Spodnje Pirniče - Šmarna gora (Kovačeva steza)

Access to starting point:
A) From the Ljubljana - Jesenice highway take the Ljubljana - Šmartno exit, then continue driving towards Tacen. In Tacen just before the road over the bridge crosses the Sava River continue slightly right towards Pirniče. Only a little after that, when Ljubljana ends, we arrive at the inn Kovač in Vikrče and only a few meters ahead to the crossroad, where the road towards Medvode and the center of the settlement Spodnje Pirniče branches off to the left. Here we continue straight and after a few tens of meters of additional driving we arrive at a smaller crossroad, where a narrower asphalt road towards house nos. Spodnje Pirniče 48, 48 a-d, 49, 49 e, f, g, h, 50, 50 a, b, 53 a, b branches off to the right. Our path starts at the mentioned crossroad, but because there are no appropriate parking spots here we have to park somewhere else (most appropriate place is by the church in Spodnjih Pirničah or on the paid parking lot at club Lipa).
B) From Šentvid we drive to Tacen, there just after the bridge over the Sava River left towards Pirniče. Only a little after that, when Ljubljana ends, we arrive at the inn Kovač in Vikrče and only a few meters ahead to the crossroad, where the road towards Medvode and the center of the settlement Spodnje Pirniče branches off to the left. Here we continue straight and after a few tens of meters of additional driving we arrive at a smaller crossroad, where a narrower asphalt road towards house nos. Spodnje Pirniče 48, 48 a-d, 49, 49 e, f, g, h, 50, 50 a, b, 53 a, b branches off to the right. Our path starts at the mentioned crossroad, but because there are no appropriate parking spots here we have to park somewhere else (most appropriate place is by the church in Spodnjih Pirničah or on the paid parking lot at club Lipa).
C) From Medvode we drive to Zgornje and further to Spodnje Pirniče, but at the crossroad before the beginning of Vikrče we turn towards club Lipa. After only a few tens of meters of additional driving we arrive at a smaller crossroad, where a narrower asphalt road towards house nos. Spodnje Pirniče 48, 48 a-d, 49, 49 e, f, g, h, 50, 50 a, b, 53 a, b branches off to the right. Our path starts at the mentioned crossroad, but because there are no appropriate parking spots here we have to park somewhere else (most appropriate place is by the church in Spodnjih Pirničah or on the paid parking lot at club Lipa).

Route description:
From the starting point we continue along the mentioned street, then behind the last house on the right side we turn right onto the road, which a few meters ahead loses its asphalt surface and leads us to an unmarked junction at the water reservoir.
Before the water reservoir we continue left into the forest (if we continue straight we arrive at Kovačeva steza) through which we begin first only gently to ascend. Further the path leads past the abandoned quarry, and a little further we join the better-trodden path from club Lipa.
The path continues through the forest, through which it gradually begins to ascend more steeply. For some time we ascend steeply, then the path levels out and leads us to the place where we join the relatively steep road leading from Zavrh towards Šmarna gora.
We continue the ascent along the road, which further leads past the NOB monument and a few meters ahead also past the plague or Turkish sign. Higher the road turns somewhat more to the left and leads us from the forest onto panoramic slopes. With a view of the summit of Šmarna gora and Kamnik Savinja Alps we quickly arrive at the Gorjanc homestead, from which a short walk follows to the marked junction Na Sedlu.
Here we continue left further along the road, which soon splits into two parts. We can continue the ascent along the road, in this case we ascend to the summit past the wish bell, or continue right along the marked footpath, which past the chapel of sv. Sobota also leads to the summit of Šmarna gora.

Along the route: Na Sedlu (580m)

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