Stage 2 | Route description

From the Eisenkappler Hütte/Kapelška koča mountain hut follow the path to the east on the Pruggersteig path no. 603. After approximately 25 minutes you will reach the small chapel of St. Anna. The path then splits at the Potschulasattel/Na Počulah saddle. Continue towards the east over the top of Jovanberg/Koš, then descend on a gentle slope where the trail leads into a pine forest. Continue on the forest path and after cca. 500 metres a track branches off in the beech forest leading to a beautiful view of Jauntal/Podjuna, where you can take a rest at the Agnes–Quelle spring. Take the forest path immediately behind the spring, past the marked rock and for cca. 200 metres on the road, where the path forks off downwards. Follow the forested Pruggersteig ridge which leads to Bad Eisenkappel/ Železna Kapla. On reaching the valley, continue on the asphalt road and cross the Ebriachbach stream and Vellach/Bela. Follow either the main road or the narrow tracks into the centre of Bad Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla. On reaching the parish church head upwards on 'Papgassl' street. Continue past the Boschtl farm and after cca. 350 metres ascend to the Lobnikstraße municipal road and follow the road for 1 kilometre. At the fork first follow the marked macadam road. The forest trail leads steeply uphill to the access road for the Mikejhof farm. Follow the road past the farm then take the track through the forest, crossing forest trails, and after cca. 2 hours you will reach the slope up to Bad Eisenkappel/Železna Kapla, then, at the end of a large meadow, the Prevernik saddle. The final 300 vertical metres of the ascent to Oistra/Ojstra is very steep. Descend steeply downhill towards the east. After descending for cca. 350 vertical metres you will return to the forest road, which you follow for 200 metres. At the turn off go uphill along the spine of the ridge on a logging track towards the east to Topitza/Topica. First follow the path into the forest and then again take the forest road to reach a small hunters' hut, where you can fill your water bottles. Continue on the path and after 30 minutes you will reach mountain pastures and soon thereafter the top of Topitza/Topica. Descend on the marked path. The short, steep path soon leads down to the Alpine Inn Riepl.