Pedrovo - Trstelj

Access to starting point:
A) From highway Ljubljana - Koper we go to the exit Senožeče, and then we continue driving in the direction of village Štorje. In Štorje we continue right in the direction of Branik (straight Sežana and Trst) and further we drive through the village Kazlje, Dobravlje and Ponikve. At the crossroad few kilometers after Ponikve we continue right towards the village Kobdilj (left Kopriva and Dutovlje), from there we follow the signs for Štanjel and Branik. After few kilometers of descent we get to Branik, where we continue sharply left in the direction of Komen. Further, we drive past castle Rihemberk (also castle Branik), after that in sharp the left turn we leave the road towards Komen and we continue right towards the village Pedrovo. From the mentioned crossroad, we drive for approximately 2 km, and then we park on a marked parking lot a little below the village.
B) First, we drive to Ajdovščina, and then we continue driving on the old road towards Nova Gorica. When we get to the settlement Potoče we leave the main road and we continue left in the direction of the settlement Branik. The road quickly brings us to the bridge over the river Vipava, and after which it becomes more winding. After a short ascent follows a shorter descent and we get to Branik. When we reach the main road we continue left towards Koper and Sežana, and on the mentioned road we drive to a crossroad, where slightly to the right, the road branches off towards Komen. Further, we drive past castle Rihemberk (also castle Branik), after that in sharp the left turn we leave the road towards Komen and we continue right towards the village Pedrovo. From the mentioned crossroad, we drive for approximately 2 km, and then we park on a marked parking lot a little below the village.
C) From Nova Gorica or its surroundings we drive to Dornberk, and from there we continue driving in the direction of Branik. In Branik we leave the main road towards Sežana and we continue driving slightly right in the direction towards Komen. Further, we drive past castle Rihemberk (also castle Branik), after that in sharp the left turn we leave the road towards Komen and we continue right towards the village Pedrovo. From the mentioned crossroad, we drive for approximately 2 km, and then we park on a marked parking lot a little below the village.
D) First, we drive to Komen, and from there we continue driving towards Branik. Towards Branik we drive to the sharp right turn, where we turn left on a local road in the direction of village Pedrovo. From the mentioned crossroad, we drive for approximately 2 km, and then we park on a marked parking lot a little below the village.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the road, on which we quickly get to the church of the Holy Spirit and village Pedrovo. When we get to the village we continue through the village, and then at the end of it, we continue on a wide poorly marked cart track which starts moderately ascending. Further, the cart track few times splits, and we continue on the "main" or the one, which is marked (blazes are otherwise occasionally quite rare). Higher, we reach a worse road (firebreak gap - intervention road number 14P), on which we start moderately descending. A little further from a slope we pass into a smaller valley, where we continue right upwards on at first less distinct cart track. The path ahead for a short time continues through a panoramic meadow, and then it quickly brings us to abandoned cottage Slavčeva bajta. Mentioned cottage we bypass on the left side and we continue on a poorly marked cart track which few times ascends and descends. At the crossings, we continue on a marked cart track, and eventually it brings us on grassy slopes, from which a beautiful view opens up, which reaches all the way to the highest peaks of Julian Alps. Next follows a little steeper descent and the path brings us to Železna vrata, where we cross the asphalt road.
We continue on the macadam road in the direction of Trstelj, and we walk there to the power line. Immediately after the power line we leave the road and we continue the ascent left on a marked path which starts ascending steeper. After few minutes, the path flattens and passes on panoramic and relatively gentle shady slopes. The path quickly returns into the forest and from the right the path from Renče joins.
We continue left in the direction of the mountain hut, on the path which soon splits into two parts. We continue slightly right on a marked shortcut, and then we join a worse forest road which we follow to the nearby mountain hut Stjenkova koča on Trstelj.
From the mountain hut, we continue right in the direction of the peak and we continue on a pleasant footpath which ascends through a lane of thin forest. Only a little higher we join a wide cart track, on which in few 10 strides of additional walking, we get to the top of Trstelj.

On the way: Sveti Duh (Pedrovo) (365m), Slavčeva bajta (395m), Železna vrata (445m), Stjenkova koča na Trstelju mountain hut (610m)