From Sostro
It's true that the route starts at the well-known starting point - stop of the city bus no. 13 in Sostro , . This time, however, you won't turn in a popular direction towards Podlipoglav, but just the opposite. You should check that you're well equipped and supplied with everything you need. At the church , turn right. On the opposite side of the road, there are the parish office and Minorite monastery . At the next crossroads, turn right and drive along Litijska Road.
Up the hill at the very beginning
You haven't even driven two kilometres when the road starts ascending. The sign says: 12%, 2 km. Squirrel style it is. After four kilometres altogether, you'll reach the first summit. A lovely view of Ljubljana opens on your left . At the Pe￨ar Farm , , the road tips over. If you turn right, you'll come to Javor, which will be waiting for you on your way back. After two hundred metres, you'll reach hairpin bends and macadam winding almost all the way through the valley of the Besnica Stream . The road from Podgrad comes from the left; but you'll turn right after the water hole with a mill and continue along the valley along the Besnica Stream , and go slightly uphill through the village of Besnica.
And you're in for the second hill, the highest around here
At the ninth kilometre, turn left up the hill . Take a look at the encouraging signpost: Jan￨e, eight kilometres. The first two kilometres - 12% grade. You're ascending quickly and new views are opening up . Hurrah, you're in Gabrje . You can see Ljubljana from here . In the village, located by the Fruit Road, apples, honey and other things are being sold. Continue through the village towards Jan￨e. Nicely and slowly. You couldn't go any faster. The grade is such it could be written with a capital letter (20%). Even squirrels shifted into a lower gear. Below Jan￨e, you'll be greeted by the chapel of St. Nicholas . After 14 kilometres, you'll reach Jan￨e . The Jan￨e Mountain Hut is situated on the highest point in this area and is an obligatory pit stop for cyclists. Do take a look around, as it's really beautiful. Supply yourself with some fresh water in the hut and then move on. There are still quite a few kilometres before you.
Winding descent to Jevnica, then you'll have to check your map
Jan￨e is an intersection of numerous cycling and hiking routes. The plan is to follow the winding road down the hill to Kresnice. Push those pedals for about 400 metres from the mountain hut and then turn left onto macadam towards Laze . Descend along well-maintained macadam and turn right towards Jevnica at the first crossroads . The path straightens up a bit at Zgornja Jevnica, but then descends again through the forest. After 17.5 kilometres, you can relax and drive along the asphalt road. But there's only 100 metres worth of asphalt. The descend shifts back to macadam. Along the path, there are some vines , , which are full of grapes in autumn. In these hills? For those of you who don't know: where sweet chestnut grows, vine thrives as well. In Slovenia, this would be to an altitude of around 800 metres. These vineyards are at an altitude of about 600 metres. And one more thing: after each turn, a new view of the landscape below you opens up . From Zgornja Jevnica on, you're back on asphalt . After about 20 kilometres, you're in the valley, where you cross a minor stream (called Jevnica) and later stop. The settlement of Jevnica is a kilometre away on your left, but you aren't going there today . At the second crossroads 50 metres on, turn sharply right-you almost make a U-turn-towards Goliﾚ￨e.
Through Golišče to Kresniški vrh
Dash up another slope just like a squirrel jumps on another tree. Shade, asphalt, hairpin bends and one of the lowest gears on your bicycle. During the ascent, you'll go past some scattered farms of the long village of Goliﾚ￨e. After this four-kilometre ascent, you'll reach the top of the hill . On your left, there's a real bowling alley some 30 metres steeply up the hill. You can relax for a moment. Not far ahead, a winding descent towards the River Sava starts, which offers some beautiful views , . After two kilometres, you'll reach Kresniﾚki vrh , where you'll get the opportunity to slightly cool off the overheated brakes. Drive in the direction of Kresnice and then descend again along a winding road through the forest to Kresnice. On the opposite side of the River Sava, you can see a large quarry , which provides raw material for a lime factory. At the crossroads at the beginning of Kresnice, turn right onto the shortcut running past the settlement. In the forest, there's an information board with a map of the Kresnice Local Community . At the end of the descent, you'll find yourself at the crossroad with the main road, where you need to turn right towards Litija . You can catch your breath now - you'll be cycling on a plain more or less. Even squirrels take a breath now and then...
