Jama Pekel (parkirišče) - Apno (čez Pogorišče)

Access to starting point:
We leave the Styrian motorway at the Šempeter exit in the Savinja Valley and follow the signs for Šempeter. When we arrive in Šempeter, at the traffic-light-controlled intersection we follow the sign for Jama Pekel and turn left. Immediately after crossing the railway line we turn right towards Podlog. In the settlement of Podlog in the Savinja Valley, at the roundabout we follow the signs for Jama Pekel and Zalog pri Podlogu. We continue the route through the underpass under the motorway and through the village of Zalog pri Podlogu. Along the asphalt road we follow the sign which directs us to the left and soon reach the well-maintained and spacious asphalt parking lot in front of the entrance to Jama Pekel, where we park.

Path description:
From the parking lot we continue on foot along the well-maintained, wide and hardened path that leads north towards the cave entrance and runs to the right of the road. The path runs along the picturesque Peklenščica stream, which accompanies us on our left side. After a few minutes of walking we arrive at the information point (log cabin), where there is a ticket office where we can buy a ticket for Jama Pekel before guided tours.
At the log cabin we go sharply left onto the path where the markers continue and which also leads to the Forest and Geological Educational Trail Pekel. A short traverse ascent to the left follows, then the path turns right and climbs over a wooden footbridge, behind it turns left again and a little further joins a cart track, which we follow to the right (left unmarked shortcut towards the summit of Apno). A traverse ascent to the right follows, higher up we cross another steep path, i.e. the route of the return educational trail. Only a short easy ascent remains and we arrive at the stamping box at Pogorišče.
We bypass the stamping box on the right side and a few steps further arrive at a junction where we go left towards Apno (right path leads towards the church of sv. Jedert). A few minutes of descent through the forest follows, when we leave the forest we go right across the meadow to a junction where we reach a wider cart track. We follow the cart track to the left, along it we quickly arrive at the information board at Izvir Ločanke and five steps further to the spring.
Behind Izvir Ločanke we reach an asphalt road and follow it to the left (right Požiralnik Ponikvice, two minutes), then we immediately go right uphill onto a gravel road, along which we quickly climb to another asphalt road, which we follow to the right to the nearby intersection. From the intersection near some houses we continue slightly right along the road where the markers continue. The road quickly takes us to the edge of the forest, along which we ascend past individual houses, then cross a strip of forest. When we leave the forest we continue slightly right, a little further we go over a small pass where we arrive at the south-western slopes. A short traverse follows and we reach a somewhat wider road, which we follow uphill, a few minutes further we go right and then climb to a few houses located on the edge of the ridge that we crossed lower down at a smaller pass.
Here the signs for Apno direct us left, where we go along the yard of the houses, then the path turns slightly right and takes us into the forest. We continue ascending through the forest, higher up we temporarily descend a bit and at junctions follow the markers. The last few minutes long ascent follows and we reach the summit of Apno.

Starting point - Jama Pekel 0:05, Jama Pekel - Pogorišče 0:20, Pogorišče - Izvir Ločanke 0:13, Izvir Ločanke - Apno 0:47.

Description and photos refer to the condition in February 2026.

On the way: Jama Pekel (300m), Pogorišče (412m), Izvir Ločanke (356m), Kale (468m)