Preg: Rock, Quarries and the Mur

Preg combines a distinctive geological history with the Mur gorge in the Murtal valley. In the area of the Gulsen and Preg quarries, a fault line running from southeast to northwest is visible, clearly deforming the rock mass. This makes the village particularly interesting for travellers interested in the landscape and how it was formed geologically. This character is a useful point of reference when choosing a holiday apartment: you can weigh up whether Preg’s geology itself or additional excursions in the surrounding area should shape your stay.

Rock and the Mur in the gorge

The Mur gorge at Preg in the Murtal valley is an antecedent gorge. The Mur has cut through an already formed serpentinite belt there through vertical and lateral erosion. This sequence makes the technical term easy to understand: the serpentinite belt was already there when the Mur’s erosion formed the gorge. This links an existing rock structure with the river cutting through it at a later stage. A fault line also becomes visible in the area of the Gulsen and Preg quarries. It runs from southeast to northwest and clearly deforms the rock mass. These geological features highlight different aspects: the Mur gorge is about river erosion, while the fault line is about the deformation of the rock.

Quarries and industrial use

The quarries add the use of the rock to this picture. Quarrying at the Preg site dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. The Preg and Gulsen quarries extracted dunites and peridotites with varying degrees of serpentinisation, as well as bronzites, from the Kraubath ultramafic massif. Preg hard rock is used in road construction, concrete and water engineering, and preferably in railway construction. The connection between the origin of the rock and its uses adds an industrial perspective to the natural history of the village.

Excursions in the surrounding area and municipality

Nearby, a hike leads from the Almgasthof Spitzer in the Preggraben to the Vorderleitenhütte. Regional snacks are served there; seasonal opening hours may vary. From the Vorderleitenhütte, you can also climb the 1,792-metre summit of the Wildeggkogel in about 45 minutes. This is an approximate time, and route conditions may change. Check current conditions before planning the summit hike, and ask at the hut whether it will be open for visitors at your preferred time.

The municipality of Sankt Margarethen bei Knittelfeld also offers official, well-signposted mountain bike tours and trails. Individual routes may change, so check their course before choosing a tour. The activities also differ in their location: the hike, hut and summit are nearby, while the mountain bike tours are within the municipality. When planning, you can therefore choose between a specific excursion destination and tours offered across the municipality.

For the broader travel overview: Sankt Lorenzen Bei Knittelfeld.