TRZIN AXE
Length
44.9
Length 44.9 km ​
Time needed
02:00
Time needed 02:00 ​
Največja strmina vzpona[%]
3
Greatest slope of the ascent: 3 %
Greatest slope of the descent: 6 %
Average slope of the ascent: 1 %
Length of ascents above 5%: 0.30 km
The lowest point of the route: 285 m
The highest point of the route: 357 m
Difference in altitude: 215 m
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Poraba kalorij
4070
Consumption of energy for men: 4070 kJ (972 kcal)
Consumption of energy for women: 3316 kJ (792 kcal)
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Difficulty
Difficulty: Easy ​
Quality of the surface
Quality of the surface: Asphalt
Type of bike: City bike
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Short description

The tour is not as easy to conquer it easily with a kick scooter as may be understood from the title. But it is flat, it runs along asphalt roads with minor ascents. It mostly steers clear of busy roads, however, it wanders around many interesting places.

Course

Šentjakob – Črnuče – Trzin – Mengeš – Šinkov Turn – Selo – Polje – Vodice – Moste – Križ – Šmarca – Radomlje – Preserje – Jarše – Domžale – Dragomelj – Šentjakob

Gorge and its hill
You'll begin in Šentjakob and proceed towards west, more precisely, towards Črnuče. The settlement behind the Belinka factory is called Soteska, and rising above, it's the Soteški hrib Hill. That the hill is named after the Soteska settlement is clear, but what is Soteska (gorge) named after, when there are mere vast fields around it? You may take some guesses as you drive to Nadgorica along the main road, where you leave the road and move to a parallel multipurpose path which will be just right to continue on. Just before you reach the traffic lights crossing at the beginning of Črnuče, turn right onto a cycle lane and drive onto a local road around petrol station. Continue towards Trzin, first along the main road, then along a railway , and stop at the traffic lights . Cross the main road and immediately turn right onto a cycle lane until you end up in ponds (mlake) . Not to worry, these aren't ponds (mlake) but Mlake (Ponds) beginning with a capital letter, one of three parts of Trzin where wetland was located until not long ago. Now, this is a vast quite luxurious residential area which forms a new part of Trzin together with the trade and industrial area. The third part of the town is the old Trzin .

Mengeš is 850+ years old
In Trzin, you more or less drive along side and narrow roads running along the main busy road. You meander around the bank and self-service shop in Mlake but you can't get lost, so you eventually find yourself under the Ongar Hill at the Trzin church . There turn right and then left into the village where you may drive towards the main road and stop at Narobe Inn. If you aren't hungry yet, continue your way through the village straight along the Trzin road to the settlement of Loka. Near the end of the village, there's a turn to Dobeno , but continue driving along Gasilska Road towards Mengeš . In Mengeš, just before a traffic lights crossing, go around the church on the right side and turn left onto a sandy path (at house no. 2). Across the bridge , along the tree-lined alley , past the school and you get to the crossing with the road leading towards Mengeška koča on Gobavica .

On the other side of the crossing, there's a castle called Lower or New Mengeš Castle (also Stare Castle) . At the crossroads, turn right and then you reach the main road. Cross it at the traffic light crossing. Turn left and drive until the next traffic lights, and turn left once more towards Brnik. Soon after the traffic lights, where you've turned towards Brnik, you'll see a castle on the left called the Upper Mengeš or Ravbar Castle (also Haller's court) with a beautiful stone entrance and Baroque façade .

Picturesque route towards Vodice
At the end of Mengeš (trade area), turn left and then cross the bridge over Pšata Stream in the direction of Šinkov Turn and Vodice. If you remained on the main road before crossing the bridge, you would get straight to Moste through the villages of Topole and Suhadole, but since you've crossed the bridge, you'll reach Moste through Vodice.

