FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF ANCIENT ILLYRIANS
Length
32.5
Length 32.5 km
Time needed
03:00
Time needed 03:00
Največja strmina vzpona[%]
6
Greatest slope of the ascent: 6 %
Greatest slope of the descent: 11 %
Average slope of the ascent: 4 %
Length of ascents above 5%: 4.00 km
The lowest point of the route: 540 m
The highest point of the route: 327 m
Difference in altitude: 572 m
Poraba kalorij
6104
Consumption of energy for men: 6104 kJ (1458 kcal)
Consumption of energy for women: 4974 kJ (1188 kcal)
Difficulty
Difficulty: Very demanding
Quality of the surface
Quality of the surface: Mixture
Type of bike: Trek bike
Short description

A very demanding cycling route with a stunning view of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps leading you along the fascinating Radenci Plain and through higher altitude settlements. The route mainly runs along the main road; however, the traffic is not heavy and thus it's very popular among cyclists. The easy part of the route on the plain takes turns with a more demanding ascent and a pleasant descent, and is never boring. Most cyclists visit it during summer, since a large section of the route runs through forests and higher altitude settlements, where temperatures are considerably lower than in the valley.

Course

Grosuplje (železniška postaja) – Veliko Mlačevo – Lobček – Plešivica – Luče – Velika Loka – Mala Loka – Peščenik – Spodnje Brezovo – Polica – Dole pri Polici – Mali Lipoglav – Zgornja Slivnica – Šmarje Sap – Paradišče – Cikava – Zg. Brvace – Brvace – Grosuplje (železniška postaja)

Grosuplje
The route starts at the car park next to the railway or bus station , but it can also start in front of the driving school on the other side of the road , where you start by driving along the main road to the crossroads on the right, where you turn towards Krka or Dobrepolje. At the next crossroads, turn left at JOŠT hotel interier and drive on a plain with a view extending from Polževo to Veliko Mlačevo . You can turn right here towards Boštanj, where you can take a look at the ruins of Boštanj Castle, the Church of St. Martin and the Radenci Plain .
But perhaps you'd rather continue up a low hill past Lobček and Plešivica, where you then descend to Luče. At the crossroads where the road branches off right towards Ilova Gora there's an NOB (national liberation struggle) monument .

Viaduct with railway
The entire route runs through forests, which are, particularly in summer, pleasantly cool. At the crossroads to Žalna, turn left off the main road and you'll find yourself at the beginning of Velika Loka. Descend into the village along a narrow road . At the crossroads, you can check out the Church of St. Anton , and then turn right towards Višnja Gora . After the first turn, you'll be greeted by a mighty viaduct with railway, under which you'll continue your way towards Mala Loka .
If you go straight on at the crossroads to Žalna, you'll get to the Pr' Mrtinet Bar, where you can earn yourself a stamp for a sausage with their tag . Worth making a turn!

High Mala Loka
After a pleasant drive on a plain, a steep ascent , starts lasting all the way to Mala Loka and further on to Peščenik, where you need to turn left onto the main road . From Peščenik, which lies rather high, you can see the surrounding hills and valleys; you can also treat yourself to a short break .

Long descent and motorway
Next up is a descent along the main road. Then turn right off the main road at the crossroads towards Spodnje Brezovo. Fortunately for you, as this way you avoid the Špaja dolina Landfill. This asphalt path runs through the forest all the time. Drive through Spodnje Brezovo, turn left in the village and then immediately right over the motorway, then right again and left again.

Detours
On working days and during rush hours, the road from Spodnje Brezovo to Polica can be rather busy, as it's used as a detour road upon traffic jams or closings of the motorway. After crossing the motorway, make another ascent through the forest along an asphalt road to the crossroads, where you'll turn right under the motorway and then you'll make two left turns in Polica. You'll reach the foot of the hill with the Church of St. James , which can also be reached along a really steep and narrow path, if you turn left at the crossroads. But our route turns right onto the main road and runs mainly through the forest.

