Čatež ob Savi - Lovska koča na Malem Cirniku

Access to starting point:
a) Leave the Dolenjska motorway at the Čatež ob Savi exit, then at the roundabout select the exit for Čatež ob Savi and Brežice. Continue along the road that runs parallel to the motorway. When the main road turns right into the underpass, we turn left towards the centre of Čatež ob Savi (direction Cerklje ob Krki). We drive through the settlement, just before Gostilna Pension Les we turn sharply right onto Rimska cesta. After a short ascent, we arrive at the church of St. George, where a few parking spaces are available. We can park here or continue approximately 100 metres further to a larger parking area at the end of the road, located near the former Motel Čatež.
b) Drive to Brežice and follow the signs for Čatež ob Savi. Immediately after the underpass beneath the motorway, turn towards the centre of the settlement. Before Gostilna Pension Les, turn sharply right onto Rimska cesta. Follow it to the church of St. George, where parking spaces are provided, or continue another 100 metres to the parking area at the former Motel Čatež, where the road ends.

Route description:
From the parking spot, first walk to the end of the road, then turn left onto the footpath. This ascends along the edge of the meadow to a cart track, where we join the marked trail. The latter actually starts near Gostilna Pension Les, but there are no parking spaces for hikers there.
Follow the trail to the right to the edge of the forest, where there is a junction. Here, a path branches left leading past the stations of the way of the cross, but we continue straight ahead on the path marked with Knafelc's blazes. The path enters the forest, where we soon turn left onto a marked footpath that ascends somewhat steeply, higher up rejoining the cart track (which in the meantime makes a longer left serpentine). Continue following the blazes and signs for St. Vitus. Higher up, the path leads through a small valley, after which we reach a signed junction on a small saddle.
Continue right in the direction of Sobenje vas, Veliki Cirnik and Stojdraga (the latter settlement is already on the Croatian side of the state border), while left leads to the church of St. Vitus (5 minutes). We then gently descend along a wide cart track that takes us past a weekend house to a narrower asphalt road. Follow it to the right, but only briefly, as the blazes soon direct us back onto the mountain trail through the forest. There are a few junctions, where we consistently follow the blazes, then we begin descending towards the settlement of Žejno. Just before the settlement, the path forks.
Choose the slightly right path (slightly left to Veliki Cirnik via Bambreg), which briefly leaves the forest and leads along the edge of the meadow, from where we get a nice view of the meadows, fields and Gorjanci; after the meadow, we temporarily return to the forest. When we leave the forest, we walk along a narrow asphalt road to the main village road, which we follow to the right, quickly leaving the settlement of Žejno. The road later begins to gently ascend and brings us to Sobenje vas, where we turn left at the junction. We also pass a few more houses, and the signs for Veliki Cirnik direct us right onto a somewhat steeper road, which becomes gravel after the settlement.
A little further on, go right and continue the ascent along the cart track, which becomes narrower higher up and brings us to a road and a signed junction on the edge of the abandoned settlement of Mali Cirnik.
Here, go right in the direction of Globočice and the hunting hut on Mali Cirnik (slightly left to Veliki Cirnik) and continue along the gentle gravel road, which leads us across a larger meadow, from which we get a nice view of Veliki Cirnik. A little further, the road enters the forest and forks. Continue along the lower right path (left leads to private property), which gradually begins to descend; when it levels out, it takes us past a well to the hunting hut on Mali Cirnik.

Čatež ob Savi - junction below St. Vitus 0:30, junction below St. Vitus - Žejno 0:25, Žejno - junction Mali Cirnik 0:50, junction Mali Cirnik - hunting hut 0:10.

Description and photos refer to the condition in May 2026.

Along the route: Razpotje pod sv. Vidom (360m), Razpotje pred Žejnim (253m), Žejno (257m), Sobenja vas (249m), Razpotje Mali Cirnik (446m)

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