The Southern Railway arrived in Šentjur in 1846 and had a significant impact on the development of the town. Today, a museum dedicated to the Southern Railway is located at the Šentjur railway station. The Šentjur Tourist Information Centre houses a permanent exhibition of the New Swing Quartet entitled The Song of the Southern Railway. The Zgornji trg square is famous for the Ipavec family, composers and doctors, while visiting the Museum Collection Rifnik and its treasures we go back to
prehistoric times.
Summary of the cycling route
- Circular cycling route length: 34 km (asphalt and macadam)
- Duration: with stops suitable for a half-day tour, without stops 4 hours
- Difficulty: medium
- Starting point of the route: Zgornji trg in Šentjur (free parking), Šentjur railway station or Ponikva railway station, Dramlje - parking at the bus stop (by the primary school)
- Total ascent: 1002 m
- Highest point: 445 m
- Lowest point: 249 m
- Tours of the museum collections and the memorial room in Šentjur are possible from Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 16:00, outside working hours by prior arrangement, visiting the Southern Railway Museum are possible by prior arrangement
- There are several market shops, bars, restaurants and inns in Šentjur
Bilingual map of the route
Description of The Song of the Southern Railway cycling route
From the Zgornji trg (upper square) in Šentjur, we descend into the center of Šentjur. At the railway station, we can visit the Southern Railway Museum. We drive through Hruševec and continue across Vrbno with a gentle descent to Zlateče. We arrive in Blagovna, drive past the former Blagovna manor in Goričica and at the Blagovna Equestrian Centre, turn right (or just cross the road and refresh yourself with a drink on Rajski otok) onto the road towards Šentjur and after a few meters turn left into Cerovec - Jarmovec, among forests and meadows. We can stop at the Zima partisan hospital, which is located right next to the rest area of the same name on the Štajerska highway. After the tour, we continue our journey parallel to the highway through the forest and at the intersection under the highway, keep right. The ride takes place between forest clearings and fields and meadows, and with a gentle, longer climb we reach Marija Dobje. Here we can see a replica of the plague pillar, then turn right towards Svetelka, through the Dramlje centre, where we can get some refreshment before the climb to St. Uršula hill, as we are faced with a rather demanding but not too long climb. Before the Dramlje Primary School, turn left onto the main road and after a few meters right onto the road to St. Uršula. At the top of the 481 m high hill, you can walk around the pilgrimage church, sit at the renovated mountain lodge of the Dramlje mountaineers and enjoy the views of the hilly landscape. On the macadam surface, we descend between the vineyards to Šedina, past the Shire ranch (the Shire is a breed of large draft horse that originated in England) below Uršula and on towards the settlement of Razbor and Zagaj pri Ponikvi in Hotunje. We suggest a short break for a snack at the Masten's ponds. After refreshments, we continue our journey to the Ponikva railway crossing, where we turn right towards Šentjur, past the Pri Gobcu Inn. At the top of the climb, we turn left among the orchards for Brezje ob Slomu and along the forest descent to Kameno, across the meadows and enjoy the view from Botričnica on the way to Zgornji trg Šentjur, to the starting point at the Šentjur Tourist Information Centre, where they will be happy to advise you on your next cycling trip along the Šentjur Tour destination.
