Strma Reber - Loška stena

Access to starting point:
A) First, we drive to Ribnica, and then we continue driving towards Kočevje. After Dolenja vas we continue right in the direction of Grčarice, Gotenica and Kočevska Reka. In Kočevska Reka we continue right in the direction of Borovca pri Kočevski Reki, mountain pass Strma Reber and Osilnice. In Borovec we once again continue right, and then past hamlet Ravne in few kilometers we get to mountain pass Strma Reber, which is situated at an altitude 993 meters. From the mountain pass a short descent follows, and then we get to a larger parking lot, where on the left side we notice also map of Kočevje mountain trail and mountain signposts for Firstov rep and Cerk. From a crossroad, where we leave the main road Ribnica - Kočevje is approximately 30 km of relatively nice asphalt road.
B) From Kočevje we drive towards the border crossing Petrina, and then at the end of the settlement Štalcerji we continue right towards Kočevska Reka. In Kočevska Reka we continue left in the direction of Borovec pri Kočevski Reki, mountain pass Strma Reber and Osilnice. In Borovec we continue right, and then past hamlet Ravne in few kilometers we get to mountain pass Strma Reber, which is situated at an altitude 993 meters. From the mountain pass a short descent follows, and then we get to a larger parking lot, where on the left side we notice also map of Kočevje mountain trail and mountain signposts for Firstov rep and Cerk. From the crossroad, where we leave the main road Kočevje - Petrina is approximately 18 km of asphalt road.
C) From Osilnica or Sela pri Osilnici we continue in the direction settlements Žurge, Padovo pri Osilnici, Zgornji Čačič and mountain pass Strma Reber. Further, we drive on at first slightly winding, and higher zig zag road which on nineteen marked hairpin turns brings us to a crossroad, which is located only few 100 meters before the mountain pass Strma Reber. At the crossroad is large macadam parking lot on both sides of the road, "cottage", in which is sand for road (sand for the purpose of road maintenance workers), and there a map of Kočevje mountain trail. We park on the mentioned parking lot. From the center of Osilnica to the starting point is 8.5 km.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue towards the east, on the road in the direction of Cerk and Firstov rep. The path leads us on the forest road, from which already after few minutes marked path branches off to the right.
We continue on a marked path (possible is also to continue on an unmarked road, because marked path after a time returns on the mentioned road, the path on the road is also a little shorter), which passes into a dense forest. Through the forest at first we start moderately ascending, and in doing so, we carefully follow the blazes, because the path is otherwise relatively easy to follow but poorly beaten. When the path a little higher flattens, on the left side we bypass indistinct peak Luknja (1079 meters), to which we can on easier pathless terrain ascend in few minutes, otherwise we continue on a marked path, which as said peak bypasses on the left side. Next follows few shorter ascents and descents, after that follows a little longer descent, which ends when we reach the macadam road.
When we reach the road, we continue right (left marked path on Cerk and the road on which we can return to the starting point) in the direction of Firstov rep. On the road, we are slightly to moderately ascending, and there we walk to its end or turning point.
On the left side of turning point we notice signs for Firstov rep and first time also for Loška stena, which point us on a cart track which starts gradually descending. When after few minutes the cart track ends, on the left we notice a salt lick for wild animals, and we continue straight downwards, on a marked footpath, on which in few steps we get to the inscription box on Firstov rep.
From the inscription box, we continue the descent on a marked path in the direction of Loška stena. Quite scenic path, from which beautiful views opening up on the nearby walls, towers and hills, leads us by the edge of the cliffs, which the path avoids on the right side, so that there isn't any bigger danger of slipping, except of course, if we go on the edge for a nice view. A little lower path passes into the forest and flattens. Next follows a short ascent, and then an easy descent to a precipitous edge of the peak of Loška stena, from where a really nice view opens through a valley Zgornja Kolpska dolina and surrounding hills.
Ravne - Firstov rep 1:25, Firstov rep - Loška stena 25 minutes.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2015 (August).

On the way: Firstov rep (1002m)