Srednja vas - Viševnik (Za Ribnico and via Srenjski preval)

Access to starting point:
From highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we go to the exit Lesce and follow the road towards Bled and forward towards Bohinjska Bistrica. Only a little before Bohinjska Bistrica, at settlement Bitnje, we continue sharply right in the direction of Pokljuka. After a short ascent the road flattens and it quickly brings us into a valley Zgornja Bohinjska dolina. Here at the crossroad we continue left (right Pokljuka) and follow a road ahead to Srednja vas. Here in the second part of the village we notice signs for the church of St Martin, which point us to the right on narrower and quite steep road, on which then we quickly get to the church and primary school. We park on an appropriate place by the school or church.

Path description:
From the parking lot at the church in few steps we descend to primary school, and from there we continue in the direction of viewpoint on Kres. The path ahead leads us on a narrower asphalt road, on which we quickly get to a bigger water storage, where we notice signs for Uskovnica. We continue on a cart track which passes into the forest, at the right turn for some time we step out of the forest and a nice view opens up on Rudnica and part of the valley Zgornja Bohinjska dolina. We continue on a cart track which leads us through a little narrower passage, and then in a diagonal ascent to the spot, where we reach the road which leads on Uskovnica. We reach the road right on a well-settled viewpoint on Kres, from which a view opens up towards Srednja vas, valley Zgornja Bohinjska dolina and Spodnje Bohinjske gore at the back. A short time we continue on the road, and then at the end of the mild left turn signs for Uskovnica point us to the right on a cart track which leads us through the forest, lane of bushes, and higher again through the forest. Few minutes higher we again reach the macadam road, but this time we immediately leave it, because we still continue in the direction of the footpath on Uskovnica. Cart track soon splits, and we continue on the left, where on a power pole we notice a blaze. For some time we continue by the power line and we follow the blazes. Soon a path which leads on Uskovnica over Lom branches off to the left, and we continue on the path which turns a little to the right and passes on steep slopes of the area named Za Ribnik (Ribnica is a stream deep below us). Higher, we reach a newer cart track and we follow it to the right. Newer cart track after few minutes ends and the path still crosses slopes towards the right. A little further at the smaller crossing, we continue on the left upper path, by which there are the signs for Uskovnica and which is considerably better beaten. Further, we are ascending a little steeper on the path, from which a little higher unmarked path towards Lom branches off (on the sign is written "cheese, curd, milk and more").
We again continue in the direction of Uskovnica, and then in few minutes we reach a macadam road (we reach the road on part, where it is already closed for public traffic), which we follow to the right. When we step on the road, we join the path from Stara Fužina, the path from Srednja vas over Lom and the path from the starting point or parking lot Lom. Gentle macadam road quickly brings us to holiday cottages on Uskovnica, after that only a little behind troughs with water we leave it and we continue left on a cart track in the direction of the mountain hut Koča na Uskovnici. After approximately 50 meters of the ascent on a cart track we reach the mountain hut Koča na Uskovnici.
From the mountain hut, we continue in the direction of Tosc, Draški vrh, Viševnik, Vodnikov dom, Rudno polje and Praprotnica on the path which at first crosses a grazing fence, and then it quickly joins the macadam road which we follow to the right. The road then leads us between mogul meadows, and then after the crossing of the next fence we quickly get to a crossroad at the chapel of Mary Queen of Peace on Uskovnica.
At the chapel to the left continues the path towards Vodnikov dom, to the right leads the path towards Pokljuka, and we continue straight in the direction of the mountain pasture Planina Konjščica. (also one of the paths, on which we can get to Velo polje or Vodnikov dom). We continue among fenced pastures, on a relatively steep cart track, from which a nice view is opening up on surrounding mountains. Higher, the path which leads us past few more holiday cottages, flattens and we join a wider cart track which leads from Pokljuka or from the bridge over Ribnica (in descriptions starting point Uskovnica (Razpotje)) towards the mountain pasture Konjšica.
A little further a nice view opens up towards Viševnik, and the cart track is then for some time ascending diagonally, mostly through the forest. Higher, we cross a grazing fence and the path brings us on the southwest edge of the mountain pasture Planina Konjščica.. Here the path which was occasionally again a little steeper entirely flattens and leads us diagonally through mountain pasture. During the crossing we stride across some smaller streams, after that behind a smaller cross we also cross a little bigger stream and behind it in few steps we reach cheese cottage on the mountain pasture Konjščica, where in grazing season it is possible to buy some milk products.
In front of cheese cottage we continue slightly left in the direction of Triglav and Vodnikov dom na Velem polju, on the path, that is gently ascending towards the northern part of the mountain pasture. When mountain pasture ends path passes among dwarf pines surrounded by individual trees and starts moderately ascending. With a view on surrounding mountains we quickly get to a marked crossing, where from the right joins also the marked path from Rudno polje.
We continue slightly left in the direction of saddle Studorski preval and for few minutes we are ascending a little steeper. Higher valley through which we walk narrows, after that by a torrent we reach the grassy plain Na Jezercih, where there is the next marked crossing.
Here the path towards Triglav turns left, and we continue right, past the bench in the direction of Viševnik and saddle Srenjski preval. Clearly visible, but further to Srenjski preval unmarked path, at first gently ascends to the nearby stream, crosses it, and then it ascends also to the source of the mentioned stream. After the source path becomes steeper and splits into two parts. Higher both paths join, and with nice views on the nearby towers and peaks, which surround Jezerce in few additional minutes of ascent we reach the saddle Srenjski preval, where we again notice the blazes.
From the saddle, we continue right (left saddle Studorski preval and Mali Draški vrh, straight Blejska koča na Lipanci) and we are ascending by scenic and panoramic ridge. Further technically a little more demanding path is ascending diagonally on a relatively steep slope, and then returns on the ridge and few steps ahead passes on the right side of the ridge, where further leads us diagonally over a little steeper grassy slope. With increasingly beautiful views on mountains above Bohinj path returns by the ridge, where crosses a short exposed slope, where a little more caution is needed. After the mentioned part to the top of Viševnik separates us only few steps of walking.
Srednja vas - Koča na Uskovnici 1:40, Koča na Uskovnici - Planina Konjščica 1:10, Planina Konjščica - Viševnik 1:50.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2015 (July).

On the way: Razgledišče na Kresu (619m), Koča na Uskovnici mountain hut (1154m), Kapelica na Uskovnici (1180m), Planina Konjščica (1438m), Jezerce (1720m), Srenjski preval (1959m)

Trip can be extended to: Mali Draški vrh