Repnje - Smledniški hrib (Stari grad)

Access to starting point:
A) From the Ljubljana - Jesenice highway, take the Ljubljana (Šmartno) exit, then at the first intersection continue left across the highway towards Šmartno and Tacen. After the bridge, a road branches off to the right to the nearby cemetery, to the left the highway leads towards Ljubljana, while we continue straight on the main road and drive another 100 meters or so, then at the next intersection continue right (straight to Tacen). We then drive through Šmartno, after which the Ljubljana area ends and we continue on the road, which soon returns to the eastern side of the highway. The route ahead leads us through Povodje and later also Skaručna. When the road after the Skaručna settlement enters a strip of forest, first a road branches off to the right towards the village of Polje, a little further on to the left a road towards the Repnje settlement. Continue towards the Repnje settlement on the road that takes us across the highway, then quickly into the settlement, where we notice signs for the church of St. Tilen. The start of the path is located near the Repnje monastery.
B) From the Jesenice - Ljubljana highway, take the Vodice exit, then continue driving towards Medvode and Smlednik. On the main road towards Medvode, drive only a few dozen meters, then turn left towards the villages of Dobruša and Repnje. The somewhat narrower road quickly takes us to Dobruša and a little further to Repnje, where at the first intersection we continue slightly right towards the nearby monastery. The start of the path is located a little further from the Repnje monastery.
C) First drive to Medvode, from there continue towards Zbilje, Smlednik and Vodice. Before reaching Vodice or the highway junction, turn right towards the villages of Dobruša and Repnje. The somewhat narrower road quickly takes us to Dobruša and a little further to Repnje, where at the first intersection we continue slightly right towards the nearby monastery. The start of the path is located a little further from the Repnje monastery.
D) From Kamnik or Mengeš, drive to Vodice, from there at the traffic light where the road to the airport branches off to the right, continue left. A little further at the intersection after a small strip of forest, turn right towards the Repnje settlement. The road then leads us through the underpass under the highway, then at the intersection continue left towards the nearby monastery. The start of the path is located a little further from the Repnje monastery.

Route description:
In Repnje near the monastery we notice signs for the church of St. Tilen, which direct us onto a narrower asphalt road that first leads past a few more houses, then the asphalt ends and turns into a poorer macadam road that leads through the forest. After the left bend, the forest thins out, opening up a nice view towards the surrounding hills and villages. After approximately 10 minutes, the path levels out completely and brings us to the church of St. Tilen, from which a nice view opens towards Velika planina and part of Gorenjska.
From the church, we continue on the marked path in the direction of Stari grad, which continues on the cart track for a short while longer. When the cart track turns right, we continue straight on the marked path, which ascends across a moderately steep slope. About a minute further, on the section where the path levels out, a path to Gradišče branches off to the left, while we continue straight on the wider marked path. There follow some junctions, where a path from Dornice joins from the right, and on a smaller saddle a marked path from Skaručna joins from the left. At all junctions we continue straight in the direction of Stari grad and continue along the path, which moderately ascends and descends a few more times. Further on, a few more paths join from the right, then past the NOB monument we continue mostly in a moderate ascent. When higher up the path levels out, it splits into two parts, and we continue straight on the lower path (also possible right on the steeper and higher scenic path (both paths join again later)), which a few steps further brings us to the logbook box "Pr Zemljan". A few minutes of traversing follow, then we reach the drivable macadam road, where the aforementioned "scenic - steep path" joins from the right.
We continue along the ascending road, along which we reach the Stari grad refreshment hut in a few minutes and a few steps higher the summit of Smledniški hrib, on which stand the renovated ruins of Stari grad.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in 2014 (December).

Along the route: Sveti Tilen nad Repnjami (419m)

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