in sight, we head towards the town center. Directly under the right hand side of the bridge there is a pier and a slipway including a parking lot. If you want to save yourself the first two kilometers of this route and prefer to jump straight into the more comfortable water, you will find great starting conditions here. 

From now on, the already gentle current slows down significantly, and you can paddle in the leisurely flowing water past the colorful facades of Frohnleiten, which skillfully project their reflections on the water. Not only are these eye-catchers, but apparently we paddlers are as well, because at the second bridge, which leads directly to the center, we are greeted by the first onlookers who are sitting outside a pub enjoying a beer - certainly not their first.

We quickly leave the old town behind and find ourselves on the almost standstill Mur River nestled in the middle of nature again. We encounter scattered birds and swans as well as geese, which waddle around freely along the country road next to the river.

Since the water here is mirror-smooth, every paddler is reflected in it too, allowing us to take great photos. Gradually we float down towards the Rabenstein power plant, where the turning point of this tour awaits us. Arriving at the dam wall, we see the 13th century Rabenstein Castle, enthroned on a rocky spur high above the Murtal Valley. Hissing noises can be heard in the water, which can cause uncertainty at first. You might think the SUP has a hole and is losing air. But our SUPs remain firm and hold up well on the way back. It is probably just lines or pipes laid in the water that are losing air bubbles.

The way back starts comfortably and in principle it doesn't matter whether you paddle by the bank or in the middle of the river. Only after the last curve before Frohnleiten does the river's flow rate start to increase again, but you can still paddle in the middle of the river. Since we can't assess exactly what's in store for us in the upper reaches of the route, we start paddling more and more by the bank to save energy. This way we discover a small access to the water, which is located at the main bridge at the small park in front of the local Health and Nursing School (left river bank).

You could park here right behind the school and start a shortened version of the tour directly from the town center.

We continue upstream and go on to the next bridge (Brucker Schnellstraße S 35). From there we definitely prefer to paddle by the bank and stick to the right side (left bank) in order to save energy around the long left-hand bend with its gravel banquet. The paddling frequency increases and the first beads of sweat leave the epidermis.

Meter by meter we work our way towards the cardboard factory and are always on the lookout for the optimal line, knowing full well that only the last one to two hundred meters could get really intense. Up until now it has been slightly challenging to go against the current, but absolutely doable for ambitious paddlers. If necessary, you can pause again in the eddies between the moles and recharge your batteries before starting the final show of strength under the bridge and to the little bay where you began this tour. 

Along this stretch, the Mur shows us paddlers all its facets, and you can experience a nice mix of leisure paddling and easy whitewater along this 10 km route. That's how we know and like it, the longest waterway in Styria.

Alternative: You can shorten the route significantly or omit the upper part between the Frohnleiten power station and the town center if you go to the inconspicuous water access at the park by the nursing school. The same applies to the water access via the slipway under the highway bridge.