Lesično - Na gradu (Grad Pilštanj) (along the water educational trail)

Access to starting point:
a) We drive to Šentjur, then follow the signs for Podsreda and Planina pri Sevnici. At the end of Šentjur we turn left towards Podsreda, from where we drive along a rather winding road to the village of Lesično, where the described route starts at the roundabout. We park in one of the parking lots in the center of the village.
b) From the Brežice–Podčetrtek road on the outskirts of the village Bistrica ob Sotli we turn left (right from the direction of Podčetrtek) towards Podsreda. We bypass the center of Podsreda on the right side, then drive to the village of Lesično, where the described route starts at the roundabout. We park in one of the parking lots in the center of the village.
c) From the direction of Sevnica and Krško we drive to Brestanica, then follow the signs for Podsreda. This is followed by some ascent and then a descent into Podsreda, where at the end of the village we turn left towards Šentjur and Kozje. We drive to the village of Lesično, where the described route starts at the roundabout. We park in one of the parking lots in the center of the village.

Route description:
From the place where we parked, we first return to the roundabout, then follow the road towards Kozje. Near the bus stop we reach a marked junction, where the mountain signs for Pilštanj direct us left, but we continue straight along the main road towards Kozje. A little further on the right side of the road, when we notice a roadside rest area, the signs for the Water Educational Trail Lesično–Pilštanj direct us left onto a path that begins to ascend through the forest. In two switchbacks we then ascend to a level area, where we join the previously mentioned marked path.
Here we continue right, then the road through the central part of the village of Pilštanj leads us past the famous Pilštanj pranger (pillory) to the church of St. Michael.
We bypass the church on the right side, after which the path splits.
We continue left in the direction of the Castle Trail (straight ahead is the shorter, direct path, on which we can descend), which turns into a forest, then crosses the slopes to the right past information boards. When we have almost circled the summit we join the direct path, but we continue right from the chapel of St. Ema of Krka or Pilštanj and in a minute of moderate ascent reach the summit, where a bench is placed and from where a view opens towards the Bistrica valley.
To the church of St. Michael, then we descend by the shorter path.

Starting point - St. Michael 0:15, St. Michael - Na gradu 0:10.

The description and photos refer to the situation in May 2026.

Along the route: Sveti Mihael (Pilštanj) (375m)

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