Rozka's Forest Learning Trail

The trail is three kilometres long and leads in a circle: it will lead you along a path or forest road from the upper station of the Pohorje cable railway  towards the Church of St Bolfenk, then along the northern slope to the viewing tower – Razglednik. From there the trail goes downhill on the southern side towards Železničarski dom and then along the footpath back to St Bolfenk. 

Trail signs are a pine tree and a yellow-blue sign on a white square or just a yellow and blue sign. Along the trail are 7 places to stop at are marked. The trail without a guide takes one hour to walk, but with a professional forester guide approximately three hours. 

Rozka Debevec-Lesjak

The forest learning trail from Bolfenk to the viewing tower was established in 1981 under the leadership of forest engineer Rozka Debevec-Lesjak whose idea it was. The trail was named the Rozka forest learning trail in memory of her in the year 1995.

Mighty Pohorje trees and forests

Curiosities that adorn the surroundings of St Bolfenk and draw the attention of visitors are:

• a mighty beech tree, which grows on the meadow by the church and close to the ground has more and thus is one of the largest beech trees on Pohorje and
• a chestnut tree with a circumference of 408 cm and a height of 14 m, which makes it the tallest growing chestnut tree on Pohorje – you can find it north of the church.

Pohorje’s special charm is the extensive forests. In the past the beech tree was the queen of Pohorje. In some places alone, elsewhere together with fir and pine trees it covered Pohorje’s slopes. At the time there were glassworks on Pohorje the beech forests were greatly thinned out, so that the remains of primeval beech forests are still only to be found on the northern slopes of Pohorje in places where access is difficult. Everywhere else pine trees were planted instead of beech trees for economic reasons. Centuries of experience show that such forests are not resistant and consequently foresters are gradually trying to return it to its former state. In this work they are making use of all that nature offers. Therefore, everywhere possible they renew old forests in a natural way, without planting. The immense number of seeds that fall on the forest floor and from which only best germinate is assurance that we will have healthy forests.

Key points of interest along the way:

• St. Bolfenk Church and 
• viewing tower.