Vodel - Gradovec

Access to starting point:
A) We drive to Bohinjska Bistrica, where from the roundabout we continue in the direction of Soriška planina and Tolmin. Further, we drive through Bohinjska Bistrica, and then at the beginning of the left turn we continue straight in the direction of the settlement Ravne v Bohinju. From the crossroad ahead we start ascending steeper, and when the road flattens brings us in the mentioned village. At the end of the village the asphalt ends, and on a macadam road we drive at first through a meadow, and then the road passes into the forest, where at first leads past the former mountain hut Planinski dom dr. Janeza Mencingerja (today private house), near of which there are two turn-offs of paths for Črna prst, we then drive for quite some time and we cross the path Polje - Črna prst, after the mentioned crossing we already get to slopes of Pezdenica, where we semicircular bypass the mentioned ridge. When on the other side of the ridge road first time turns more to the right, we need to pay attention because we then park on first appropriate place by the road. From the spot, where the asphalt ends, to the starting point is 6.5 km.
B) From Rovtarica or Soriška planina we descend in Bohinjska Bistrica, and then at the beginning of the mentioned settlement we continue left in the direction of the settlement Ravne v Bohinju. From the crossroad ahead we start ascending steeper, and when the road flattens brings us in the mentioned village. At the end of the village the asphalt ends, and on a macadam road we drive at first through a meadow, and then the road passes into the forest, where at first leads past the former mountain hut Planinski dom dr. Janeza Mencingerja (today private house), near of which there are two turn-offs of paths for Črna prst, we then drive for quite some time and we cross the path Polje - Črna prst, after the mentioned crossing we already get to slopes of Pezdenica, where we semicircular bypass the mentioned ridge. When on the other side of the ridge road first time turns more to the right, we need to pay attention because we then park on first appropriate place by the road. From the spot, where the asphalt ends, to the starting point is 6.5 km.

Path description:
From the spot, where we've parked on the road we return back to turn, and few 10 meters after turn we cross metal drainage channel, after which we continue sharply right uphill (by the spot, where we leave the road is usually situated a cairn). Next follows a minute or two long ascent on a slope straight upwards, where individual cairns showing the way, and then we reach well visible old hunting path, which we only cross, because cairns point us straight upwards on a bad, but mostly relatively easy to follow, which is with the help of individual cairns steeply ascending. On the part, where there are several fallen trees we have to more carefully follow the footpath, and then we get by the edge of quite overgrown torrent ditch. In the last part of ditch we steeply ascend diagonally through partly exposed passage, and then we join a better beaten path, which we follow in the direction of straight (right in descriptions starting point Pod Debelo glavo).
The path ahead leads us through a small valley between Pezdenica on the left and Ventije on the right. Few minutes we walk through a small valley, and then we get to a clearing, by the edge of which is situated hunting cottage Ventije.
Behind the cottage for few minutes we continue through a small valley, and then the path steeply ascends and by occasional nice views, which reaches all the way to Triglav, brings us level higher, on more plateau terrain, where the path splits into two parts.
We continue on the right path (left path leads to watering place and a meadow on Dolga Planja), which is then ascending gently on series of smaller valleys surrounded by dwarf pines. A little higher another path branches off to the left towards the mentioned watering place, and we continue right, where in front of us we already notice mountain pasture Poljana and above it Raskovec. A gentle descent follows, and when we already reach the mountain pasture, from the right also joins other path from the starting point Pod Debelo glavo.
Here we continue left and we walk to the near shepherd hut.
From the shepherd huts we continue on the right side of the mountain pasture, and by the edge of the mountain pasture we walk to the spot, where easy to follow footpath branches off to the right, which starts ascending through a lane of dwarf pines. After a short ascent, the path turns sharply to the right, and after good 10 minutes of additional walking brings us on a less noticeable crossing, where the path branches off to the left (later pathless terrain) towards Raskovec. We continue on wider right path, which a little further flattens, and then in a moderate ascent brings us to a saddle south from Gradovec (1692 meters).
On the mentioned saddle usually stands a cairn, which points us right on cutted path which continues through a lane of dwarf pines. Further, we are at first moderately, after that relatively steeply ascending on the south and more and more panoramic ridge of Gradovec. With nice views on mountains, which surround Bohinj, we quickly reach the panoramic peak, which is same as last part of the path cutted.
Vodel - Planina Poljana 1:15, Planina Poljana - Gradovec 40 minutes.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2016 (June).

On the way: Lovska koča Ventije (1305m), Planina Poljana (1466m)