VIEWS FROM RAŠICA
Length
7.5
Length 7.5 km ​
Time needed
03:00
Time needed 03:00 ​
Največja strmina vzpona[%]
10
Greatest slope of the ascent: 10 %
Greatest slope of the descent: 8 %
Average slope of the ascent: 15 %
Length of ascents above 5%: 2.80 km
The lowest point of the route: 638 m
The highest point of the route: 383 m
Difference in altitude: 475 m
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Poraba kalorij
2939
Consumption of energy for men: 2939 kJ (702 kcal)
Consumption of energy for women: 2412 kJ (576 kcal)
​
Difficulty
Difficulty: Medium demanding ​
Quality of the surface
Quality of the surface: Mixture
Primerna obutev: Hiking boots
​
Short description

The circular route leads to the area of Rašica and Zgornje Dobeno where the central point is the spacious and excellently protected observation tower at Vrh Staneta Kosca Hill. If the weather is clear, you can well see the Julian Alps on the west, the Posavje Hills on the east and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps on the north, over the Ljubljana Basin and to Snežnik on the south.
The route is lovely in winter after tracks are beaten in snow; in spring when greenery sprouts and the birds sing; in summer when tree tops offer shade and cool, and in autumn when you can pick mushrooms and chestnut. The paths to Rašica are never empty. Rašica became a popular spot not only for the hikers, but the mountain cyclists too, and you need to pay attention to the latter as they tend to ascend dizzily along the mountain paths into the valley.
The descent over Reber to the village of Rašica is short, but very steep. It is protected with wire ropes. In nice dry weather you'll face no difficulties. It is quite the opposite when it snows or when sleet appears. You shouldn't walk along this section without appropriate hiking equipment (including crampons) as you're likely to slip. In that case, it is best to reach Rašica along more comfortable forest path.
There are several tourist farms on the way, where you can stop and enjoy lovely views as well as good and genuine home-made dishes.

Course

Parkirišče ob pred vasjo Rašica – Vrh Staneta Kosca – Zgornje Dobeno – Rašica - parkirišče ob pred vasjo Rašica

Towards observation tower
Turn to the road to Rašica in Srednje Gameljne. When you arrive from the forest, after the board that reads Rašica, turn left and up to the forest road , where a small car park is located . There you can leave your car and continue on the forest road along which you've parked. After several minutes, you'll see the marked path from Srednje Gameljne , which joins from the left to the forest path. Somewhat further, the blazes direct you right to the forest path , which steeply ascends through the forest to the clearing where it flattens, but it later ascends to the macadam road from the village of Rašica, where you turn left. After a short ascent, you reach a marked crossroads where you turn sharply right to the marked footpath. The path splits at the first clearing. Choose the right path, because a little higher, the left one joins the forest path that runs to the top. While ascending, you approach the edges of the walls above the village of Rašica and among the trees on the right below, you can already see the buildings in the village. You soon reach a tree with an inscription and an arrow directing you left towards the observation tower . The straightforward path leads to Zgornje Dobeno. Just a little more slaloming between rocks and you're already at the forest path where you turn right. After a few metres you'll see Rašiška četa Mountain Hut above on the left. It is time to take a break and have a snack on the benches in front of the hut or in the spacious dining room with a large fireplace in the middle .

Observation tower
Continue from the hut along a broad path and after a few steps of easy walking, you'll pass Rašica Radio Monitoring Station and reach the 647 m high Vrh Staneta Kosca with the observation tower , a commemorative site to the national hero Stane Kosec next to it and a trigonometric sign. If the weather is nice, you should climb the spacious and well protected observation tower which is 17 m high and thus rises you above the trees and awards you with a beautiful view of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps , the Karavanke, the Julian Alps , the Posavje Hills, the Ljubljana Basin and over Krim all the way to Snežnik . The original tower was built in 1957 in the memory of the establishment of Kamnik Battalion, of which a memorial plaque on the tower bears witness.

