Gornji Grad - Cave Jespa (via Borovnica)

Access to starting point:
From Savinjska dolina or from Kamnik via the Črnivec pass, we drive to Gornji Grad, where we park on the arranged parking lot next to the main bus station.

Route description:
Signs for Menina planina, the path over Borovnica, and the path past Semprimožnik guide us to the main road, along which we continue northeast, then quickly turn right onto Prod street, where the path splits behind the first house on the right.
We continue right toward the path over Borovnica (straight the path past Semprimožnik) and proceed alongside houses; upon reaching the second road, we turn left to a nearby marked path branching left upward, where the path enters the forest through which it begins to ascend steeply. For some time, we ascend a steep mountain path; higher up, the footpath widens into a cart track, along which we quickly climb to a macadam road, which we follow upward. We don’t walk long on the road, as blazes guide us left onto a footpath that ascends steeply above the road and continues to climb steeply for quite some time. Higher up, we reach a cart track where the path slightly flattens; it flattens further when we reach an altitude just above 1000 meters. Here, we continue briefly through a forested valley near the summit Prag (1109 m); a little further, we cross a forest road and proceed along a wider cart track, following blazes at several junctions.
At an altitude of 1165 meters, we reach a marked junction where we merge with the path past Semprimožnik.
Here, we turn right toward the Dom na Menini planini and reach the Prag plateau at 1170 meters.
Next follows a short descent to the "kopalnica", followed by a moderate ascent to the point where the marked path splits.
We continue right toward the path to the Jespa cave (left the path over Ovčji stan) and ascend moderately through occasionally thinner forest. Higher up, we cross a forest road again; upon returning to dense forest, we merge with the path past Strmčnik.
We continue left toward the Dom na Menini planini past Jespa; we ascend through the forest to a grazing fence, where we leave the forest. Here on the left, we notice a hunting cottage, but we continue straight uphill, following the blazes and a fainter footpath. During the ascent, a beautiful view opens up when looking back; higher up, the path enters a strip of forest, where we still carefully follow the blazes. When we leave the forest again, the path flattens; we then gently descend to a macadam road leading toward the Dom na Menini planini, which we merely cross and ascend along a marked path. Next follows a walk across the Menina planina plateau, where we continue following blazes; the fairly gentle path leads us to a junction for the path to the Jespa cave.
Here, with the help of fixed safety gear, we descend into a karst sinkhole from which there is an entrance to the ice cave Jespa.
Description and pictures refer to conditions in April 2024.

Along the route: Prag (1170m)

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