Predmeja (tunnels) - Veliki Rob (Srednječavenska pot)

Access to starting point:
A) From highway Razdrto - Nova Gorica we go to the exit Ajdovščina and we follow the road ahead towards the village Lokavec (to Lokavec we come from the center of Ajdovščina, or from the old road Ajdovščina - Nova Gorica, where at the 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 mountain signposts for Čaven, Veliki Rob and Kucelj (signposts are located between the quarry and the tunnels, the road sign is approx. 10 km). We park few 10 meters lower on a parking lot by the road.
B) To the starting point, we can also come from Godovič, via Črni Vrh and Col to Predmeja. In this case from Predmeja we descend towards Ajdovščina and then soon after the third tunnel we park.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we at first walk to signposts, and then we go on the path Srednječavenska pot. The path which goes immediately in the forest, at first moderately ascends and then it continues by crossing the slopes towards the south. Wide and well made mountain path, soon passes on steep slopes (danger of falling stones) and is gradually turning more and more towards the right. A little further from the path beautiful views opening up on Nanos and Vipava valley, and the path gradually passes on more rocky terrain. Even a little further, the path again passes into a dense forest, where it starts lightly descending. After a shorter gentle descent we come to a crossing, where we continue straight (left downwards - Lokavec, right upwards - mountain hut Koča na Čavnu) on the path which runs at an altitude of approximately 900 meters, but it is getting the appearance of a real high mountain path. The path then from mostly a pine forest brings us on the scree, from which a nice view opens up on the valley, and on the right side we see steep rocky cliffs. At the end of the scree path passes into walls of the eastern secondary peak of Mala gora, where with the help of steel cables we cross wide and also partly exposed ledge. At the end of the ledge a nice view opens up on slide Slano blato above Lokavec, and we continue on a path Srednječavenska pot, which turns a little more to the right, where it starts slightly descending through a lane of bushes. After a short descent, the path flattens, and next to it we notice a big rocky peak and next to it a pleasant bench for a shorter or longer rest. The path which then continues through the forest quickly brings us to the next crossing.
This time we continue right in the direction of Mala gora and Čaven (left downwards Stomaž, and straight continues the path Srednječavenska pot) on the path which starts ascending steeper. After few minutes of a steep ascent steepness decreases and the path brings us on unvegetated grassy slopes of Mala gora, where we also come to the next crossing.
Here we continue left (straight upwards mountain hut Koča na Čavnu) on the path which mostly crosses slopes towards the west. After approximately 10 minutes of walking from the crossing the path descends and in few steps, it brings us to the cottage Koča na Mali gori.
From the cottage Koča na Mali gori we continue in the direction of Kucelj and Čaven. Few steps ahead from the left joins the cart track which comes from the nearby hunting cottage. Further, we continue on a cart track, from which soon a path branches off to the right towards the mountain hut Koča na Čavnu.
We continue straight on a cart track ahead, which then brings us on the path from the mountain hut Koča na Čavnu towards Kucelj. Here we continue left on the path which at first runs almost horizontally, and then it starts ascending. This path soon comes out of the forest, where in front of us we already see Kucelj to which separates us 10 more minutes of panoramic ascent.
From Kucelj we descend in the direction of Vrtovin, on the path which after a short descent brings us to the marked crossing.
We continue right in the direction of Veliki Rob on a pleasant footpath which is lightly descending on panoramic grassy slopes. Lower, the path passes into a lane of bushes, and then it joins the old road or cart trak between Vipava valley and Trnovski gozd. We follow the mentioned cart track to the right, and then already after few minutes, the signs for Veliki Rob point us to the left on a footpath which starts gradually ascending on the south edge of Trnovski gozd. Occasionally a quite panoramic path higher avoids the ridge a little to the right and for a short time passes into a dense forest, where from the right side, the path from Krnica joins. After a short descent, the path again starts ascending, and out of the forest it brings us into a lane of dwarf pines, where it then continues on and by occasionally quite a steep ridge. This path, from which beautiful views opening up we follow all the way to Veliki Rob, from which a nice view opens up.
Predmeja (tunnels) - Mala gora 1:30, Mala gora - Kucelj 0:30, Kucelj - Veliki Rob 1:00.

On the way: Mala gora (1034m), Kucelj na Čavnu (1237m)