Zgornje Dobeno
From the tower head along the marked forest path towards Mengeš Hut. Descend down the slope to the crossroads. The right path leads to Dobeno or Mengeš Hut , while you continue straightforward and uphill along Grebenska path towards the top of Rašica and turn right and downwards at the next signpost . Follow the blazes and you'll soon reach the macadam road. Turn right there and after half a kilometre at the left turning, you'll see the signpost for Rašica . Follow the signpost and proceed up the slope for about 100 m. At the tree with two arrows, turn left to the marked path and continue to the next crossroads and blazes on a tree where you again turn left towards Dobeno and soon reach the edge of the forest. Cross the meadow , and continue past a farm to the asphalt road through Dobeno where you'll see Domžale and the Posavje Hills . There are two quality inns with home-made specialities at Dobeno. If you want to visit them, turn left to the road to the valley, otherwise continue right along the road up the slope, and then proceed into the forest at the next signpost. After about 20 minutes, you'll approach Vrh Staneta Kosca and before the junction of the forest path from Rašica, turn left to the forest path where you'll descend at the clearing below the mountain hut, over Reber and to Rašica.

Towards Rašica
The route over Reber is steep and protected with wire ropes . If you descend in dry weather, you'll have no difficulties. It is quite the opposite when it snows or when sleet appears. You shouldn't walk along this section without appropriate hiking equipment (including crampons) as you're likely to slip. In that case, it is best to descend to Rašica along a more comfortable forest path. Even the devil himself put a stone armchair amid the route to rest. Quickly descend to Rašica. At the two water retention tanks turn right and you'll reach the village. Continue along the asphalt road to the crossroads at the Chapel and Church of St. Cross . Turn right there and downhill to the starting point. Furthermore, Rašica was the first Slovenian village, burned down by the occupying forces in World War II. A monument , situated by the road to Srednje Gameljne in the southern part of the village, commemorates this tragic event.

 

Rašica
The clustered village lies at the altitude of 430 metres on the sunny slope of the eponymous hill on the northern edge of the Ljubljana Basin. The village was first mentioned in 1260.
Rašica was occupied by Germans in 1941. The villagers soon joined the national liberation movement. Already on 24 July 1941, Rašiška četa Company was established in the Rašica forests, operating all the way to Domžale, Kamnik and Kranj. The Partisan movement expanded to such an extent that Kamnik Battalion was established on the top of Rašica on 17 August 1941. Because the people of Rašica supported National Liberation War, the Germans burnt down the village on 20 September 1941 and deported its inhabitants to Croatia. Rašica was the first Slovenian village to have been ravaged by the German occupying forces.
The village was renovated after the war and numerous new houses have been built recently. Most of the inhabitants are employed in Ljubljana, farmers are but scarce nowadays. The settlement and the top of Rašica are popular hiking destinations of the citizens of Ljubljana.

Monument dedicated to the arson of Rašica
A monument on the hill above the road from Gameljne, just before the village, testifies about the arson of the village during World War II.

Memorial plaque to the exiles from the village
A memorial plaque on the fire station in Rašica commemorates the exile of the villagers during World War II.

Commemorative monument to the national hero Stane Kosec
A monument to the local of Rašica and the first commander of Rašiška četa Company, Stane Kosec, was erected on the top of Rašica (which also bears his name) on 21 September 1958.

Zgornje Dobeno
Dobeno above Mengeš is settlement with a rural and tourist character. The settlement has been expanding and former occasional dwellers of the holiday houses are now becoming permanent inhabitants of Dobeno which comprises more than 100 houses. The area of Dobeno is quite hilly, thus rare farmers have difficulties cultivating the land. The settlement is an attractive tourist hiking point for numerous hikers, cyclists and lovers of tourist farms known for their rich and selective offer. Dobeno is most frequented in spring and autumn. The settlement is attractive due to its unspoiled nature, fresh air, nice views, numerous maintained footpaths and Rašica observation tower. Somewhere amid the route, at the top of the hill, you can have a drink of pure water, rich in minerals, and thus more and more people come to fill large bottles for home use. Visitors can easily find tourist farms and inns with increasingly rich and selective offer.

