A marked hiking trail from Lovrenc na Pohorju to the Lovrenška jezera begins near the Parish Church of St. Lawrence. The Ruta forest nature trail passes through the Štiblerjev vrh forest reserve. Together with the historic churches and rural buildings, these make for a destination where you can choose how to balance nature and cultural experiences.
Hiking trails and scenery in the Pohorje
The Ruta forest nature trail is approximately three kilometres long. The marked trail from Lovrenc to the Church of St. Ignatius is estimated to take about two hours to reach the church. These are different planning details: Ruta has an approximate distance, while the route to St. Ignatius gives the walking time to the destination. The branch Church of St. Ignatius is located at Rdeči Breg nearby and was built around 1750. Its main altar was made by Jožef Straub.
The hiking trail to the Lovrenška jezera begins near the Parish Church of St. Lawrence. The lakes themselves lie in a peat bog in the Pohorje, between Planika (1,391 m) and Mulejev vrh (1,533 m), in the headwaters of the Radoljna, Mislinja and Velka streams. Depending on the current water level, there are between 11 and 22 small lakes there. The changing size of the lake area is one of the distinctive features of this moorland landscape.
Churches and rural cultural heritage
The Parish Church of St. Lawrence was first mentioned in 1184. The present church was built in 1765–1766 as an almost entirely Baroque building. Its rich Baroque furnishings were created by the Maribor sculptor Jožef Holzinger; the interiors were repainted in 1892. The branch Church of the Holy Cross in Lovrenc na Pohorju is a late Baroque church dating from 1659. A fragment of a fresco depicting Mary and John the Evangelist has been preserved inside.
Ladejenkovo adds a different type of building: the house is considered the oldest in Lovrenc and is about 500 years old. This farmhouse, built entirely of wood, dates from the 15th century. Pajštva, meanwhile, is a preserved Pohorje fruit-drying house more than 100 years old. Fruit and flax were once dried there. Together, the churches and agricultural buildings offer insight into different aspects of local history.
Culture, cycling and other activities
“Žvancanje” is an activity for visiting cultural and historical sights in Lovrenc. It is run by the Lovrenc na Pohorju Tourist Association; you must get in touch in advance. Visitors interested in beekeeping can learn about the lives of bees and beekeeping, and sample bee products, at the Čebelarski dom during Jezernikovi dnevi. The Čebelarski dom and the bee nature trail can also be visited by prior arrangement with the beekeepers’ association.
The Pohorje Cycling Route 4 starts in Lovrenc na Pohorju and is 44.3 kilometres long. Local cycling tours start in front of the tourist information centre. A day fishing permit is required for fly-fishing in the Radoljna stream. The local herb association sells herbal teas, tinctures, ointments and other herbal products. A public climbing area nearby has equipped routes graded from 3 to 7c; climbers use their own equipment and climb at their own risk.
Discover more destinations: Kumen, Smolnik.
Return to the main travel overview: Ruše.
