Ravne na Koroškem - Pokeržnikov vrh (via Šteharski vrh)

Access to starting point:
A) From the road Slovenj Gradec - Dravograd, from a bigger roundabout we drive on exit in the direction of Ravne na Koroškem, and then we drive towards the mentioned settlement. When we get to Ravne na Koroškem, behind the Petrol gas station, at the crossroad, where on the right is situated Spar store, we turn left on a marked free parking lot, where we park by the river Meža.
B) From Črna na Koroškem or through the border crossing Holmec we drive on Prevalje, from where we continue driving towards Dravograd. When we get to Ravne na Koroškem, at Spar store, which we notice on the left side, we turn right on asphalt parking lot, which is located between the main road and river Meža.

Path description:
From the parking lot first at the pedestrian crossing we carefully cross quite busy main road, and then we continue on a sidewalk in the direction towards Dravograd. After Petrol gas station we continue left on the road, where by the underpass under the railway track, we notice the first signs for Šteharski vrh. After the underpass, we continue right in the direction of the path Malgajeva pot and we steeply ascend on stairs. Stairs quickly end, and when at the hayrack we reach the macadam road we follow it to the right to the near residential houses, where signs point us to the left below the route of a high voltage power line. Next follows quite panoramic walk below the power line, and then the path splits.
We continue left (right path Malgajeva pot), and then we on the right side bypass the nearby house and business building, behind which we cross a macadam road. Next follows an ascent through the forest, where at the crossings we follow quite frequent blazes. Higher, the path brings us on a panoramic grassy slope, from which a nice view opens up towards Uršlja gora and Peca. A little above the nearby chapel from the right also the path from tourist farm Spodnji Lečnik joins, and after the crossing, we on the right side bypass also the homestead.
Next follows a short ascent on the asphalt road, and then signs for Šteharski vrh point us to the left in the forest. Through the forest, we are for some time steeper ascending, and then we reach the macadam road, on which we continue to the farm Šteharnik, which we bypass on the left side. We continue on a cart track, at first with nice views on Koroška's hills, and then the path passes into the forest. Follows few minutes of a moderate ascent and mostly asphalted path brings us on Šteharski, or Šteharnikov vrh.
From the top, we return few steps back, and then we continue right on an unmarked cart track, on which we start descending towards the west to northwest. After few minutes of descent, we reach the crossroad of the macadam roads, and we continue on a slightly left road (sharply left - Ravne na Koroškem, slightly right - we can get to Libeliče, sharply right - church of the Holy Cross ). A gentle ascent follows on the macadam road which leads us past two religious symbols, and then with nice views, we get to a crossroad, where the path branches off slightly to the right to a hamlet Šteknija, and we continue slightly left on the bottom road which for some time leads with nice views on Koroška mountains, and then the road passes into the forest, and when the forest for some time gets thinner we reach the hunting cottage Strojna.
Behind the cottage, the road returns into the forest and at first still crosses slopes of Šteknetov vrh, and then the slopes of Trotov vrh. Next follows few successive crossroads, where we continue straight, and then past the chapel Trotov križ (chapel of triangular shape with saints depicted on frescoes) we get to the next crossroad by NOB monument, where we continue slightly left in the direction of Strojna (slightly right - Libeliče).
The path ahead brings us out of the forest and further leads with nice views on Uršlja gora and other surrounding peaks. Higher, we go also past the farm Požeg or estate Kupnik, and after few additional minutes of walking, we get to the farm Janež, which is an exceptional case of vernacular architecture from 17th century.
At the farm, where there is a well preserved smoke kitchen we continue slightly right on a cart track which ascends diagonally above the road (straight on the road - church of St. Urh). Higher, the path leads us through a lane of a forest, and when the forest ends, we quickly walk to the nearby Pokeržnikov vrh, from which a nice view opens up.
Ravne na Koroškem - Šteharski vrh 1:45, Šteharski vrh - Pokeržnikov vrh 1:30.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2018 (March) and 2019 (February).

On the way: Šteharski vrh (Šteharnikov vrh) (1018m), Trotov križ (863m)