Smolnik - Koča na Klopnem vrhu

Access to starting point:
Smolnik is a settlement on the west side of Ruše. From the center Ruše we drive straight towards the west on the asphalt road for Lovrenc, past the cemetery on the right side, in Smolnik below the characteristic railway viaduct the road turns sharply right, then straight to the industrial hall, where on the right side of the road there is advertising banner GEBERIT. Here a traffic sign marks a larger asphalt parking lot on the left side of the road, where we park the car. From the center of Ruše a little less than 2 km.

Path description:
From the parking lot we go on the road towards the west, after approx 300 meters before the last house on the left side we turn left, as warns the signpost for ZGORNJI SMOLNIK. On the cart track, we go upwards on the northern slope of Kluže, through a smaller underpass we cross the railway, the path turns right and past a smaller farm brings us to the forest. If we step on the edge of a cart track, a view opens up on river Drava and hills on the other side of the river. The path is in zig-zags winding through mainly deciduous forest, meanwhile sharply to the left there is a turn-off of the path towards Šumik (through the valley of Lobnica), we get to a narrow asphalt road ("30 min), next 2 km we will walk on the road. We are on the western bank of Lobnica, which we hear deeply below us. From the left side a view opens up on a steep forested slopes of the opposite side of the valley, we can nicely see a mighty homestead Marolt. Such farms on its path we will see few more, they are cultural monuments and carry thier names for long time, even though in some parts the owners already changed. We continue on the road below Globokarjev vrh, eventually above the road we notice a nice chapel and we get to the saddle in the vicinity of homestead Globokar (" 20 min). On the right side towards the northwest a view opens up on part of the valley Dravska dolina. We can nicely see cliff Falska pečina, and behind it manor Falska graščina, which was the first time mentioned already in the year 1245, and today's design dates back to 1407. Upwards by the river we can see the oldest Drava hydropower plant Fala, which was completed in the year 1918, the engine room from that time is entirely preserved and today it represents a biggest technical monument of its kind in this part of the Europe. The road is steadily ascending, before the homestead Harič the asphalt ends, after few minutes we go also past the homestead Cebe, a little downwards and immediately at the turn we turn from the road left uphill into the forest (" 15 min). On the cart track, we soon get to a little hidden memorial plaque NOB, on this spot on 1942/07/17 there was a clash of unit Ruška četa and German militiamen. Through the forest, we get to a meadow below the homestead Švajger, we cross the meadow on the right side by the edge of the forest upwards. We get to a crossroad, we continue on the road right upwards and then we go immediately left, we get to a smaller church (" 35 min). The church was built in the year 1860 by farmer Luka Hleb, the building is under renovation. It is surrounded by a small cemetery, here is the tomb of family Hleb. On more than hundred years old tombstones there are inscriptions in Slovenian, which testifies to the strong national consciousness of the inhabitants here. Just by the church there is a crossing - left path leads towards Šumik, and we continue right upwards into the forest. Eventually on the right side unexpectedly a view opens up on Ruše, a little further we can also see part of Maribor. A pleasant, almost horizontal path comfortably leads through the forest, we cross few smaller streams and at the bridge over stream Lamprehtov potok we get to a macadam road which leads to Klopni vrh (" 50 min). On the road we go left upwards, over a wooden bridge again over the stream to sawmill Fišerjeva žaga or Stara Glažuta (" 10 min). From the sawmill and glass factories there are preserved only names, today there are holiday facilities. At this spot, we go left into the forest and on a steep path we get to a clearing, where there is mountain hut Koča na Klopnem vrhu (" 20 min).