Teplý Vrch brings together a variety of themes for an exploratory trip: one nature trail explores the history of a game reserve, another the karst; there is also a notable hickory grove, water sports at the reservoir and a history of Protestant architecture. Important for planning: visits to the Zvernica Teplý Vrch nature trail must be arranged in advance; it is not open to the public during the winter months.
Game Reserve and Zvernica Nature Trail
The Zvernica Teplý Vrch nature trail is a self-guided walking route focusing on hunting, nature and history. It starts and ends at the Lujza cabin in the game reserve. From an observation tower, visitors can watch mouflons and fallow deer living under the protection of the foresters. The stops cover the history of Slovakia’s oldest game reserve, the keeping of these two animal species, and the flora and fauna of the Teplý Vrch game reserve.
The route therefore combines wildlife watching with nature and history. Anyone wishing to visit this particular nature trail should take into account the requirement to arrange a visit in advance and observe the seasonal restriction. The self-guided format describes the nature of the route; it does not waive the access requirement.
Karst Trail and Hickory Grove
Another highlight is the Drienčanský kras nature trail, which begins in Teplý Vrch and passes through the protected Hikóriový porast area. The entire nature trail is 7.5 kilometres long and has 15 stops with information panels about characteristic natural features of the karst. A shorter section also ends in Drienčany. This distinction matters when choosing a route: the 7.5-kilometre figure refers to the entire nature trail, not the shorter section.
The hickory grove also tells the story of a deliberate planting: at the end of the 19th century, 50 hickory trees from five species were planted there – Carya ovata, Carya glabra, Carya lacinosa, Carya alba and Carya cordiformis. The trees acclimatised well to local conditions and regenerate naturally. This protected area thus brings together a historic planting and the ongoing natural regeneration of the grove.
Reservoir and Wildlife Watching
The northeastern edge of the protected Hikóriový porast area lies close to the Teplý Vrch reservoir. Water sports are available at the reservoir. Watching water birds is also one of the nature experiences described here: from a wooden observation point, visitors can spot the kingfisher, among other species. Those interested in the karst trail will find a different perspective on nature here than on the nature trail in the game reserve: the latter focuses on the reserve’s animals and history, while this area features karst formations, the hickory grove and water birds.
Protestant Church and Regional Culture
Teplý Vrch is home to a Protestant church in the Classicist style with Baroque elements. The building dates from 1827. Its altar is much older: it was created around 1640 in the traditional Mannerist style of Protestant altars and comes from an earlier wooden church mentioned in 1754. The chronology – an altar dating to around 1640, the wooden church mentioned in 1754, and the present church building from 1827 – gives the building a layered history. The church is listed as number 1 028/1 in the Central Register of Slovak Monuments.
Beyond Teplý Vrch, the Gotická cesta, part of the gemersko-rimavský okruh in the Teplý Vrch microregion, passes through the municipalities of Kraskovo and Kyjatice. This adds a regional cultural route to the local nature and church highlights, without presenting the individual stops as a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Gemerský Jablonec, Radnovce, Hodejovec, Drňa, Lehota Nad Rimavicou, Čerenčany, Zádor, Babinec.
For the broader travel overview: Okres Rimavská Sobota.