Church of St. Cross in Rašica
The church was first mentioned in 1526. The original church, built in the Gothic style, was reconstructed in the Baroque style in the 17th and 18th centuries. During World War I (in 1917), the church donated two church bells for military purposes, only the middle bell from 1778, weighing 168 kg, remained. In 1924, the church received two new copper bells. During World War II, the Germans burnt down the church together with the village. The church remained in ruins until the first renovation in 1968; only the belfry has been preserved. The bells were saved by the citizens of Dobeno who kept them until the renovation.
The church was finally renovated in 1989 of which the copper plate in front of the church entrance testifies.

Karst and caves at Rašica
There are a lot of karst caves in the area of Rašica. There are nine registered karst caves in the area of Rašica but none of them is open to public. The total length of cave passages on Rašica is 319 metres and their total depth is 110 metres. Brezno 1 at Dovčar, which is also the largest and deepest cave in the municipality, stands out with its dimensions. The caves of Rašica host various animal species which are adapted to the environment with less light and stay in the underground most of their lives (cave spider) or which only occasionally live in caves (bats, cave crickets, snails, etc.).
Extensive and interesting expert material on the world of caves in the Municipality of Ljubljana, from which this information has been taken, was prepared in 2009 by the Cave Exploration Society of Ljubljana. In 2010, the Society celebrated its 100th anniversary of continuous cave exploration.

Traces from the ancient times
The area around Črnuče was populated already in prehistory. The settlements were in abundance, the oldest one from the Neolithic could be searched for in Zidanica Cave, located at Rebro above the village of Rašica. There was a fort below Gobnik Hill and probably even a cemetery at the pass, for which the experts believe that it belongs to the Old Iron Age.

 

Rašiška četa Mountain Hut
This is a mountain stop just below the top of Rašica. The Hut is managed by the Rašica Mountaineering Society and is open every day of the week, except on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Hut offers alcohol-free and alcohol drinks, pretzels, cold cuts, sausages, stews and various desserts. Guided tours to Rašica are organised with alpine guides from the Society; especially interesting is the hike with torches. This is the only Mountain Hut of the Municipality of Ljubljana.

Pri Španu Excursion Farm
The excursion farm is in the very centre of the Rašica village where it is possible to eat good healthy food that city menus have seemed to forgotten. They offer lunch, stews, žganci (hard-boiled corn or buckwheat mush), pork sausages (depending on the season), homemade bread, apple strudel, potice (nut rolls), doughnuts, etc. It is also possible to take a carriage ride.

Dobenski hram Inn
Dobenski hram Inn is quite a new, home-like and pleasant inn at Zgornje Dobeno. They organise various celebrations, birthday parties, anniversaries, weddings, etc. You can come for a lunch, dinner or only seat by a cup of coffee in a home environment or the terrace amid beautiful nature where you can bath in the sun while the valley is covered in grey fog. The dining room offers permanent exhibition of paintings by an artist from Dobeno. Extremely diverse offer of dishes and drinks satisfies even the pickiest eaters.

Blaž Tourist Farm
Blaž Tourist Farm at Zgornje Dobeno has a long tradition and will satisfy any kind of gourmet delights at every occasion. You have to try štruklji (cottage cheese dumplings). A large outdoor terrace offers beautiful views of Trzin and Ljubljana. Children can play at the playground outside or see the farm animals.

 

Mountain cycling race to Dobeno
Mengeš Cycling Society arranges annual mountain cycling race to Dobeno which is also a national championship. The start is in Mengeš. The route is 6 km long and the cyclists conquer 240 m of altitude difference.

Holiday of Dobeno
Dobeno Tourist Society has been recently reviving Holiday of Dobeno, formerly known as Dobenska noč (Night of Dobeno). This event is not a 'pop' fete, but a cultural holiday which offers people a cultural programme and stands with handicraft and art products, as well as various culinary delights of Dobeno housekeepers.

 

Observation tower
The most attractive point of the route is definitely the 17 m high observation tower at the 647 m high Vrh Staneta Kosca, from where you can see (if the weather is nice) the Julian Alps on the west, the Posavje Hills on the east and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps on the north, as well as Snežnik on the south. The top of Rašica is located only about 300 m higher than the centre of Ljubljana, but when on the observation tower, the difference in height will only increase. The original tower was built in 1957 in the memory of the establishment of Kamnik Battalion. The tower was recently renovated and does not sway anymore.