Matajur / Montemaggiore - Monte Mataiur/Matajur (over saddle)

Access to starting point:
A) On Italian side: From Gorca direction we drive on a regional road towards Videm / Udine to the turn-off for Krmin / Cormons. At the roundabout on first exit we turn towards Krmin / Cormons and Čedad / Cividale and we drive below underpass and then we immediately turn left. In larger and clumsy crossroad in Krmin we turn right towards Čedad / Cividale del Friuli. We continue driving through more settlements on carefully treated Friulian plain, from where in good visibility our destination Matajur at first shows on our right side next to Krn, and from Čedad straight in front of us. In Čedad we get to the traffic light crossroad next to building, in which is at first pharmacy (farmacia) and then bank. At the crossroad, we turn sharply right (straight in front of us entrance in old part of the town and large free parking lot). To famous bridge Hudičev most there is only few minutes of walking.
We continue to a smaller roundabout, in front of which there's more signposts, among them also brown sign for Kolovrat. From here further we follow the signs for Kolovrat. By the river Nadiža we drive towards the settlement Špeter Slovenov / San Pietro al Natisone. Approximately 1 km before Špeter we get to a crossroad in the settlement Ponte San Quirino. Here we turn right (straight Špeter), left over a bridge Čedad on other bank of river Nadiža, on which from Čedad brings us path, which you can find on Google Maps. We still follow the signs for Kolovrat, but only for approximately 1.5 km, where the road branches off to the right towards Kolovrat and former border crossing Solarij / Solarie. We continue straight to bigger settlement Sauodnja / Savogna, also center of the eponymous municipality. Here we turn right over a bridge and we continue on the main road. We could also go after the bridge left upwards, but the path is very steep and narrow. On the bridge we see also red signs for Rifugio Pelizzo. The path soon starts ascending in zig-zags (approx. 3 km and 6 sharp turns). On the top we come to the next turn-off, where we turn left towards the village Matajur / Montemaggiore and Rifugio Pelizzo. Straight in front of us village Čepletišče (Cepletischis) and approximately 6 km to Livek. From the crossroad to the village Matajur separates us approximately 5.5 km moderately ascending two-lane road, and to Rufugio Pelizzo 9 km.
B) On Slovenian side: From the road Tolmin - Kobarid, in the settlement Idrsko to the left (from the direction Kobarid right) steep two-lane road branches off towards the village Livek (approximately 5 km). We continue here on a narrower road in Italy. On the other side of the border, the road starts slightly descending, at village Polava the road again widens and slightly ascends towards the village Čepletišče / Cepletischis. From here we descend towards the crossroad (0.5 km), where we continue right in the direction of village Matajur / Montemaggiore and Rifugio Pelizzo. Straight Sauodnja / Savogna. From Livek to the village Matajur is approximately 10 km, and to Rifugo Pelizzo 13 km.

Path description:
We park by the road above the village Matajur. In the snow conditions is here also the road closure. Signposts point us to the right upwards past the holiday cottage towards Matajur and mountain pasture Gosnach. After a very short ascent we cross the road, where mountain signpost points us straight through the forest towards Matajur and mountain hut Dom na Matajure. After few steps, we turn left and we start relatively steeply, after that mildly ascending towards the mountain pasture Gosnach. The path runs partly through the forest, partly crosses grassy slopes, from which nice views already open up to the sea. Below bigger white homestead, which we notice on the right side, forest gets much thinner. We soon get to abandoned Rifugio Gosnach, from where in nice weather first views open up towards Dolomites. From here the path starts ascending steeper on southwestern grassy slopes of Matajur. In front of us we all the time see Dom na Matajure and the peak Matajur. After a good hour of walking, we come to the beginning of the mountain pasture Maršinska planina / Malghe di Mersino on which opens up beautiful view from Dolomites to Kanin mountains. From the right side on this spot joins the path from Rifugio Pelizzo (30 min).
We continue walking ahead on a cart track which leads towards cottages, which we see in front of us. The path is moderately ascending below the western slopes of Matajur. Above the cottages cart track again flattens and in few minutes brings us to the next group of stone cottages at artificial lake.
On the mountain pasture at lake we continue straight on a cart track which is moderately ascending towards the saddle below northern-western slopes of Matajur. Saddle we reach after light 15 minutes ascent. In ideal weather conditions we are all the time accompanied by great views from Dolomites to Kanin mountains and Rombon. On the saddle view widens also on mighty Krn and on Tolminske gore and Spodnje Bohinjske gore.
To saddle leads also the path below northern slopes of Matajur, on which we come on the path from Avsa (instead of going on the path Beneška pot, we continue straight below northern slopes of Matajur in the direction of Sedlo-Meršinska).
From the saddle starts short, but relatively steep ascent on the northern ridge to the summit of Matajur, which we reach in approximately 20 minutes. In the snow conditions on this part of the path, a lot of caution is needed and appropriate equipment. The slope is often frozen, or it can be soft and sinks deep. Because of the steepness the use of snowshoes isn't possible. The path crosses steep slopes, so there is also a great risk of slipping.
In snowless conditions the path is undemanding and very appropriate mainly in hot days.
Unlike other accesses on Matajur we notice the church on the summit only few steps below the summit.
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