Predmeja - Kucelj na Čavnu

Access to starting point:
From highway Razdrto - Nova Gorica we go to the exit Ajdovščina and follow the road ahead towards the village Lokavec (to Lokavec we come from the center of Ajdovščina, or from old road Ajdovščina - Nova Gorica, where at settlement Cesta we turn right). From Lokavec we continue driving on ascending winding road in the direction of Predmeja. The mentioned road, we follow to a crossroad, where the road branches off to the right towards Col. We park on a parking lot right next to a crossroad.
To the starting point, we can also come from Godovič, over Črni vrh and Col to Predmeja. In this case, we drive to a crossroad, where just after the sign end of Predmeja left downwards the road branches off towards Ajdovščina. We park on a parking lot right next to a crossroad.

Path description:
From the parking lot by the crossroad, we go on a footpath in the direction of the mountain hut Koča na Čavnu. The path at first ascends past memorial plates of Ressel Jožef, and then it passes into the forest, where it starts at first moderately, after that steeply ascending. Higher, the path brings us to a smaller vantage point (a view on Predmeja) by which we notice a bench and a thermometer.
At the bench we also join a wide cart track, and a little higher it turns into a footpath which soon again starts ascending steeply. A relatively steep path, by which we notice numerous bigger cairns, higher brings us to a macadam road which we follow to the left. We continue the ascent on the mentioned road, and for a short time it gets an asphalt covering. Higher, the road flattens and out of the forest brings us on panoramic slopes, from which a nice view opens up on Golaki, Nanos and Vipava valley, and later also on Adriatic Sea. This road which is slowly turning towards the right and which in the last part even descends a little, we follow all the way to the mountain hut Koča na Čavnu.
Behind the mountain hut signs for Kucelj point us slightly to the left on a footpath which starts descending diagonally. The path ahead crosses a short lane of a forest and then turns to the right, where it is still lightly descending. After that, the path gradually passes into the forest and from the left path from the village Kamnje joins (there are turn-offs for Kamnje). We continue in the direction of Kucelj on the path which gradually passes on the right side of "Čaven" ridge. The path continues through a large clearing, from which a view opens up on surrounding hills, and then it returns into the forest. A little further, we leave a gently sloping cart track and we continue the ascent left and further we are ascending through a dense forest. The steepness soon decreases and the path out of the forest brings us on more panoramic grassy slopes. Follows few minutes of easy walking, and then the path brings us below the peak of Kucelj, where it again steeply ascends. This path, which offers increasingly beautiful views, we then follow all the way to the top of Kucelj, and we reach it after few minutes of additional walking.
Predmeja - Koča na Čavnu 1:15, Koča na Čavnu - Kucelj 45 minutes.

On the way: Koča Antona Bavčerja na Čavnu mountain hut (1242m)

Trip can be extended to: Veliki Rob (1 h)