Smokuški vrh (circular tour from Begunje)

From the car park at the Krpin recreation area continue along the road towards the last house and water barrage. Follow the road that leads upwards and sharp left towards St. Peter’s church. There are a few parking spaces available, if they happen to be free, otherwise there is a large parking area at the Krpin recreation centre. After a few minutes you reach a junction of paths, both of which are signed towards St. Peter’s church. Take the trail that leads straight ahead until you reach another junction of paths, where you should also continue straight ahead through the Blatnica valley, where you will soon hear the waters of the Blatnica stream.

The trail leads gradually upwards ever closer to the stream. Pause to take a look over your shoulder at the view of Begunje na Gorenjskem. You will see reach a junction of paths, where the stream splits into two branches. Take the path to the left that leads up into the forest parallel to a slightly wider cart track (during winter take the cart track rather than the path alongside it), with the stream to your left. Continue upwards in parallel with the cart track, crossing it in places.

The path leads to the ‘V Kališčah’ pass (980 metres above sea-level), where the forest road joins from the Zavrsnica valley. At this junction there is a path to the right towards the Poljška planina mountain pasture and the Roblekov dom mountain hut, you, however, should take the path to the left that leads uphill (or you could follow the forest road upwards for a slightly longer but less steep ascent). After a short ascent the path widens and levels out before reaching the aforementioned road from the Završnica valley. Cross the road and take the path slightly to the left (past a large pool/puddle) towards Smokuški vrh. At the next junction take the right (lower) path and within a few minutes you will see the short ascent leading to the viewpoint. The top is not particularly prominent, since it is atop a ridge, from which the path also continues towards Žirovnica. There is a boundary stone and visitor book at the viewpoint, which has wonderful views of the Radovljica plains, Bled and the Julian Alps, and, on a clear day, all the way to the Ljubljana basin.

Follow the same path back to the puddle/pool and from there take the path to the right, which leads towards the Sankaška koča mountain hut. The scenic path leads along the edge of the ridge, from where you will also be able to see Bled Lake and its surroundings. Ignore any of the paths joining from the either side and continue ahead to the hut with its viewing terrace.

From the hut take the wooden steps down and walk along the wide forest path to reach a meadow and the ridge with St. Peter’s church. Continue ahead and turn left downhill just before reaching the church. Keep on this path, which later becomes a forest road, to return to the parking area, or, if you parked at the Krpin recreation centre, on reaching a house on the right-hand side there is a path that leads to a grassy slope down to the parking area and children’s playground.