Although the route is marked “moderate”, do not let that fool you, because as you head south through Gotna vas and Birčna vas, there are a several short but steep climbs one after the other. The area that comes next is called Podgorje, where the villages lie concealed in the shadow of the Gorjanci hills. The trail leads through the hills and valleys in a wide circle south of Novo mesto through the villages of Podgrad and Mehovo, where you can climb (on foot or by bike) to the ruins of a castle above the village, then continue to the village of Dolž. Continue along the road to Mali Slatnik, where the main road leads back to the starting point in Novo mesto. Along the way, you can see the monument at Poganci, commemorating the first shots being fired for the Slovenian War of Independence, the habitat of the yellow azalea plant (Rhododendron luteum) – a special feature of Dolenjska, and learn about the famous cherry variety known as Brusniška Hrustavka.
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