High above Grosuplje
This slight ascent will bring you to a crossroads . If you turned right, you'd come to Kožljevec and on to Mali Vrh. Instead, turn left and, at the following crossroads, left again. A bit further on the left, you can see the remnants of a former mill called Dolinski mlin by the road . After a slight slope, you'll descend through the forest and at the next crossroads follow the signpost for Dole, which will lead you to Dole pri Polici. Here, you can take a look at the Church of St. Lucia . At the beginning of the village, there is a crossroads, where you'll turn left and proceed up a steep slope. On the top of the slope, you'll enjoy an amazing view of the surrounding hills and, if the weather is fine, you'll also be able to see the Kamnik-Savinja Alps . At the crossroads, stick to the left again. If you went straight on, you'd descend to Ljubljana, and if you turned right, you'd come to Pance . But since you've turned left, you'll come to Mali Lipoglav . Go straight on at the crossroads; if you turned right, you'd come to Veliki Lipoglav. This time, Mali Lipoglav again offers a view of the hills surrounding Grosuplje . There's a crossroads to Šmarje in Mali Lipoglav and that's where you're headed, to the Pr' Jakopc Tourist Farm . You'll also see an interesting fruit drying house by the road . A bit further on, there's a beautifully renovated Sostro Primary School, Lipoglav subsidiary school, with a kindergarten.

Descend to the finish line
Next up is a descent through the forest. Turn right at the first crossroads and left at the second (if you turned right, you'd come to Repče). A view of Grosuplje opens up . Stick to the main road and descend all the way to Šmarje - Sap , . If you turned left before the descent and drive on macadam for a kilometre, you'd reach the church on Magdalenska gora . At the crossroads, turn left towards Paradišče, and drive through the village and under the motorway. Considering the fact that the underpass is brand new and that this road is often used in the event of congestion on the motorway, it's beyond comprehension as to why it is so narrow . The road is also dangerous for the abundance of cyclists driving along it. You can never be too careful while driving through the underpass! After the underpass, turn left before the roundabout in Cikava and drive parallel to the motorway until you reach the signpost marked Hrastje, where you turn right onto a macadam path along a small forest , . You're on a courtyard of a farm in Zgornje Brvace, where asphalt starts again; then you descend to Brvace to the main road to Grosuplje . At the crossroads, turn left and drive across two more roundabouts, then turn towards Turjak and you're back at the starting point, the car park next to the railway station.

 

Radenci Plain Landscape Park
The area of the Radenci Plain is a natural and cultural gem, and its biodiversity is a consequence of a thousand-year interaction between nature and men. The plain stretches across four square kilometres at an altitude of 325 metres and is the smallest of nine distinct karst plains in Slovenia. It's situated in the middle of the Dolenjska karst, three kilometres southeast from Grosuplje, at the outer south-eastern edge of the Grosuplje Basin and about 20 kilometres from Ljubljana.
The plain is surrounded by steep forest slopes all around, except for its north-western edge, which opens towards the Grosuplje Basin with a flat stretch. In the middle of the plain, there are two hills: the Boštanj Hill on its northern side and the solitary hill of Kopanj, which is the most beautiful example of a solitary hill in Dinaric karst plains in Slovenia, on the southern side. The Radenci Plain measures 16 square kilometres and was declared a landscape park in 2012.
(Lampič and Smrekar, 1998, Topole 1998, Florjanc and Jernejc-Babič 1999)

Boštanj Castle and Church of St. Martin ,
The remnants of Boštanj Castle, originally called Zagradec, are located in Boštanja vas. The castle was destroyed in the autumn of 1943 and later only partly renovated. Below, there's an early-Baroque Church of St. Martin; the church which stood here before was mentioned in sources from the 14th century. The church was renovated during the Baroque period. The equipment of the church is of utmost importance – the high black and gold altar from 1716, and both side-altars from the first half of the 18th century. The nave comprises tombs with tombstones of the family of the Blagaj counts, which was then the owner of Boštanj Castle.

Magdalenska gora ,
Magdalenska gora, one of the most important archaeological sites from the Iron Age in Slovenia, is located on a 504 metre-high hill. The wider area of Magdalenska gora once included a prehistoric settlement with manmade terraces and earthworks. The neat archaeological promenade running past the visible remnants of the Iron Age fort describes the way of life of the then inhabitants. A walk lasts for about 40 minutes.
Rich archaeological heritage, excavated from numerous graves joint into huge burial mounds, bears witness that Magdalenska gora was populated for more than one thousand years. The most precious and best preserved findings originate from the Iron Age. The most important findings include the bronze situlas, weapons and other military equipment, various ornamental buckles and jewellery. An ornamental plate in the shape of a four-pointed cross with horses' heads is a part of the coat of arms of the Municipality of Grosuplje.

Pr' Mrtinet Day Bar , , ,
The Pr' Mrtinet Bar is located in Luče just by the road. It's known as a cyclists' bar. It offers various homemade dishes and seafood, grilled food and food from a wood-fired oven, dishes baked in a coal covered pot.

Lunca Inn in Zagradec
If you turn right off the route in Lobček, you'll drive straight to the Lunca Inn in Zagradec. Their menu includes homemade Slovenian dishes, dishes with game meat, fish dishes and seafood, freshwater fish, vegetarian dishes, grilled dishes. They have enough space to organise parties for large closed groups.

