Kainach

The Kainach is a 65-kilometre river in the Austrian province of Styria. It rises in the Gleinalpe mountains and flows south-east through rolling countryside. The river has been straightened and shortened several times to create farmland. Along its course it collects water from smaller streams like the Siebenbrunnenbach and the Teigitsch. It passes villages such as Kainach bei Voitsberg, Bärnbach and Lieboch before joining the Mur near Wildon. The river’s upper valley once held a lake that drained when the water found a way past the ridge where the ruins of Krems castle stand. Early hunters used the many caves in the area during the Stone Age. Later the region belonged to the kingdom of Noricum and was settled by Slavic groups pushed west by the Avars. Their language survives in place names like Preding and Laßnitz. Today the Kainach flows through a landscape of gentle hills and farmland. The riverbanks show traces of its natural meanders and straightened sections. Walkers can follow paths beside the water or visit the old castle site above the valley. The quiet surroundings offer glimpses of local wildlife and distant views of the surrounding countryside.