Podgrad - Castle Stari grad (Stari Osterberg) (on Ostrovrhar trail)

Access to starting point:
From the eastern Ljubljana bypass, we head to the exit Ljubljana - east and continue driving along Zaloška cesta in the direction of Zalog. Further, we drive along the main road towards Podgrad. In the settlement Podgrad, we turn right through the underpass under the railway track and then continue on a relatively narrow road in the direction of Besnica and Janče. Just a little before the end of the settlement Podgrad, we park on the parking lot on the left side of the road. In case the parking lot is occupied, we can turn right here onto a cart track next to the information board and cross the stream over a small wooden bridge. There is then also some space for parking.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we first cross the main road and past the information board which describes Ostrovrharjeva pot we head onto the cart track and over a small wooden bridge cross the stream Besnica. The cart track turns left and brings us to a crossroads where there is also the sign for Ostrovrharjeva pot.
At the crossroads, we continue sharply right where the mentioned sign also directs us. The path here runs along the cart track and ascends quite steeply through the forest. Occasionally, we also get some views towards the settlement Podgrad. From our path, a worse cart track also branches off to the left upwards, but we continue straight to the sharp left turn, where a marked path from Podgrad also joins from the right.
Here we continue left upwards along the cart track, which in the right turn brings us again to a junction. Here we leave the cart track that leads to the nearby castle Osterberg or. villa Kansky and head left onto the footpath where the sign for Ostrovrharjeva pot also directs us. After a short steep ascent we reach the ridge where there is also an information board that describes the (new) castle Osterberg. Access to the castle itself is forbidden (private property).
We continue left along the forested ridge and the path leads us past another information board where during the Second World War the border between Italy and Germany ran. Further on, the path continues through the forest mostly towards the south and later brings us to a junction. Here a path from Zalog joins from the right, and to the right a path towards Debni vrh also branches off.
We continue along the left relatively level path, which further crosses the slopes towards the south, then turns left and crosses a distinct gully. Further on, we mostly cross the slopes towards the east in a gentle ascent. Here the path widens slightly and leads us past Ostrovrharjev studenec.
A short ascent follows and the path brings us to a junction where a more direct cart track from Podgrad joins from the left. We continue right and quickly reach the saddle below the old castle Osterberg, where there are also some benches and an information board.
From here two paths lead towards the summit, both bringing us after a short ascent to the summit where the ruins of the old castle Osterberg are located.

On the way: Grad Osterberg (318m), Ostrovrharjev studenec (430m)