Velike Lašče - Grmada on Mala gora (via Kamen vrh)

Access to starting point:
Car:
Velike Lašče lies by the main road between Škofljica (connection with Ljubljana and the Dolenjska highway) and Kočevje. We drive on this road from any direction and park in an appropriate place. It will be most considerate if we do this in a larger organized parking lot by the cemetery on the northern edge of the settlement. During free days, we can also try the second parking lot slightly south along Javorškova ulica, which during working hours is primarily intended for users of the nearby post office and health center.

Bus:
In Velike Lašče, buses stop between Ljubljana and Kočevje. The bus stop, officially named "V. Lašče", is located right next to the starting point at Levstikov trg.

Train:
Passenger trains between Grosuplje (possible connection with Ljubljana and Dolenjska) and Kočevje stop at the "Velike Lašče" station, which is located slightly outside the center of the settlement, reachable by about a one-and-a-half km walk along the road. "Unofficially," near the station, we can carefully cross the track, find a path in the forest, turn right onto the path that runs parallel to the track towards the south. At the end of the path, we turn left and thus join the described path.

Route description:
The first part of the path coincides with the route of the E7 path, which means that, in addition to the usual Knafelc red-white blazes, we will also be accompanied by round red-yellow blazes.

From Levstikov trg in Velike Lašče, we set off along the asphalt road "Grič" past the church towards the east. The road initially descends gently. During the descent, we will notice a turnoff for the "Kulturna pot" to the right onto Jontezova ulica, but we follow the red signpost and continue straight. We continue straight at the next crossroad next to the chapel. The path leads us past the chapel; at the next fork, where we can already see a sign for the end of the settlement in the distance, a signpost directs us to the left. Behind the last house, the asphalt transitions into a macadam road, which leads us to the edge of the forest or the fork "Pri Martinkovem kozolcu". Our path continues straight onto the forest road and into the forest. Immediately after the fork, the main road turns left onto private land, but we continue straight to a new fork at a smaller clearing, where we notice a sign prohibiting waste dumping. Here we turn left onto the path marked with a traffic sign for a dead-end street. We soon reach the railway track, and in front of it, signs prohibiting passage (even though we were walking on officially marked paths!!!). Therefore, we "ignore" the signs and very carefully cross the embankment and the track (which at this spot, due to the forest and curves, isn’t particularly visible!). Soon after the crossing, an "unofficial" path from the railway stop joins from the left.

Here, the previously "flat" path starts to ascend mildly. Quite soon, we cross a forest road. From a distance, we will notice a red arrow on a tree pointing left, but as we get closer, we find signposts that actually direct us straight. A little further, we reach another fork "Ta zmrznjeni", where the E7 path branches off to the left and downwards towards Videm, but the signposts direct us straight. We carefully follow the marked path, which from here on ascends more noticeably. As we gradually turn towards the southeast, we continue walking in the forest and notice a clearing on our right not far away. Now, a fairly steep ascent leads us to the saddle between Debeli hrib on our right and an unnamed peak on our left. After the saddle, we first descend about 30 altitude meters, then immediately "tackle" a new, fairly steep slope (about 60 altitude meters) onto a new "saddle", immediately after which "hides" the mountain hut on Kamen Vrh, where paths from several directions converge. If desired, we can ascend to Kamen Vrh (a few minutes of walking and about 20 altitude meters), where just below the summit we find a stamp and a logbook, and then return to the hut.

Otherwise, at the mountain hut, we turn right (towards the south), as indicated by the signpost towards Grmada. For some time, the path will descend gradually, a total of about 70 altitude meters. After about 100 meters, we turn left onto the path towards Podgora, and after just under 100 meters, we reach the fork "Kamen vrh J", where the blazes direct us right onto a narrow path through the thicket. From here on, we carefully follow the blazes and, if possible, rely on the maPZS application. We walk about a kilometer towards the south to a junction with another path, where we turn left. This path curves to the right and soon joins a forest road. We continue straight on the road (towards the south) for about 200 meters, when a blaze directs us left onto a narrow path through the forest; from here on, the path begins ascending again. We first walk alongside a small sinkhole on our right, then the path reaches a meadow, which we cross, before re-entering the forest and soon reaching the fork "Pod Grmado", recognizable by several dark red signposts.

At the fork, we turn left towards Grmada. We soon leave the forest again, walking along the left edge of a meadow to a cart track crossing; after crossing the cart track, a short ascent through the forest awaits on the steepest part of the path (in winter, crampons may be needed), where recently a few steps have been added to make the climb easier. Thus, we reach the Turistični dom na Grmadi, from where, in suitable weather, beautiful views open up, especially towards the southeast. Just before the cottage, we turn left and ascend the final few meters to the transmitter at the very summit of Grmada.

The description refers to the condition in February 2023.
Pictures from Velike Lašče to Kamen Vrh are available in the description of the path "Velike Lašče - Kamen Vrh".
Pictures of the section between Kamen Vrh and the fork "Pod Grmado" are available in the reverse direction(!!!) in the description of the path "Velike Lašče - Kamen Vrh (via Gornje Retje and Grmada)".
Pictures from the fork "Pod Grmado" to Grmada are available in the description of the path "Velike Lašče - Grmada na Mali gori (via Gornje Retje)".

Along the route: Preval med Velikimi Laščami in Kamen Vrhom (725m), Najnižja točka med prevalom in Kamen vrhom (697m), Koča pod Kamen vrhom (764m), Najnižja točka med Kamen vrhom in Grmado (694m), Razcep (800m)

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