Gornje Jesenje - Sušec (Strahinjščica)

Access to starting point:
a) We arrive in Croatia via the Gruškovlje / Macelj border crossing. We exit the motorway at the Đurmanec exit. In the village of Đurmanec, at the large roundabout, we turn south towards Krapina. When we reach Krapina, we turn left east towards Žutnica, cross the railway track and go through the underpass. Now we ascend further to the beginning of the village Gornje Jesenje, where we will notice the road branching left to the hamlet Galovići. Here we turn left and leave the vehicle at the Galović farm (auto body shop).
b) From the Prekmurje direction it is closer via Čakovec, Varaždin, Ivanec to Lepoglava, where we turn towards Trakošćan. In the village Bednja we turn right towards Krapina. The turn-off to Galovići is now at the end of the village Gornje Jesenje, the signpost is not visible from this direction, but markers and the tourist board assist us.

Path description:
From the Galović farm continue eastwards on asphalt to the upper part of the village. The steep path through the village soon turns south. Upon reaching the forest the asphalt ends, we continue right on a wider cart track, walking along it for only about a minute, then turn left uphill (the junction is somewhat poorly marked). The path ahead leads along a forest cart track, quickly emerging from the forest onto the edge of a clearing.
Here it seems the path ends, no markers, but the path continues straight through the middle of the grass. At the end of the clearing the path re-enters the forest and turns right. Follows a walk through the forest, leading to the road to the mountain hut. Descend slightly along the road, then go right into the forest.
The onward path leads through slightly denser forest on a usually quite muddy trail. At the wildlife feeding station we can choose between two path variants which soon rejoin. Follows an ascent through lower forest on an increasingly steep path. When this section ends we leave the forest and continue uphill on a steep and usually muddy cart track. Higher up go left and rejoin the road to the mountain hut.
Now continue along the road for a while, or all the way to the mountain hut (along the road section the path passes a junction to a nearby spring, and before the road ends there is a small shelter which is usually closed).
In the hut we can refresh ourselves or overnight.
If not going to the mountain hut, at the parking lot turn sharply left onto a path along a wider track (a sign on the tree helps), then it turns onto a narrower path and becomes quite steep. On the steep section, slippery during and after rain, a wooden fence assists. The steep path then leads to the Dedek viewpoint.
From Dedek, also a suitable take-off point for paragliders, a fine view opens to the south and west. For many hikers this is the final destination, but we continue east. The path levels out here and follows the narrow ridge of Strahinjščica. At some exposed points there is a wooden fence.
The path temporarily leaves the ridge and follows the southern slope, but when the ridge widens temporarily it returns to it. A short further walk and the path reaches the summit.
At the very top of Sušec there is a huge willow. No summit logbook (it is in the hut), only a stamp. As the summit is overgrown with forest there are no views.