Žovneško jezero - Grmada (Dobrovlje)

Access to the starting point:
a) From the motorway Ljubljana - Maribor, take the exit Vransko, then continue along the parallel old road towards Celje. A little after Kapla, leave the main road and turn left in the direction of Braslovč. Continue through Gomilsko, and we follow the road towards Braslovče until we reach a point where signs for Žovnek Castle point us to the left. Continue along the slightly narrower road by the Žovne Lake, and we follow it to where we see the mountain signs for Žovnek Castle on the electricity pylon. As there are no suitable parking places at the starting point, it is better to park a little lower down in a suitable place along the road, but you can also drive higher up the road towards Žovnek Castle and then park there in a suitable place along the road.
b) From the motorway Maribor - Ljubljana, take the exit Šentrupert and then continue in the direction of Mozirje. Leave the main road at Parižlje and continue along the local road towards Spodnje Gorče. Here, cross the main road Gomilsko - Braslovče and continue in the direction of the village and castle of Žovnek. Continue along the slightly narrower road by the Žovenice lake, and follow it to where you can see the mountain markers for Žovnek Castle on the electricity pylon. As there are no suitable parking places at the starting point, it is better to park a little lower down in a suitable place along the road, but you can also drive higher up the road towards Žovnek Castle and then park there in a suitable place along the road.

Path description:
From the electricity pylon, bear right across the meadow to the edge of the forest, where you will see a slightly larger marking on a tree. Here the path enters the forest, which begins to climb quite steeply. The path soon becomes wider and leads to the wider cart track, which leads to a small crossroads. Here, continue left uphill (the right-hand path bypasses Žovnek Castle) and continue up the steep path to reach Žovnek Castle in 2 minutes.
At the castle, take the road down to the first crossroads, and continue along the upper right road, which you follow for only a few steps, as the signs then direct you left on the ascending cart track. Continue for some time cross-climbing above the torrential gully, crossing it at a higher level, then climb to the nearby dirt road, which you follow to the right. The way forward leads past the NOB monument and Lovski dom pod Grmado to a crossroads, where we continue sharp left in the direction of Čreta. Continue for some time along a relatively scenic road, and then the signs for Čreta direct you sharp left to cart track, or a wider path which crosses the dirt road higher up. The way forward climbs through the forest for a short time, then leads to a grassy hayfield, which leads up to a secluded homestead.
Above the homestead you reach a small monument and a chapel, and the path turns right into the woods at the chapel. We climb through lane of woods and scrub, the path returns to the road and we follow it to the right. We continue walking along the road for some time, which leads us past a large monument and later a small hamlet to a marked crossroads.
Continue straight on (left Dom na Čreti) and then after a few metres to the right in the direction of Dom Dobrovlje, Bezovec and Letuš. The road continues past Križnik Farm and then descends to a marked crossroads.
Again, continue to the right (straight ahead to Dom Dobrovlje and Bezovec) and continue the climb following the St. John and St. Paul markers. The road, which continues over a gentle grassy slope, quickly leads to the Planinšek farm, after which it transitions into a very narrow lane of a forest. The forest ends immediately, and the path leads us quickly past the chapel to the aforementioned church of St John and St Paul. At the church, continue right in the direction of Grmada and follow the folded cart track, which turns into a forest. Cart track soon climbs more moderately and leads us to the top of Grmada in a few minutes.

On the way: Grad Žovnek (409m), Lovski dom pod Grmado (510m)

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