Poče - Medrce (via Labinjske lehe)

Access to starting point:
A) From regional road Idrija - Tolmin, at settlement Straža in hamlet Želin at the traffic light crossroad we turn right in the direction of Cerkno (if we come from the direction Tolmin we turn left). Further, we drive through the valley of river Cerknica, past Petrol gas station all the way to Cerkno, where at the crossroad behind the church of St. Jernej (by the church is also a cemetery and a parking lot) we continue left in the direction of Železniki, ski slope Cerkno, hospital Franja and center of Cerkno. At the next marked crossroad we continue left in the direction of the settlement Zakojca and Gorje. Further, we drive through the settlement Trebenče and past bigger picnic area, to a marked crossroad, where we turn right in the direction of village Poče (left Gorje). After further shorter ascent we reach fire station at the beginning of the village Poče, where there is a turning point for buses and by it NOB monument. The beginning of the footpath is a little further in the center of the village. Some options for parking is in the center of the village, or we can ask locals where we can leave a car.
B) From the road Škofja Loka - Žiri, after the settlement Trebija we turn right in the direction of Sovodenj and Cerkno (from the direction Žiri still before Trebija we turn left), from where we at first drive in Sovodenj, and from there over mountain pass Kladje (mountain pass is located in the settlement Podlanišče) we start descending towards Cerkno. In Cerkno at the first larger crossroad we continue straight (right we come in the center of the town and to the church of St. Ana), after that in second, about 300 meters ahead we turn right in the direction of Železniki, ski slope Cerkno, hospital Franja and center of Cerkno. At the next marked crossroad we continue left in the direction of the settlement Zakojca and Gorje. Further, we drive through the settlement Trebenče and past bigger picnic area, to a marked crossroad, where we turn right in the direction of village Poče (left Gorje). After further shorter ascent we reach fire station at the beginning of the village Poče, where there is a turning point for buses and by it NOB monument. The beginning of the footpath is a little further in the center of the village. Some options for parking is in the center of the village, or we can ask locals where we can leave a car.
C) From the road Škofja Loka - Podbrdo, at settlement Zali Log we continue left in the direction of Davča and ski slope Cerkno (if we come from the direction Podbrdo or Soriška planina, at the end of the settlement, we continue right). The road ahead at first ascends on Davča, and from there it starts descending towards Cerkno. In the center of Cerkno, at post office we turn right towards Zakojca and Gorje. Further, we drive through the settlement Trebenče and past bigger picnic area, to a marked crossroad, where we turn right in the direction of village Poče (left Gorje). After further shorter ascent we reach fire station at the beginning of the village Poče, where there is a turning point for buses and by it NOB monument. The beginning of the footpath is a little further in the center of the village. Some options for parking is in the center of the village, or we can ask locals where we can leave a car.

Path description:
From the center Poče we continue right in the direction of Labinjske lehe (left - gentle and steep path on Porezen), and through the village we follow the blazes. When we reach a wider cart track we ascend there above the village, where we also get to a smaller hamlet, where two paths branch off to the left towards Porezen, and both join the gentle or steep path.
At the newer, in the time of the description (July 2020) still unfinished house we go slightly left on a cart track which then ascends diagonally through a panoramic meadow. When a little above the nearby homestead which is situated below the path, the path brings us into the forest, at numerous crossings we follow the blazes. Higher, where the path from Cerkno joins, we for some time step on the road, and from there only few steps further, at the crossing, where the path from Dolenji Novaki joins, we go left in the direction of Porezen.
After the crossing, we immediately leave the forest and we get to meadows Labinjske lehe, from where a nice view opens up on Cerkljansko, and the view reaches all the way to Krim, Snežnik and Trnovski gozd.
On the upper part of meadow path turns slightly left and passes on slopes named Počanska gora. Next follows light to moderate diagonal ascent towards the left, and we walk on a well-settled path, which is on short steep spot also well-secured and in dry undemanding.
After secured part path splits, and we continue on the bottom path (right winter route), which continues to ascend diagonally. Later slope becomes steeper, and the path with the help of log stairs for some time steeply ascends. The path quickly flattens and we reach the ridge of Hom, where from the right side joins the path from the ski slope Cerkno.
We continue in the direction of Porezen and we quickly descend to a saddle Velbnik, where on the left we notice a hunting cottage Lovska koča na Šašu.
From the saddle Velbnik, where we get quite close to a forest road which leads to the mountain hut Dom na Poreznu, we ascend through a narrow lane of a forest and then at the crossing of grazing fence the path splits.
We continue on the path which is ascending (the left path bypasses the peak Medrce and isn't marked, but it is slightly shorter, and it leads further towards Porezen), and there in 10 minutes we ascend on a panoramic peak Medrce, from where a nice view opens up on Porezen.
Poče - Labinjske lehe 1:05, Labinjske lehe - Velbnik 1:15, Velbnik - Medrce 0:10.
Description refers to condition in July 2020, and pictures are from July 2020 and October 2018.

On the way: Labinjske lehe (962m), Velbnik (1331m)

Trip can be extended to: Dom na Poreznu , Porezen ( 55 min)