Radvanje - Bellevue - Areh

We go upwards from Radvanje to Bellevue by the Pohorje aerial railway (during the week it departs on every full hour, while during the winter season and when necessary on weekends it operates continuously from the morning to the evening). Those preferring to go by foot may march by the Snow Stadium along the slope to the interim railway station, and then directly to the small inn Luka. From here , we continue along the aerial railway passing by the Radvanje Hunters Lodge. Ever better, to the north a splendid view of Maribor appears , while the pleasant hilly landscape of Slovenske gorice remains behind us. The path becomes, after the top Habakuk station of the railway, more even and it quickly brings us to the final Pohorje station and hotel Bellevue. There is an inn "Koca", as well as a few smaller stands with drinks, by the hotel. This is the starting point for most of the ski routes at Maribor Pohorje. In the vicinity, there is a children's ski route and a sledge route. During the summer, at the "Koca", one may hire a riding horse, while in the winter skiing gear may be hired by the Pohorje cable car station. It is possible to fly by hang-glider, under the direction of a teacher, below Hotel Bellevue. A finely renovated late Gothic Church of St. Bolfenk from the end of XV century is in the direct vicinity of Hotel Bellevue, which had at the time become an affiliate of the Limbus parish. In 1785 the Church ceased to be operational, after which it began to deteriorate and by 1869, it was in ruins, though it has been renovated recently. Because of its exposed location, it is visible from far away in the Drava Valley.

By the St. Bolfenk Church the path leads us upwards to Cigelnice (1146 m), where a 20 m high viewing tower is located. From the tower, there is an exquisite view across the Pohorje peaks, all the way to Peca and Golica westwards and to Slovenske gorice, Donacka gora, Ivanscica and Sljeme to the east.The viewing tower was erected in 1909 by German mountaineers, as a response to a 1903 erected wooden tower erected by Slovenian mountaineers at Zigartov vrh. We continue the excursion along the marked mountain path westwards towards the upper railway station Videc. At the crossing of the mountain paths ("Pri bukvi" - "By the Beech Tree"), we may turn left downwards along the forest path and after five minutes' walk, we arrive at one of the oldest mountain lodges at Pohorje, "Mariborska koca" (1080 m). It was built in 1911. During World War II it was burned down, but later it was renovated. Mariborska koca is a popular objective of Maribor mountaineers. There 16 beds in rooms, and 30 in a communal room. From Mariborska koca, we go along the marked mountain path by Reski vrh (1156 m) and by Sodovec (1232 m). Before arriving there, we may turn to right at a clearly marked turn,and continue to the Glazuta Mountain Lodge (from German Glasshutte - plant for the manufacturing of glass products).There are 60 beds in the Lodge. After Sadovec,we soon arrive at Ruska koca- also called Tinetov dom -lodge ,by Areh (1249 m). Ruska koca is the oldest mountaineers outpost on Pohorje,built in 1907.The lodge operates throughout the year,offering 21 beds in rooms and 26 ones in a communal room. In its direct vicinity,a pilgrimage church dedicated to St.Areh is located,built before 1545,on the border between fiels of Fala,Slovenska Bistrica and Fram. Straub's main altar is to be found in it,together with the sarcophagus of the first Styrian duke Otokar Traungavec,which has brought here from the Zice Monastery. During the 70s a B category hotel was built next to the St. Areh Church.

Areh is an excellent point of departure for one day excursions along eastern Pohorje. After a 2 hour walk we come to the area of the natural reservation of the virgin forest Sumik, with a 40 m high waterfalls.After a walk of more hour,along the splendid,slightly hilly and sometimes swampy east Pohorje plain,we arrive at the Dom na Osankarici (lodge) (1193 m).There is a minor museum collction at the Lodge,devoted to the murdered pertisans of the I.Pohorje Battalion:near the Lodge remnants of the camp and of the last battleground of the Battalion,with a monument by the sculptor Slavko Tihec,are located. Just a 20 minutes walk from the Lodge another Pohorje pearl is located- Crno jezero (The Black Lake). The lake is man made.The water in it was once used for the rafting of wood into the Valley.After 2 hours and a half walk,we arrive at the winter sports centre [tuhecov dom (1181). A Gothic-Renaissance church devoted to the Three Wise Men from the beginning of th XVI century, mentioned in 1603, is located.