In the town center of Ferlach, cross the Grießbach stream to the west and follow the markings of the Hemma pilgrimage trail via the district of Ressnig to the Drau. Here you walk past Gasthof Plasch in an easterly direction for an hour to Glainach (5.5 km), where you can take the ferry across the river. If you take the ferry to the opposite bank of the Drau, follow a path uphill through the forest to the so-called Hemmafelsen. According to legend, this is where St. Hemma found shelter from a storm. A few meters after the rock, keep left in the direction of Maria Rain and after a short stretch on the road, turn left again, i.e. south, to the Petelinz viewpoint. From here, visitors can enjoy an impressive view of the Rosental valley and across the Drau to the rugged cliffs of the Karawanken. The route continues through the forest to the Maria Rain pilgrimage church. It is around 11 km (3 hours) from Ferlach to Maria Rain; if you choose the shortcut over the bridge at the power station, the route is shortened to 4.5 km.
From the Maria Rain pilgrimage church, the path leads slightly uphill northwards through the village to the forest and further on - west past the Stifterkogel - until you reach the road again opposite the Berg No. 5 residential building. Keep left here and immediately after a few meters, at the next fork in the road, turn left again. Now follow Rottauerstraße until you reach the large crossroads in Lambichl. Here you cross the Loiblpass main road to the west and turn right towards Thalhofmühle after the crossroads. The path leads downhill to the mill pond and past it and the mill house to the next fork in the path. Keep right here and follow the Viktringer Weg slightly uphill to the wayside shrine on the hill. Now turn left onto Kanonenhofweg and follow it to the Viktring Cistercian Abbey. Cross the Stiftshof to the east, walk just a few meters along the cycle path (Koschatpromenade) and turn right at the school's heating plant onto a footpath that leads north to the Keutschacher Landesstraße.
Cross the Keutschacher Landesstraße at an underpass and follow the cycle path, which now runs parallel to the Viktringerbach stream, northwards to the Sattnitz (Glanfurt), cross this over a wooden bridge, follow the Schleusenweg to the left, i.e. westwards, before turning right into the Krippenweg after a few minutes at a small wood. Keep left at a fork in the forest and you will soon reach the Südring. You can cross the Südring safely here thanks to an underpass. Continue along Weihergasse, Waffenschmiedgasse and Haraldweg to the youth hostel in Neckheimgasse.
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Walking the pilgrimage route is at your own risk.
At Glainach you have to cross the Drava river with a ferry. However, this ferry does not run regularly. Advance booking is therefore absolutely necessary (Tel.:+43(0)4227/4559 or +43(0)650/6040112). As an alternative, it is possible to follow the cycle path to the north directly at Gasthof Plasch and to cross the Drau River over a bridge at the power plant.
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