As locals we suggest you to spend your precious time hiking to the magnificent Šumik waterfall or to some lakes located farther away; the Silent Lake, Black Lake or Lovrenc's Lakes. We proudly suggest you a tour of the various cultural attractions, such as St. Mary’s Church and St. Areh’s Church. We should not forget to mention the historically important partisan hospital Jesen (The Fall), a legacy of the Second World War.
The waterfalls Veliki Šumik and Mali Šumik
The Pohorje Mountain's northern slope is the creek Lobnica spring that descends to Ruše and flows into the river Drava. At some sections, the creek flows over rocks—the waterfalls, Mali šumik and Veliki šumik, cascade over those rocks as well. The Veliki šumik waterfall is magnificent in the middle of the forest; the water falls 36 m into the depth, making it the most magnificent waterfall in the Pohorje Mountains. Some part of the path leads over the rocky slope, where it is often slippery. When walking, we use a zipline that goes over the rocks and spruce trees at the steep forest slope.
The Black Lake
The Black Lake is a nature reserve which gives the lake an appearance of a black jewel with its dark bog water. In the previous centuries, the lake was an artificial water reservoir for the purpose of timber rafting along the Lobnica chute; they were storing the wood in the valley between 1838 and 1959. Together with the Lovrenc Lakes and the Ribnica Lake, the Black Lake constitutes the largest area of high bogs in Slovenia.
The Silent Lake or “Falski tajhti”
The Silent Lake, also known as “Falski tajhti” by the locals, is an artificial water accumulation, which surface oscillates through the year. The Lobnica creek, which originates a little above the lake, comes and runs from it. Among the unique flora that grows nearby belongs the carnivorous plant sundew. The lake hides among the forests of Pohorje, and therefore it is unknown.
St. Areh’s Church
The Church consecrated to St. Henry was first mentioned in 1545, but it is undoubtedly older. Next to the church stands the oldest mountain cabin Ruška koča. Beside it, two more cabins were built: the cabin Planinska koča was built in 1912 and the cabin Čandrova koča in 1922. The cabin is opened all year-round.
St. Mary’s Church in Smolnik
The local church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and belongs to the Ruše Parish. It was built in the Baroque style between 1859 and 1861.
There is painted altar architecture in the chancel with portraits of St. Anthony of Padua and St. Luke at pillars, and the oil painting of the Immaculate Mary is located at the centre. In 1861, a well-known Slovene bishop Anton Martin Slomšek consecrated the Church.
The Fall Partisan Hospital
The partisan hospital The Fall (Jesen) is the only renovated hospital in the eastern Pohorje Mountains. Partisan healthcare is related to the doctors Ivan Kopač Pavček and Herman Slokan – Zmago. The hospital's construction started in the second half of October 1944 (during the fall season – that’s where it got its name.) Farmers nearby provided necessary tools so that the construction could start. According to the documents that are kept in the hospital, 25 wounded soldiers were treated there. However, the medical team reported on treating plenty of more patients.
