Bistriški jarek (Glasbeni dom) - Bricnik

Access to starting point:
A) We drive to Dravograd, then continue driving towards Maribor. After the road sign 8.0 km we pay attention, because shortly after the bus stop and the pedestrian crossing, we turn left into the settlement Gortina (the turn-off from the main road is not marked). Immediately when we leave the main road, we arrive in the settlement Gortina, and we then drive in the direction of Muta, turning left at the marked crossroads where we notice signs for Bistriški jarek. The road then quickly brings us to Bistriški jarek, through which we gently ascend. We park by the former POŠ Branik, today Glasbeni dom, that is the caption on the building, otherwise the building is used for various activities.
B) First we drive to Maribor, then follow the signs for Dravograd. When we are already crossing Mučka Bistrica, shortly after the Tuš store we drive right towards the settlement Muta 1. The road ahead brings us to Muta, where at crossroads we follow the priority road, from a somewhat larger crossroads we go left, so we continue driving towards Gortina. Shortly after the settlement Muta ends, from the marked crossroads we drive right towards Bistriški jarek. The road then quickly brings us to Bistriški jarek, through which we gently ascend. We park by the former POŠ Branik, today Glasbeni dom, that is the caption on the building, otherwise the building is used for various activities.

Path description:
From the marked parking lot, we continue on the asphalt road which behind the sports field quickly brings us to a marked junction by the ecological chapel.
We continue right towards Sedelnik waterfall (left Pernice), where the path first brings us to the chapel, then behind it over a small bridge we cross Mučka Bistrica. On the other side of the river, the path goes into the forest and ascends along the stream. After a few minutes, the path splits, and we continue right towards sv. Jernej (straight Sedelnik waterfall 2 minutes).
The path ahead steeply ascends and some safety aids assist us. When the safety aids end, we arrive above the waterfall, and the markings temporarily end. From the junction above the waterfall we go right, then still before the end of the older cart track left onto a steep path, along which we quickly ascend to the cart track where markings reappear. Further on, the cart track has several junctions where we carefully follow the markings; when we step out of the forest, we continue straight and above the nearby homestead reach the macadam road, where we continue left towards sv. Jernej. The macadam road then also leads past homestead Vitdoner, where they sell homemade honey; above the mentioned homestead we reach a wider road, which we follow sharply left. The path ahead first leads with nice views, then enters the forest, where the markings direct us sharply right onto a side road, along which we arrive at homestead Ladinek. At the homestead the signs direct us left onto a short overgrown section, then we return to the cart track, which in a moderate ascent brings us back to the wider macadam road. The road leads past the turn-off to the hunting hut and past the chapel; after the chapel we go slightly left onto the cart track. A short ascent through the forest follows, then we arrive at the edge of a vast fenced pasture where small livestock grazes. For a few minutes with ever better views we continue along the fence, then approach the nearby houses. We continue in the same direction, crossing some side pasture fences in between, then arrive at a marked crossroads.
We continue right (left church of sv. Jernej 5 minutes) and in a few steps arrive at homestead Primož, where by the mighty linden tree are the logbook box and stamp.
At the linden there is also a marked junction, and we continue slightly left towards Bricnik and sv. Lovrenc (slightly right sv. Primož). Behind homestead Primož we continue briefly on the macadam road, then go slightly left onto the footpath which continues across a vast panoramic meadow. The path ahead also leads past the chapel and hunting observation post, then turns left and enters the forest. Through the forest we first descend moderately; when the signs direct us right onto a worse cart track, we descend a bit more. Lower we reach stream Vud, along which we continue for a while, then cross it and ascend to the nearby junction, by which there is a wooden shrine.
From the junction a path branches left towards sv. Lovrenc / St. Lorenzen, and we continue right towards farm Odernik, Bricnik and Muta. The path ahead leads along the cart track, at Odernik widening into a macadam road. We continue on the macadam road which leads with ever better views reaching to Peca, Raduha and Uršlja gora; after the nearby chapel the road gradually returns to the forest, where at the crossroads we continue right towards Bricnik and sv. Primož (left sv. Trije Kralji). From the crossroads we continue a few minutes on the road, then go straight onto the cart track which first ascends steeply through the forest, and when it levels out quickly brings us to the top of Bricnik.
Bistriški jarek - Sv. Jernej 1:40, Sv. Jernej - Bricnik 1:30.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in 2018 (October).

On the way: Sedelnikov slap (500m), Sveti Jernej nad Muto (1038m)

Trip can be extended to: St. Lorenzen ob Eibiswald