NOBLE LILY
Length
30.8
Length 30.8 km
Time needed
02:50
Time needed 02:50
Največja strmina vzpona[%]
6
Greatest slope of the ascent: 6 %
Greatest slope of the descent: 5 %
Average slope of the ascent: 5 %
Length of ascents above 5%: 5.90 km
The lowest point of the route: 480 m
The highest point of the route: 318 m
Difference in altitude: 734 m
Poraba kalorij
5765
Consumption of energy for men: 5765 kJ (1377 kcal)
Consumption of energy for women: 4698 kJ (1122 kcal)
Difficulty
Difficulty: Demanding
Quality of the surface
Quality of the surface: Mixture
Type of bike: Trek bike
Short description

In the heart of Slovenia, not far from Ljubljana, the Moravče Valley is hiding, full of surprises and picturesque corners. The valley is bordered by the Posavje Hills in the south, and by Limbarska gora Hill in the north. These are the places where the rich tradition of the past has been preserved and lives on. Picturesque villages leaning against green hills, carefully cultivated fields and meadows take turns with forests along the Drtijščica and Rača streams.

Course

Moravče - Zalog pri Moravčah - Gabrje pod Limbarsko Goro – Mošenik - Zgornje Koseze – Peče - Gora pri Pečah – Drtija – Moravče – Podstran – Prikrnica – Gradiško jezero – Preserje – Imenje – Dvorje - Selo pri Moravčah - Stegne - Vrhpolje pri Moravčah - Spodnji Tuštanj - Moravče

From the centre of the world
The Church of St. Martin in Moravče, with its two bell towers, can be seen from afar . Together with the park, the church makes a circular square, which is surrounded by commercial buildings and houses . Busts of important people born in the area stand in the park , . You can park your car at the bus station to the west of the square. Circle the square on the north side past the Pri Jurku Inn and at the post office turn eastwards. At the end of the town you will cross the Drtijščica Stream .

Up, down and around
The road goes slightly uphill from Zalog pri Moravčah. The mosaic intertwining of forests and meadows offers unique views , . You will soon get to Gabrje under Limbarska gora Hill . When going through the village you could climb Limbarska gora, which offers beautiful views, but you will nevertheless descend to the village of Mošenik . It is hard to find a more beautiful valley. The cattle are grazing on green meadows , bees are humming and the chapels remind the locals of the promises given by former residents . It is a paradise for the soul and the bicycle ... As soon as you say goodbye to the idyllic valley , another valley pops up. The view to the south stretches across the wavy landscape to the Posavje Hills . On the right, under Veliki hrib Hill, is the clustered village of Zgornje Koseze with the Church of St. Stephen . Over the saddle you will get to the next valley. The village of Peče is located in its northern part . The Church of St. Bartholomew stands on the high ground in the middle of the clustered settlement. Continue the trip through the valley towards south.

On the secluded karst of Moravče
Cross the main road towards Zagorje ob Savi and climb to the village of Gora pri Pečah and to the side road which runs along the southern karstified slopes of the Moravče Valley parallel to the main road to the village of Drtija. The secluded karst of Moravče measures 15 kilometres and stretches from Gore pri Pečah to Gorjuša. As many as 70 karst caves have been discovered in this short section. You will soon get to once mighty homestead . The house is a typical example of a Moravče farmhouse, which is very similar to an Alpine house, although it has some features of a Pannonian house. It is massive, built of stone, with a two-sided roof and large windows. A little bit ahead, below the road, is a rest area with a view of the Church of St. Valentine on Limbarska gora Hill . Asphalt and macadam surfaces take turn on the road , while the view of Moravče urges you to look towards the west .

Again in Moravče
While cycling past lonely farms you will eventually get to Drtija. A quartz sand quarry can be seen in the valley , from where sand has been extracted since the 19th century. Termit is the largest company in the Moravče Valley. Quartz sand is used in foundries and in the production of ceramics and construction material. Further on, on a high ground on the edge of the village, you will see the Church of the Virgin Mary . Cross the main road and through the settlement descend again to the main road, which will take you to Moravče. Circle the main square and the Church of St. Martin on the right side.
This is the end of the "first petal of the Moravče lily". The second part of the route runs east of Moravče.

Towards the Gradišče Lake
Past the cemetery climb to Podstran . Macadam starts at the end of the hamlet, by a small hayrack . Across the valley on the left, you can see the ridge of the mighty Cicelj Hill . After a couple of ups and downs you are already in the village of Prikrnica . An old, renovated Moravče-style house stands at the end of the village . The Kamnik Alps can be clearly seen from the yard . Descend on the quite steep forest path to the Gradišče Lake. The Church of St. Margaret watches over the lake from Gradišče Hill. The artificial lake gets most of its water from the Drtijščica Stream . A 4.2-kilometre macadam road goes around the lake . Submerged shrubs look out from the water . On the northern edge, under the observation deck, there is a large sink through which the water runs into the Radomlja River through an underground canal. The lake is visited by numerous recreationists and those who want to find peace and quiet . Past the entry plateau and continue the ride along its western shore . At the gate take the last look at the lake , and then start climbing towards the village of Preserje. There is a beautiful view of the village of Spodnje Koseze from the ridge. You are again going up and down, towards the village of Imenje. On the saddle, which is a borderline of the Municipality of Moravče, turn back and take a look at Brdo Castle and the Kamnik Alps in the background .

