Ruta Forest Educational Trail

The Ruta Forest Educational Trail is a circular route 4.5 kilometres long. It starts at the Matec homestead and continues along skid trails to the boundary of the Štiblerjev vrh forest reserve. From there it descends along a hunting path, laid out along the former promenade paths of the Fala manor, to the Štibler homestead. From the Štibler homestead it continues along a forest road past Lobnik (a forest clearing) back to the starting point at Matec. The trail is waymarked with a yellow chamois silhouette on a green circular background. The Alpine chamois was chosen as the symbol of the trail because the steep slopes of Ruta are a typical habitat of the species on Pohorje, and with a little luck chamois can easily be spotted along the way. The educational trail has nine themed stops where visitors and hikers can learn about the forests and history of Ruta and some interesting facts about forest management and forest ecology. In every season the trail offers wonderful views of the Drava Valley, the Fala hydroelectric power plant, Kozjak and Pohorje. You are advised to walk the paths of the Counts of Fala in suitable hiking footwear, as the section along the hunting path is steep and slippery in places. Where it follows skid trails and the road, the trail is not demanding and therefore requires no special caution. After the clearance of damaged trees, the forests along the educational trail look very different from how they did before the ice storm. There are many thinned stands (felling) that will take a long time to recover and remind us of the immense power of nature and the great importance of preserving our greatest natural treasure – the forest.