Žovneško jezero - Dom na Čreti

Access to starting point:
A) From the Ljubljana–Maribor highway, take the Vransko exit, then continue driving on the parallel old road towards Celje. A little past the place Kapla, leave the main road and continue driving left towards Braslovče. Drive through Gomilsko, following the road towards Braslovče to the spot where signs for Žovnek Castle direct us left. Further on, drive on a somewhat narrower road beside Žovneško Lake to the spot where, on a power line pole, we notice trail markers for Žovnek Castle. Since there are no appropriate parking spots at the starting point, it is better to park somewhat lower at a suitable spot by the road, or drive higher up the road towards Žovnek Castle and park there at a suitable spot by the road.
B) From the Maribor–Ljubljana highway, take the Šentrupert exit, then continue driving towards Mozirje. At the place Parižlje, leave the main road and continue driving on the local road towards the place Spodnje Gorče. Here cross the main road Gomilsko–Braslovče and continue driving towards the village and Žovnek Castle. Further on, drive on a somewhat narrower road beside Žovneško Lake to the spot where, on a power line pole, we notice trail markers for Žovnek Castle. Since there are no appropriate parking spots at the starting point, it is better to park somewhat lower at a suitable spot by the road, or drive higher up the road towards Žovnek Castle and park there at a suitable spot by the road.

Path description:
From the power line pole, we turn right across the meadow to the edge of the forest, where on a tree we notice a somewhat larger blaze. Here the path enters the forest, and it begins to ascend relatively steeply. The path soon flattens and brings us to a wider cart track, along which we walk to a smaller junction. Here we continue left uphill (right path bypasses Žovnek Castle) and continue the ascent on a steep path, along which in 2 minutes of further walking we arrive at Žovnek Castle.
At the castle we step onto the road, along which we descend to the first junction, there we continue on the upper right road, which we follow for only a few steps, since then the blazes direct us left onto an ascending cart track. Further, we ascend transversely for some time above the torrent gully, cross it higher up, then ascend to the nearby macadam road, which we follow to the right. The path ahead brings us past the NOB monument and hunting lodge Lovski dom pod Grmado to a junction, where we continue sharply left towards Čreta. Further, we ascend for some time along a relatively panoramic road, then signs for Čreta direct us sharply left onto a cart track, or wider path, which higher crosses the macadam road. The path ahead ascends briefly more through the forest, then brings us to a grassy hayfield, along which we ascend to the isolated farmstead.
Above the farmstead we come to a smaller monument and chapel, the path turns right into the forest at the chapel. We ascend through a belt of forest and shrubbery, the path returns to the road, and we follow it to the right. Further, we walk along the road for some time, which brings us past a larger monument and later a smaller hamlet to a marked junction.
We continue along the left road (straight to Dom Dobrovlje, Bezovec and Letuš), which we follow for only some 10 steps, since then signs for Čreta direct us left onto a marked cart track. The path ahead ascends gently to moderately for some time, then brings us to the next NOB monument, behind which the path gradually begins to descend. After a short descent we come to a smaller hamlet, which the marked path bypasses on the left side, then in a moderate ascent over an increasingly panoramic slope we ascend to the church of the Holy Mother of God.
Behind the church we continue slightly left (sharply left Vrhe, slightly right church of St. Catherine), cross a narrow belt of forest, then begin descending towards Dom na Čreti, which we reach after a few minutes of descent.

On the way: Grad Žovnek (409m), Lovski dom pod Grmado (510m), Sveta Mati Božja na Čreti (944m)