Zgornje Poljčane - Studenice castle

Access to starting point:
A) From the direction Ljubljana we leave the highway in Slovenske Konjice and through Žiče, Loče and Zbelovo drive to Poljčane. At the crossroad, we continue right in the direction of Zgornje Poljčane for few hundred meters, where we park in the center of the settlement, suitable place is a parking spot by the cemetery
b) From the direction Maribor we leave the highway in Slovenska Bistrica, where the signs point us to Poljčane. Through the center of the settlement Poljčane we continue in the direction of Zgornje Poljčane, where in the center of the settlement, we park, appropriate place is parking spot by the cemetery.

Path description:
After a short sightseeing of center of the settlement Zgornje Poljčane we continue across the stream Bela by the presbytery a little upwards on the road. Left by the path, we reach the entrance into a church, on facade there is also a relief of two Romans. After sightseeing, we continue left in the direction of the settlement Podboč on an asphalt path which is also a cycling path Formilska kolesarska pot. We soon reach a pleasant, smaller settlement Podboč and on the left by the path there is a tree Černogova tisa (yew) and a well renovated by locals.
We continue right on the road upwards, now we also enter the landscape park Boč & Plešivec. The asphalt pavement changes into a forest road. On the left is a nice view towards the surroundings of Poljčane and riverbed of river Dravinja among fields and meadows. The road passes into the forest and we soon reach the grassy plain, where the road flattens.
On a grassy plain on the right there is a smaller storage with a field and on the left vineyards. We again continue through the forest and the road is pleasantly winding left, right... At the end of the flat part we go sharply left downwards and we descend on a narrower forest stone road, while to the right upwards there is a continuation higher towards Boč.
We continue downwards, the path is pleasantly descending, it is well hardened and we soon reach an intermediate destination, the source of the stream Topli potok at an altitude 295 meters.
Over a wooden footbridge we continue on the other side of the stream and soon after a short plain, we go lightly downwards, where left by the path there is a nun cemetery and on the right there is a smaller source in a wooden trough. We continue few meters upwards on a narrower path by a wooden fence for a grip. We follow the path higher, downwards, there is a well visible old center of Studenice with the monastery complex. By the descendant of Maribor's old vine, we further reach Studenice castle. Over the centuries some was preserved, also renovated a decade ago and the destination rewards us with beautiful views on the valley of river Dravinja, Boč...
The distance of the described path is around 3500 meters, 130 positive altitude meters and 85 negative altitude meters.

On the way: Izvir Toplega (Studeniškega) potoka (295m)