Špilk (957 m)

Nature lovers and hikers will find plenty of opportunities for short, delightful, and easy excursions in the hilly hinterland around Ljubljana. One of these is the ascent of Špilk, reachable via a pleasant and well-marked mountain trail from the village of Blagovica. The route treats you to a colourful mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes: from forests and vast pastures to scenic meadows and mountain villages.

The marked trail to Špilk begins near the Church of St Peter in Blagovica, where you’ll find ample parking. By the roadside, you’ll spot mountain trail signs – one pointing to Špilk, another to Golčaj on the opposite side of the regional road, and a third toward the more distant mountain of Limbarska gora. From here, the path briefly follows the road through the village before turning onto a wide gravel track winding through meadows. Soon after, it climbs onto a narrow grassy track beside a fenced pasture slope leading into the woods.

Along the way to Gabrske senožeti – a grassy pasture plateau just below Špilk – you’ll pass through a changing landscape of forest, expansive pasture and scenic meadows, orchards, and cultivated fields. Your gaze will roam over the hills above the Tuhinjska dolina Valley, from the wooded slopes near Trojane to Golčaj and Limbarska gora. The sound of traffic from a nearby motorway accompanies you at the start of the hike, but soon fades and is replaced by the sounds of nature. The trail also leads through small villages like Prevoje and Gabrje pod Špilkom.

The path predominantly ascends gently, following forest and grassy trails, meadow cart tracks, forest gravel roads, and asphalt through villages. The gradient only steepens shortly before the summit: after reaching Gabrske senožeti, the mountain markers lead you from the meadows onto a narrow forest path.

A steep but enjoyable climb accompanied by tall beech trees soon brings you to Špilk. There’s a box with a visitor’s registration book and stamps at the bivouac, as well as a bench offering shelter in case of rain.

Špilk itself is not a viewpoint, and is mainly covered mainly in sparse beech woodland. However, a rewarding “view” is to be found nearby, with a multitude of slender trees and their canopies arching and touching high above the ground.

Descent: via the ascent path.

Of interest: Špilk is the highest peak of the Rokovnjaška mountain trail (58 km), which forms a loop trail linking the nearby hills and settlements.