CIRCULAR TRAIL P1 TO FLOWERING SLAVNIK
Setting off from the car park, where there is an information board, we set off
to the right into the village, where a signpost directs us between the houses
and into the forest on a short and relatively steep hiking trail to Slavnik. We
climb gently through the forest in an eastward direction, cross the firebreak and
continue straight up. Caution is advised when the ground is wet. Higher up, the
forest ends and we climb a little more steeply through scattered pine trees. The
path turns to the north-east in the direction of the summit and crosses into
broad meadows. We continue down the path across the meadow to just below
the summit. Here an impressive view opens up towards the south and west and
the path levels out and leads us in the direction of the Tumova Koča mountain
hut, clearly visible with its tall antenna just below the summit of the hill. For the
return trip we will take a slightly longer and gentler route which is also part of
European long-distance path E6, where the trail has partly been converted into
a forest road. As we leave the hut we take the same path but follow the signs to
the left, which direct on to a new path which slopes more steeply downwards at
the edge of the forest and descends towards the valley, initially in sharp curves
and later more gently. The path then bends sharply towards the north-west and
leads towards the village in a slight downward slope. When we reach the asphalt
between the houses we return by the same route we took on the way up to the
car park below the village, where our interesting circular hike ends.
GPS Sled
Trail 37
CIRCULAR TRAIL P6 THE DAFFODIL PATH
Starting from the pond just outside the village, we turn right past the building of
the local administrative community and internet point and then pass between
the houses and up the steps to the asphalt road. Turning left, we walk towards the
upper part of the village, following the yellow trail markers. The road bends to the
right but when we reach the yellow house at number 58 we turn left onto a cart
track that slopes up gently towards the north-west just below a forested bank.
The track takes us gradually higher and when it levels out on a broad meadow
dotted with a few lindens, we turn right onto the path that climbs up from Zazid
to a broad grassy shelf below the edge of the Karst cliff. After 300 metres a signpost
on an isolated tree sends us to the left onto a path that ascends over the edge
of the cliff to a crossroads where we follow the signpost to the left, to the summit
of Lipnik 300 metres away. Following the same path back to the signpost, we
continue our hike in an eastward direction until we reach the cart track from
Kojnik which joins our path from the left. Crossing a wide expanse of heathland,
we slowly climb to the south-east in the direction of Kavčič. After 800 metres we
leave the cart track by a pile of stones and turn right onto a little path that passes
two isolated trees and climbs slightly more steeply towards the south, to the area
below the summit of Kavčič and then on to the summit, which is topped by two
crosses. Continuing in the same direction, we descend to the cart track that we
left a little earlier. A gully leads us below the edge of the steep cliff, where we find
a surprisingly large rock shelter. We continue our way down the cart track, which
gradually becomes a forest road and winds its way along the Croatian border.
We continue straight on past two turnings on the right but when we reach a Vshaped
fork we take the right-hand branch and descend slowly in the direction
of Rakitovec. We enter the village by the upper houses just below the forest and
immediately arrive at the turning where we started our ascent.
GPS Sled
Trail 38
CIRCULAR TRAIL P3 BELOW THE CLIMBING WALL
From the car park by the campsite we set off uphill to the village and follow the trail markers
past the church dedicated to St Thomas and up to the left on a cart track that climbs up
through the forest towards the north-west. When we reach the gorge of a stream we turn to
the right and, after 30 metres, to the left (the less used path), climbing steeply up through
the pine forest to the clearing below the village of Prebeneg. Continuing uphill along the path,
we cross an asphalt road and arrive in the village of Socerb. We climb up to the castle (great
view), passing the village chapel and pond on the way, and then follow the asphalt road to the
nearby cave of Sveta Jama (Holy Cave) before continuing along the road. A wooden signpost
directs us to the left (where we follow the trail markings) and we continue in a south-easterly
direction almost as far as the Koper–Kozina road. Passing below the rocky edge we then climb
up to the panoramic peak of Varda, cross it and continue (through the underpass) to Črnotiče
(quarry). From here we continue (pine forest) to the road to Podgorje, along the macadam
road to the edge of the cliff above the village of Črni Kal and on (water tank) below the climbing
wall to the upper part of Črni Kal, then to the lower part of Črni Kal past the monument
to the Overseas Brigades and under the motorway viaduct towards old village of Gabrovica.
A short walk along the bottom of the valley returns us to our starting point in Osp.
GPS Sled
