Lokavec - Kucelj na Čavnu

Access to starting point:
We drive on the highway from Razdrto towards Nova Gorica or vice versa and go to the exit Ajdovščina. Then at the crossroad, we turn left in the direction of Nova Gorica and drive to the village Cesta, where a sign for Lokavec point us to the right. We follow this road to a larger parking lot at the church in the village Lokavec, where there are also signposts for Čaven.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the road in the direction of Čaven. The road, that is gently ascending among houses soon brings us to the smaller crossroad near the small stream. Here we continue on the left road and left side of the stream, which at the end of the village brings us to a cart track on which we are then ascending. We further follow the cart track which slowly turns into a footpath. The path eventually crosses a bad forest road and soon after that, it brings us to a crossing, where we continue straight in the direction of Čaven. The path then brings us to a well and then for few ten strides steeply ascends. The path ahead brings us on unvegetated slopes, from which a nice view opens up on Nanos, valley Vipavska dolina and surrounding hills. A little further, the path again crosses a rough forest road and is for a short time ascending parallel with it. Only a little further, we come on a wider road which we follow to the right, but only few steps, and then blazes point us left upwards. The path ahead starts ascending steeper and a little higher it crosses the marked path which starts at "tunnels".
Here we continue straight upwards on the path which is becoming very steep. A little further, the path which was most of the time running through the forest again crosses some panoramic slopes. A little further, the path brings us to a ridge, where we have two options to continue. Left runs little below the ridge and has less view than the one, that runs on the ridge, but is better in case of a strong wind. After 10 minutes both paths join and they bring us on grassy slopes east from Mala gora.
Here the steepness decreases and the path ahead continues on nice meadows, where in spring and summer time we notice a lot of the mountain flowers. A little further from the left joins the path from Stomaž. Here we continue straight on the path which in few minutes brings us 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.

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

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