Zgornja Bistrica - Sveti Trije kralji (via Bistriški vintgar)

Access to the starting point:
From the motorway exit Slovenska Bistrica-south, through the roundabout to the junction of the old Maribor-Celje road, where turn right to the centre of Slovenska Bistrica (approx. 600 m), where turn left at the traffic lights by the church. Go straight ahead, right past the Impol factory (roundabout - second exit), over the bridge over the Bistrica, at all further junctions go straight ahead, across the field to the end of the road by the waterworks, where you park your car. From the centre of Slovenska Bistrica, just 4 km.

Path description:
From the parking lot into the wods, where at first a wide and sloping path runs along the left bank of the Bistrica River, which is then crossed via a metal footbridge. Walk close to the Bistrica River and slowly climb up, soon coming across a signpost for the Roman Quarry, where white marble was quarried for artwork during the Roman Empire. (*** To visit the quarry, turn right over the footbridge, and in a few minutes you will be at the quarry, returning along the same path).
The path becomes steeper, and after a while Bistrica is already deep below us. A signpost points to a natural landmark, the 20 m high multi-tiered Šum waterfall, continue straight on. (*** To see Šum, take the narrow path to the right, which leads down to the waterfall, from there continue left uphill until you rejoin the main path, the total walking time is extended by about 20 minutes).

As you continue along the trail, you will come across a signpost for Ančnik's Castle, and we turn right over a wooden footbridge over a tributary of the Bistrica River, across marshy land and then over a metal footbridge to the left bank of the Bistrica River. The path becomes steeper, we admire the rapids and waterfalls of the Bistrica, we often see the remains of sawmills and mills along the way, and we are surprised to find a bench for a rest. We also come across an exposed spot which we have to cross carefully.

In the upper part, the path becomes more difficult and still runs along the Bistrica River, whose flow also calms down a bit, at the crossroads we pass an old mill on the right and follow the signs. Through the trees on the left side you will see a larger clearing, the path turns into the forest again, where you can see Marolt's fir tree, which is unfortunately already rather decayed. Further on, from the start, the path leads us out of the forest for the first time onto the plain, where we cross a larger meadow on the left to a macadam road, where we turn left over a bridge and then immediately right at the next crossroads. We are below Močnik, 2/3 of the way. After 200 m walk along the road, turn right (lok out for a faint signpost on an electricity pole on the left side of the road), turn left in the wods and continue on a moderate slope along a good visible path. In between, cross the asphalt road once, and just before the end of the trail, the trail from Veliki Tinja joins from the left.

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