Podsreda - Veliki vrh (Orlica) (skozi Osredek pri Podsredi)

Access to starting point:
We drive to the center of the Podsreda settlement, where we park at one of the parking lots in the town center. We can also park on the outskirts of the settlement near the cemetery, sports field, or fire station.

Route description:
From the center of Podsreda we follow the signs for Grad Podsreda, where after the NOB monument we carefully cross the main road, then continue along the side road that continues south. A gentle descent follows past a few houses, then the road forks, and we choose the slightly right road, along which there are signs for Grad Podsreda (left Levstikov mlin).
A little further on, in front of the nearby house, we go slightly right from the road onto a cart track that ascends parallel to the road and transversely ascends above the aforementioned house. On this section, a nice view opens towards Stara sveti gora from the path, and the path then enters the forest, where we follow the well-maintained Grajska pot. In the lower part of the path, it leads us over a few wooden bridges, followed by fairly frequent ascents on stairs. Higher up, the path, along which there are numerous information boards, levels out temporarily, then mostly continues on a cart track that ascends transversely through the forest to the left. When we are already quite close to the castle, we reach a small valley where there is a castle pond, and a little further the path forks.
We continue straight ahead (sharply right leads the path to Florjanova kapelica and from there further to Grad Podsreda or to Zavetišče v Pečicah) and then ascend along the fence to Grad Podsreda.
We bypass the castle on the right side, above the castle we reach an asphalt road and follow it left towards Veliki vrh and Svete gore.
We continue the ascent along the asphalt road, which leads us past two parking lots, then we ascend through the forest to a marked junction, where we continue right in the direction of Pišec, Bizeljskega and Veliki vrh (left Svete gore).
A little further from the junction we leave the forest, where on a larger meadow the road turns left and forks again.
This time we choose the left road, along which Knafelčeve markings continue (straight Slovenian touring bicycle trail) and which soon returns to the forest. A transverse ascent through the forest follows; when the forest ends on the left, a view opens to the nearby Rigelj, the peak with antennas, and we quickly ascend to a marked junction, where the path from Zavetišče v Pečicah joins from the right, specifically the path past the Švajger farmstead.
The path ahead leads us with nice views along the pastures of the Pusti Vrh hamlet, then we temporarily return to the forest. When we leave the forest, with views of Veliki vrh, the highest peak of the Orlica range, we walk to the junction in the middle of the Preska hamlet, where we continue straight (left another path towards Svete gore) to the junction towards Veliki vrh, a minute away.
In front of the Šulc farm, where the stamp is located, we go right and bypass the farm buildings on the right side, soon arriving in the forest, through which we ascend to the cart track that comes from the farmyard. Here we go right and ascend transversely to the junction below Veliki vrh, where we go left (right Artiče and Zavetišče v Pečicah).
From here, only a few dozen steps remain, and we arrive at Veliki vrh, where there is a monument to the Slovenian tolar.

Podsreda - Grad Podsreda 0:40, Grad Podsreda - junction past Grad Podsreda 0:10, junction past Grad Podsreda - junction at Marofu 0:05, junction at Marofu - Pusti Vrh 0:20, Pusti Vrh - Preska 0:15, Preska - Veliki vrh 0:15.

Description and photos refer to the condition in March 2026.

Along the route: Podsreda castle (475m), Razpotje za Gradom Podsreda (524m), Razpotje na Marofu (544m), Pusti Vrh (634m), Preska (625m), Razpotje pod Velikim vrhom (682m)

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