Parking on the clearing - Rudnica (above Podčetrtek) (middle circular path on Rudnica)

Access to the starting point:
When you arrive in Podčetrtek, turn right at the roundabout for the centre and immediately at the next roundabout continue straight towards the centre. Pass the municipal building on the left and the school on the right. Pass the church on the left and head up the steep hill (where the Race across Slovenia takes place), keeping to the left side. When the road flattens out, you will see a parking lot on the right and a little beyond, on the left, a signpost for the Tower of Health and Joy. Keep driving along the asphalt curved road until you reach a gravel parking area on the right where you park your car.

Path description:
The path takes us along the asphalt for the first 200 metres, then on the right-hand side we see a footbridge over a ditch. Cross this footbridge and continue along the forest path uphill. You will come to a forest road and turn left. After about 400 metres walk, you will see a turn-off and direction signs to the right uphill. Continue uphill and at the fork in the trail keep left where after about 50 metres you will see the Šmarnica shelter, which is open during the weekends and gives you time to rest and enjoy the view. At the shelter Šmarnica the path leads us left again along the forest path, at the crossroads turn right again uphill and then start to descend slightly and on the descent turn right where you can already see the tower, follow the path towards the tower. On the first landing you will find a box with a stamp. Then continue straight on up the steeper hill, where just before the dirt road you will see a roadblock and turn left when you reach the road. Continue along the macadam road to the parking area, where you will see a sign for Poni ranch and turn left. You will see three paths (left towards the tower, middle towards the Šmarnica shelter) and we stick to the lower dirt road. After about a kilometre of walking, the path turns to asphalt at the farm. From here we continue on the asphalt to the parking lot where we left our vehicle. The route is 4. 4 km long with a total elevation gain of 262 m.
A video of the route can be found at: https://youtu. be/VuS-iNzz-0w All other attractions and routes are available on the VISIT RUDNICA facebook and instagram pages. You can use @visitrudnica in your social media stories or leave the hashtag #visitrudnica under your pictures so everyone can admire your views and highlights from your trip.

On the way: Stolp zdravja in veselja na Rudnici (620m)

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