Starting point:
Leave the motorway 'Ljubljana – Koper' on exit Unec, drive through Cerknica town to Bloška Polica village where you turn right (direction Castle Snežnik). In Pudob village go right again and soon reach the cute Castle Snežnik. A dirt road towards Mašun starts here. Follow this road through the forest all the way to Leskova Dolina (a hamlet with a few houses). Shortly after that a signpost for 'Gašperjev Hrib' guides you to the left. Proceed for about 5 km and then a signpost for Snežnik directs you onto a somewhat rougher dirt road to the right. Soon you will come to a curve with a large 'Snežnik' board. Park there. There are 20 km of dirt road all together from Castle Snežnik to the starting point.
Option 2: You can come to 'Gašperjev Hrib' from Ilirska Bistrica as well: turn right at a small chapel around 2 km before Sviščaki village. Keep on the 'main' dirt road and behind a large meadow (on your left) you come to a multiple road crossroad, where you turn sharply to the left. Keep right from here on and pay attention to a small signpost for Snežnik, which will guide you to the left. Expect it on your left after a long flat section of the road. Turn left at the mentioned signpost and soon reach a curve with large 'Snežnik' board. Park there. There are 22 km of dirt road from Sviščaki to the starting point.
You will be impressed by the vast forests already on the loooong approach to the starting point...
Description:
Take on a steep slope in the direction of Snežnik straight away. The slope gets gentler after a while and you continue through a gorgeous forest to the first meadow with a view on Snežnik. Later the path gets a bit steeper again, but soon after that you are already on a flatter ground between dwarf pines. The path winds through the dwarf pines and ascends quickly to the bare summit. Just below the summit there is a big open 'karst shaft', so be careful especially with children around! Have a meal and a drink in the hut and descend down the same way.
Snežnik area is a land of bears, wolfs and lynxes. Actually it is quite difficult to come across them, but keep in mind to act calm if you happen to cross their way.
Highest point/summit:
Veliki Snežnik: 1796 m
Duration:
Gašperjev hrib - Veliki Snežnik: 1.15 h
Veliki Snežnik - Gašperjev hrib: 1 h
Total: 2.30 h
Difficulty:
1 - The entire tour is technically easy.
Type of path: Marked path