Again to the secluded karst along the Rača Stream
You can already see a small sinkhole at the beginning of Imenje . You will descend towards the valley of Rača among fields and meadows. After you cross the main road at the beginning of the village of Dvorje, you will see a plastic product plant . Dvorje is situated on a plateau above the steep bank of the Rača Stream . Below the village is the most interesting part of Rača water-themed educational path. The last homestead on the left is Videgar Homestead. The wooden house by the road stores a collection of antiques. It is arranged as an old farmhouse , with a commercial part, where models of saws and a mill , and probably of many other things, are displayed. If the owners are at home, they will gladly show you the collection. At the main road turn towards Tuštanj Manor across the deep valley carved by the Rača Stream . The road slightly ascends through Stegne towards Vrhpolje pri Moravčah. It winds through the wavy landscape over the Rača valley under the Posavje Hills . In the centre of Vrhpolje pri Moravčah is the Church of St. Peter and Paul . Pečar Homestead is located next to it . Leave Vrhpolje past the primary school and the fire station and continue cycling along the diverse karst landscape to Spodnji Tuštanj.

Tuštanj Manor
You will get to the manor after a short climb . The owner will gladly show you the impressive museum collection. You need approximately half an hour for the visit. The story about the gardener Luka Pirnat stirs up the imagination of the locals even today. A mighty plane tree and a castle chapel , stand in front of the manor. The manor garden is renewed as the old one had probably been neglected when Luka married the countess. The serfs of Tuštanj Manor probably lived on the neighbouring hill. Approximately fifty of them were on a list in the land registry. Return to the village and, at the next crossroads, continue along the valley below the manor.

Penance for the end
In the embrace of forest climb to the pilgrimage Church of the Virgin Mary on Hribce . Up and down again and you are back to the starting point.
You have cycled on the edges of the second petal of the Moravče lilly. On the coat-of-arms of Moravče, three lily leaves grow from a castle. When you climb to Limbarska gora Hill on foot or bicycle, you will be able to say that you had covered the last, third petal. Don't you think it's too bad that there aren't more petals on the Moravče lily? Of course there are, but they are not on the coat-of-arms. Many more are to be found in the Moravče Valley ...

Moravče Valley
The Moravče Valley lies in a secluded position between the busy valley of Črni graben in the north and the railway along the Sava River in the south. A very busy road used to cross the Moravče Valley in the ancient times. The Amber Road, connecting the Baltic Sea with the Mediterranean, is believed to have gone through the valley 2,700 years ago. Fortified settlements used to stand on the slopes high above the Sava River in the Iron Age. Vače is one of such settlements. In the Middle Ages, the traffic ran from the north to the south. The Moravče Valley was connected with the valley of the Sava River through Grmače, and with Negastrn in the north with the valley of Črni graben. Besides Moravče, six castles had been built along this route, of which the castle in Spodnji Tuštanj is the only one standing today . The name Moravče derived from the word morava, which means a place where water gathers on meadows and plains and creates streams. The valley is so secluded that a distinctive local dialect has been preserved there.

Gradišče Lake and Drtijščica Stream
The Drtijščica springs out near the village of Kandrše on the easternmost edge of the Moravče Municipality. At first, it runs towards the west to the village of Drtija, where it suddenly turns to the north across the Moravče Valley . Because the stream used to flood frequently, its course was redirected in the 16th century during the construction of Zalog Castle, while the old channel was improved. On the northern side of the valley, the Drtijščica found its way through narrow gorges between the slopes of the hills of Sveti Mohor to the valley of Črni graben, where it flows into the Radomlja River. In 2002, a retarding basin was constructed on the Drtijščica during the construction of the motorway. Gradišče Lake was created behind it , in which the excess water in time of high waters flows in from the Radomlja River through almost a kilometre long underwater canal.

Tuštanj Manor
The beautiful Moravče Valley has always tempted the nobility to build manors in the valley and on the surrounding hills. Unfortunately, the only one left today is Tuštanj Manor . It is one of the rare manors in Slovenia that was neither plundered, burned down nor nationalised in its 500-year history. Excellent samples of interior equipment used in former aristocratic residences are on display in the manor's chambers , , , . The manor with an arcade courtyard was built by the Counts of Lichtenberg in 1490 . In 1854, the manor gardener Luka Pirnat married Countess Maximiliana. This is how the manor came into Slovenian hands and remained property of the Pirnat family since.

Pri Jurku Restaurant and Pizzeria
At the old Pri Jurku Inn in Moravče, near the Moravče church, you can quickly compensate for the calories you've burnt during the tour. Various kinds of pizzas, even the "Moravče pizza", as well as salad plates, are on the menu.

Frfrau Inn in Kašce, two kilometres away from Moravče
The old inn offers Sunday peasant lunches, and home-made sausages in autumn. Home-made smoked ham, sausages and salami are served throughout the year. There is a playground by the inn.

The people of Moravče are said to be cats. A squib about the Moravče cat, written in the Moravče dialect, tells you why:

THE CAT OF MORAVČE
The people of Moravče are mocked that they are cats. This is how it went. They say that an innkeeper once served a party of men with a cat, instead of serving them a rabbit. And it doesn't matter any more in which inn this happened. Some say that this happened in 'Na mwak', and others say that it was at Štourənk's. When the guests finished their meal, they said: 'It wasn't much, but it was good.' Sometimes men used to start a fight over this.

Meeting of classic car owners on May Day in Cegunca between Spodnji Tuštanj and Krašce. The motorcade of classic cars runs from Soklič Inn to Cegunca.

Cultural evenings in Tuštanj Manor take place on weekends between mid-June and the end of August. The programme includes theatrical plays and concerts of classical, chamber and opera music.

Farmers' Holiday in the Moravče Valley is organised on the last Sunday in July by the Rural Youth Association in cooperation with other local associations. The event takes place in front of Moravče Cultural Centre.

There are some dangerous crossings with main roads on the route. The descent towards Gradišče Lake takes place on a rather steep macadam road, so be very careful!