At first, the path leads you through a beautiful forest whose freshness makes this summer trip even lovelier . Drive past several clearings and through more forest, and when you reach the Koseze sign, turn left at the crossroads towards Šinkov Turn . Make a slight ascent to the Church of the Mother of God in the centre of the village and then descent into the village of Selo. Near the church, drive past the modest remains of the Šinkov Turn Castle, which was built in 1250, later rebuilt several times, burnt down during World War II and, at the end, demolished. Only the wall and pavilion in the corner still remind us of it .
At the end of Selo, turn perpendicularly left. The view spreads across the fields all the way to Šmarna gora on the left and soon to the Alps on the right. You soon reach the crossing in front of the NOB (national liberation struggle) monument , where you turn right onto the road leading to the village of Polje. The remnants of the rural architecture of the mighty large estates show that it was once more important and developed than it is obvious nowadays. In the centre of the village, a deteriorating building with a faint inscription Gasthaus , which indicates previous significance of this place, catches your eye. Drive through the village straight to Vodice . You've left Utik on your right, but you may visit it another time, on another route, as there are plenty of them around here.

Vodice for the whole day
You're about halfway through this route. You arrive in Vodice from the south side. Turn right at the traffic lights. As a substantial part of the route is already behind you, you may stop for a snack at Kopitarjev hram. There's a large terrace available for cyclists and other guests, and there's even a cycling snack on the menu. Just before you reach the main road Mengeš–Brnik, you'll drive through the village of Žeje . At the traffic lights, cross the main road and drive straight on in the direction of Križ. A bit further on, you reach the cycle lane in Moste . Go straight on past the village of Križ, where you may observe a castle wall and two defence towers, but not the castle, which was, unfortunately, demolished after the war . You could turn left here and visit Komenda, its two mighty lindens and an oak or an equestrian event, as Komenda has been famous for horses ever since the Valvasor times . However, if you plan to visit Komenda another time, simply proceed to the roundabout and turn right (straight on is Podgorje and Kamnik after it), cross the railway track, at the crossroads turn left towards Kamnik, at the roundabout go straight on, then turn right past the Volčji Potok Arboretum and then you reach Radomlje .

Along the River Kamniška Bistrica back home
From Šmarca to Dragomelj, you enjoy the company of Kamniška Bistrica . But it isn't very close and not on the same side all the time. In Radomlje, where you cross the river, there's something interesting for everyone, if nothing else, there are numerous well-known, renowned and heavily visited inns, which compete against each other which will offer more and better. You could set off to Šporn Inn, which is over a hundred years old. But if you want to press forward, cross the bridge and drive towards Mengeš and ... you are in Preserje . At the first traffic lights, turn left , and drive through Jarše (Zgornje, Srednje and Spodnje), Rodica, Domžale and Dragomelj . Before reaching Rodica, you may stop in Groblje and see one of the most prominent monuments of Baroque art in Slovenia: the Church of St. Mohor and Fortunat . A few more pedal turns, a wave goodbye to Podgorica and you get off the bike in Šentjakob.

That's it for today. It wasn't that short after all. Your meter should be showing two fours, and four symbolises realisation of ideas. You've done something for yourself.

Trzin
The size of the Municipality of Trzin is only 8.6 square kilometres and it is the second smallest in Slovenia. But only regarding its surface, otherwise it is among the more developed, rich and economically important municipalities. Trade and entrepreneurship have changed this former village into a lively municipality with a few thousand inhabitants, whereby the old part kept its previous appearance. At the same time, Trzin is also a pleasant starting point for the nearby hiking destinations, such as Dobeno and Rašica.
In written sources, Trzin was first mentioned in 1273, but perhaps it was already inhabited in the Roman times if not sooner. The inhabitants lived off agriculture, but this was not a reliable source of survival due to frequent floods. So they helped themselves with various 'supplementary activities', from craftsmanship to banditism.

Mengeš
The exact origin of the name of Mengeš is not (yet) proven. It supposedly originated from a kind of Germanic harmonious names which were appearing in documents from the middle of the 10th century to the end of the 12th century. Most likely its basis lies in the Old German male name Meingo, Mengoz or Mengingoz. It was inhabited already in the Roman period when it was called Mansio. The first lord from Mengeš was mentioned in a document issued in 1154 in Bled. Thus the people of Mengeš celebrated the 850th anniversary of their town a few years ago. Writer, Janez Trdina, was also born in Mengeš. A restaurant in the heart of the town is named after him. Mengeš has a rich and long history. In addition to the Stare Castle and the remains of the old Mengeš castle Mannsburg, we may also visit the so-called Upper Mengeš or Ravbar Castle (also Haller's court) from 1567 with a beautiful stone entrance and Baroque façade. Today, the registered office of the Chamber of craft is situated in this castle.
Mengeš is also known for its traditional craft and craftsmanship, from straw-hat making and footwear to the manufacture of musical instruments. Besides, the traditional bean called 'prepeličar' supposedly thrives in this area. Do you know why J. S. Bach was so fond of beans? Because this is a very musical kind of food... There, we have established the connection with musical instruments.