Pr' Jakopcu Tourist Farm , ,
During the 80 years of the farm's existence, its offer has changed considerably and adapted to the desires of its guests, which is still true today. They accept larger and smaller groups of guests for lunch, dinner, occasional homemade snacks and a glass of good wine or refreshing drink. They offer homemade sausages, cold cuts, pork sausages, desserts; by prior arrangement, they prepare lunches and dinners or celebrations, and they also have homemade wine and spirit offered in countless ways.

Vodičar Inn
The Vodičar Inn is located in the centre of Grosuplje. They offer coffee early in the morning, and daily fresh snacks, which can also be taken away. In the afternoon or evening, you can refresh yourself or warm up with a selected drink in a pleasant company.

Boštanj Castle Bar (Center Grajski vrt Boštanj d. o. o.)
They manage Boštanj Guest House (Prenočišča Boštanj) and co-organise traditional events in the area of the Radenci Plain. They offer guided tours of the Radenci Plain.

 

Mali in Veliki Lipoglav got their names after the lindens (linden = Sl. lipa) lined along the road leading to the valley. As to the reasons why one is called Mali (small) and the other Veliki (big), there are several explanations: Veliki Lipoglav is located at a higher altitude than Mali Lipoglav; Veliki Lipoglav is supposedly older than Mali Lipoglav; two lindens were planted in each village. The village where the lindens grew faster became known as Veliki Lipoglav.

 

To Mrtinet for a sausage
A traditional cycling action organised by the Pr' Mrtinet Bar starts the last weekend in March and ends the first weekend in October. Everyone can get a free record sheet 'Pr' Mrtinet', where you need to gather 15 stamps. You get one stamp for each day, although that doesn't mean that you can't visit the bar more than once a day. When a participant gathers 15 stamps, the host, Pr' Mrtinet Bar, rewards him/her with a homemade sausage and, if you wish, another record sheet.

Each year, over 500 recreational cyclists participate in this action, and they earn at least one sausage. During the action, more than 10,000 visitors come to Pr' Mrtinet Bar, which places the bar to the top of recreational cycling events in the Municipality of Grosuplje.

The best salami in the Municipality of Grosuplje
The Pr' Mrtinet Bar organises a Salami party (Salamijada) the last weekend in March.

Spring and autumn hike around the Radenci Plain
You can walk the karst plain south of Grospulje on the northern edge of Dolenjska karst at a spring hike around the Radenci Plain. The plain got its name after the residents of Velika and Mala Račna called Radenci. The hike starts at Grajski vrt Boštanj with a lecture on the cultural heritage of the plain, and then the participants walk to the caves called Zatočne jame and back. The hike lasts approximately four hours.

Chestnut Sundays on Magdalenska gora
The Chestnut Sunday event takes place on Magdalenska gora each Sunday in October. The main event is roasting chestnuts, which is accompanied by activities for children and various tastings.

 

Circular hiking trail below Pugled
The starting point and goal of this trail are in Mali Lipoglav. This 14-kilometre trail runs across a hilly area of the south-eastern section of the Municipality of Ljubljana and partly along the border with the Municipality of Grosuplje. The hiking trail connects six settlements in this area: Mali and Veliki Lipoglav, Repče, Brezje, Selo pri Pancah and Pance.

Archaeological educational trail on Magdalenska gora
This circular trail starts on the northern section of the Magdalenska gora Hill by the road connecting Šmarje - Sap and Zgornja Slivnica. The trail runs along a narrow protected area of the site, past the visible remnants of an Iron Age fort and burial mounds. Along the trail, there are eight information points presenting the history of excavations and findings. The life of the inhabitants of the fort in the Halstatt period and organisation of the settlement are also depicted.

Trail along the Radenci Plain , ,
Starting points to the Radenci Plain are at Grajski vrt Boštanj (Veliko Mlačevo) and in Velika Račna (fire station). There are 11 information boards which provide information on individual points of interest.

Grosuplje Trail
The Grosuplje Trail runs along the highest summits around the Grosuplje Basin. The trail may be divided into several sections, which you can choose as you wish, and is fitted with control stamps. Enthusiastic hikers can put stamps in the journal of the trail and after they've walked the entire trail, they receive a commemorative badge.

Cultural Heritage of Šmarje - Sap Trail
The 12-kilometre trail partly runs on an asphalt road and partly on a field path or meadow. Information boards informing about the cultural heritage of the settlement are set up along the trail.