Zgornja Kostrivnica - Boč

Access to starting point:
We leave the Štajerska motorway at the junction Slovenska Bistrica-Jug, from where we follow the signs for Poljčane. These direct us out of the town, from where we continuously follow the main road in the direction of Boč, which is already clearly visible from here. Through Zgornje Poljčane we do not turn towards Boč, but continue in the direction of Rogaška Slatina and cross the Pečica pass. When we descend from Pečica, we continue straight on the main road until we arrive in the settlement Podplat. There, already before the main crossroads at the smaller crossroads by the sign for Kostrivnica, we turn left and continue on a smaller local road. Soon this road brings us to the settlement Kostrivnica or Zgornja Kostrivnica, which we recognise by the church on the hill. Then we park at a suitable place, for example in front of the church or at a small store and inn in the centre of the settlement.

Path description:
In the centre of the settlement at the crossroads a mountain signpost awaits us, which leads both left and right to Boč. We choose the right direction (Sv. Lenart) and follow the asphalt road past the primary school. At the next crossroads we go straight and follow the blazes, which continue to lead us along the asphalt road into the forest. Soon we arrive at the spring of acidic water, past which we continue straight. At the spring and further ahead there are a couple more parking options. Before the end of the forest the blazes direct us left to a smaller weekend house, above which we continue into the forest. In the forest there is a hidden abandoned homestead, at which we continue right and follow the beaten hiking path. After exiting the forest we continue along the edge of the meadow, after which the beaten path brings us to an asphalt road, at which stands a chapel and a mountain signpost. At the chapel we continue left, to the right we can detour for a short visit to the old water mill (15 min in one direction, marked). We thus follow the asphalt road to the left until we join another asphalt road, where we turn sharply right. The blazes soon direct us left onto an access road, which we leave a little before the house by turning left and ascending through an old orchard. The path brings us to a smaller hamlet, where we bypass two houses and cross a macadam road and continue on a cart track uphill. The steep cart track brings us to a meadow, on which stands the water intake Drevenik. Past it we continue straight past the abandoned farm into the forest. We follow the cart track to the junction with the asphalt road at the sharp bend. We turn sharply left onto the hiking path just before the road. Through the forest we follow the path to the junction with the forest road, where we go straight until we reach the meadow. Then we follow the nicely beaten path to the tree, under which there is a bench. Past it we continue straight on the path that leads into the forest. Soon we come to a fork, at which the blazes direct us right, to the left we can turn if we want to visit Dreveniška gora, a sub-peak of Boč (10 min in one direction, unmarked).
After the turn to the right we follow the blazes to the asphalt road, cross it and on the macadam road after 30 metres turn left onto the Senčna pot. The path immediately changes from macadam into a wide hiking path, which first ascends gently, then ever more steeply. After a few minutes of walking we reach the section where the path becomes steeper and zigzags upwards. Here there are quite a few shortcuts, so we must take care to stick to the blazes. On this section there are also quite a few fallen trees, so extra caution is needed. Among the trees the path continues zigzagging to a smaller ridge, where we turn left and continue on the path which flattens slightly. The path continuously pulls slightly right until we arrive at the natural tunnel of young trees, after which we turn left and ascend to the summit ridge of Boč. Here we turn left again and head along the top of the ridge on a well-visible path, which is very rocky, so caution is needed here. After a few minutes we arrive at the viewpoint tower on the top of Boč.