Vodice
As a settlement and municipality, Vodice is a very interesting place. The convent of the famous nuns 'School Sisters', who are widely known for their household courses, the plague sign between Skaručna and Povodje from 1668 , Tavčar's homestead in Lokarje, which looks like a genuine castle, the birthplace of the linguist, Jernej Kopitar, in Repnje , the Church of St. Lucia with frescos by Franc Jelovšek from 1748 in Skaručna , and the mighty Church of St. Margaret, which was first mentioned back in 1118. Baking pretzels and stove making are also worth mentioning. Pretzels are a special kind of savoury pastry which are first cooked and only then baked. They used to be jocularly called fasting sausages . They go excellently with beer, so do not forget to buy some at the famous bakery with 75-year tradition, where they make around 500 pretzels a day. However, baking pretzels is impossible without stoves, so let us also remind you of pottery, the second traditionally renowned section of trade in the wider area of Vodice.

Narobe Inn
The Narobe Inn is one of the well-known inns attracting many visitors of Trzin. Located in an old country house built 500 years ago, it offers a wide range of delicious food prepared according to more than 150-year-old recipes.

Trdinov hram in Mengeš
The Trdinov hram Restaurant is situated in the centre of Mengeš. It offers snacks, lunches, pizzas and other dishes a la carte. The house speciality is Trdina's steak made of two kinds of meat and roast beef with horseradish and pepper sauce.

Kopitarjev hram in Vodice
Kopitarjev hram in Vodice offers many kinds of lunch, even cycling snack for cyclists which is served on a large terrace.

At Šporn
Not only will we enjoy the beautifully arranged setting at Šporn, but also a wide range of daily fresh seafood, shellfish and fish, meat and vegetarian dishes, homemade pasta and desserts.

The Vodice surrounding area is known for pottery, while the wider area is also known for brick making which is closely connected with good clay. Along with suitable processing skills, good clay also provides high quality of end products—clay tiles, vases and similar. Due to numerous clay pits, there is a number of ponds in the surroundings. Along our route, for example, there is the Koseze pond near Šinkov Turn, where clay used to be extracted but then the nearby spring filled the pit. The pond was formed some two hundred years ago. Until World War I, the ice from it was used to cool meat and drinks at local inns in winter.

'Trzin axes'
Trzin used to be known for the bravery and hot-bloodedness of the Trzin boys who had no competition. The bandits filled the area with fear for several centuries. The most robberies were carried out in the vicinity of the current traffic lights crossing near the trade and industrial area. Their frequency caused the inhabitants to be called 'Trzin axes' as if to say they had axes buried in their gardens and it was better not to get on their wrong side. So it is not surprising that a prehistoric stone axe was found buried behind the church in the disused 'Roman' quarry in Trzin. It seems as such things are written already in genes.
Also interesting is that, during the period of the Illyrian Provinces, the Austro-Hungarian rule even supported the activity of the bandits and encouraged them to attack minor French (occupying) units. But that backfired on them after the French had left. The bandits did not part their ways but persisted for a long time, as long as the beginning of the 20th century. But the danger was greatly reduced after winter of 1862 when the leader of the bandits Dimež (Smokey) and his accomplice Pepelnak (Ashy) accidentally died in a Trzin brickyard where they were secretly spending the night. And the cause? Inhalation of smoke from a faulty stove. Nomen est omen (a name is an omen).

In Mengeš, there is the Mengeš Castle (also Stare castle) dating from 1630 on the way to Gobavica . In addition to the main building, the entire outbuilding including an orangery is preserved . The garden is also partly preserved . After the war, the castle was nationalised. Now, it houses apartments, but is in need of an urgent renovation. The Gobavica Hill with the ruins of the old Mengeš castle Mannsburg is towering over it .