Fuchsloch

The Fuchsloch is a small cave set into the eastern slope of the Kugelstein, a low hill north of Deutschfeistritz in Styria. It lies about twenty metres below the Efeuhöhle and close to the boundary between Deutschfeistritz and Frohnleiten. The entrance opens in a narrow rock ledge that is easy to overlook from the path below. Despite its modest size, the cave has drawn interest from speleologists. The main passage runs roughly north-west for about three and a half metres, only one and a half metres wide and no more than half a metre high. A thin layer of cave clay covers the floor and even spreads beyond the entrance, making the interior damp and slippery after rain. Visitors who reach the ledge will see the shallow, flat-roofed opening framed by lichen-covered limestone. Inside, the passage quickly narrows and the floor rises, so only the first few metres can be explored without special equipment. The site remains quiet, visited mainly by walkers who pause to admire the view across the valley before continuing along the hillside trail.