Šmartno na Pohorju - Sveta Uršula (Bojtina) (via Bojtina)

Access to starting point:
We leave Štajerska highway at exit Slovenska Bistrica south or north (depending on which direction we come from), and then we drive into the center of Slovenska Bistrica, from where we go on the road in the direction of the settlement Šmartno na Pohorju. Next follows few kilometers of ascent, and we follow the road in the direction of the mentioned settlement. When we get to Šmartno na Pohorju, we park on a smaller settled parking lot at the cemetery and church of St. Martin.

Path description:
From the parking lot in few steps we walk to the main road which leads through the settlement, and we follow it to the right, where also the blazes point us to. For a short time, we walk through the center of the settlement, and then with nice views, we walk to a smaller crossroad, at a little bigger chapel.
Here we continue straight (right - Ruška koča na Arehu - path via Frajhajm) and few minutes further we get to the next marked crossroad, from which we also continue straight (left - Sveti Trije kralji) and we moderately ascend past individual houses and inn Dovnik. Next follows crossing of a lane of a forest and then we descend a little to a crossroad, where we continue right towards Areh and Bojtina.
After the crossroad, the road descends even a little more, and we go from the road slightly right on a parallel mountain path, which is still descending. Lower, the path flattens and past a newer and older building brings us back to the road which we follow to the right. On the road, we over the bridge cross a stream and we go also past a cross, and after the cross the path towards mill Šetorov mlin branches off to the right, to which there is good 5 minutes of walking.
We continue on the road and we ascend steeper, and on the road we walk to the right turn, in the middle of which we go straight on a marked cart track which then ascends diagonally through the forest. Higher, we at first get closer to the road, and a little further, at the religious symbol we also return on the road. Next follows a walk on a more and more panoramic part, from where a view opens up towards the nearby church of St. Uršula, and we quickly get to a crossing, where the path marked with Knafelc blazes leaves the road and continues straight over a grassy slope and leads forward towards Areh, and we go sharply left and we continue on the asphalt road which is further marked with local signs. Next follows some ascent, where at two smaller crossroads we continue on the right road, and then past the homestead Pogležen we get to the church of St. Uršula.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in January 2022.

On the way: Bojtina (858m)