Along the Sava Valley
Drive along the edge of the forest and then through it, and cross the railway (across a protected level crossing). You'll enjoy some views of the Sava and some macadam again. Then you'll cross the railway again, but this time you'll actually drive through a steep railway tunnel with horrible macadam. No one will blame you if you get off the bike and walk those hundred or two hundred metres. At the top of the hill, when you're back on asphalt again, turn sharply right. On your left, there's Pogonik Castle with a monument in front of it . Descend into the valley through the forest and you'll soon reach the River Sava again. Drive through Podﾚentjur and on towards Litija.
Litija and Sitarjevec
Just before Litija, the Sava comes so close to the Sitarjevec Hill that the road barely fits in between. Here, you can see the remnants of commercial buildings of the abandoned Litija mine. And you're in Litija . A mighty monument by Ple￨nik is on your right and soon you'll reach Valvasor Square. If your strength runs low, you can have a snack at the Pergola Inn and Pizza Restaurant . Turn right onto Levstikova Street and right again onto ﾊmarska Road. Right after the cemetery, turn right yet again towards Zavrstnik and say goodbye to Litija. Along the way, you can check out the Sitarjevec Hill from the south side (with a transmitter on the top) . Do you have enough water? At a crossroads in Zavrstnik, there's a snack bar where you get some fresh water. There won't be many opportunities to do that from now on. Drive slowly along the beautiful valley to ﾊtangarske Poljane . Cycling idyll, which will soon come to an end. Not that it won't be beautiful anymore but that tranquillity will be lost in the rapid heartbeat. Squirrels are back in action. Slopes, of course. You'll ascend for about 200 metres and 45 kilometres from the start, you'll see a signpost pointing directly towards Ljubljana. Hurrah! This is where you need to go. If you turn right, you come to Preﾞganje.
Through Trebeljevo to the Besnica Valley
Needless to say, you're pedalling up the hill again, as it's up and down all the time. But that's how it is. However, slopes, at least those where you need to go uphill, finally come to an end in Trebeljevo . But only temporarily, so don't jump for joy too soon. A pass is coming up; the road takes a sharp turn to the right at the end of the village. And also the signpost is directing you towards Ljubljana. If you're out of strength and fluid supplies, turn left past the church in Veliko Trebeljevo . It's one and a half kilometres to the Kamnikar Tourist Farm. Otherwise, descent to Zgornja Besnica and turn left towards Javor somewhere between the houses.
Last squirrel jump
The path to Javor is a squirrel shortcut to food supplies that are hardest to reach. So be careful! You'll need to shift gears strongly and timely, as the road practically 'stands up'. I hate squirrels. This is gruelling. There have been more than a few ascents on this tour. At the top, drive straight ahead at the crossroads with the priority road and then, finally, down the hill again. You're in Javor now, behind a house falling to pieces, which we feel used to be a beautiful homestead . Turn left there again and then down, down, down...There are no more ascents to the finish, promise. Below, there's the Javorska reka Stream, and if you feel you won't be able to keep it up for a few more kilometres, you can freshen up a bit. There isn't much water in it, so the name reka (river) is really exaggerated . It's a local peculiarity, however, as locals call every running water a river. When you reach the valley, there's a crossroads there. You're in Selo pri Pancah and you need to turn right onto the main road. The road on the left goes to Pance and on to Grosuplje. A couple (not twice exactly) of turns of the pedals and you're in Podlipoglav . In the centre of the village, turn right. As you reach the end of Sadinja vas, you'll see a roadside sign with Ljubljana written on it. Finally. This must be Sostro. You're probably in need of some refreshment. You may as well pick the first inn, Pri Kova￨u Inn, near a bus stop . Just don't mention the squirrels again.