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Cycling

Across Mt. Srnjak to the Mt. Sabotin

A moderate ascent along the old road to the Goriška brda Region and further to the mountain hut on Mt. Sabotin which is surrounded by a labyrinth of World War I caverns and trenches (part of the Peace memorial park) and offers splendid views from the Adriatic Sea all the way to Mt. Triglav.

This tour is routed from the village of Plave past the village of Prilesje pri Plavah from where it ascends along an old cart track to the ridge and continues along the road to the mountain hut. Above the Soča River, just behind the village of Prilesje pri Plavah, you can find the Church of St. Ahac with a cemetery where you can replenish your water supply. In front of the railway underpass in the direction of the Soča River, you can notice the beginning of the rocky cart track which you must follow across Mt. Srnjak and further to the Goriška brda Region. Nowadays, this gravel cart track is no longer in a condition it used to be when it was the only road used by travellers and horse carts for the transportation of goods to the Goriška brda Region. At that time, the villages of Plave and Prilesje pri Plavah represented important rest stop before the ascent where tired travellers and horses were able to take a rest and recover their strength. This cart track will take you to the ridge road on Mt. Sabotin, where you will be able to enjoy in splendid views of the Goriška brda Region, and past the pyramids (Italian memorials from World War I) to the mountain hut. The mountain hut hosts a nicely arranged museum collection and will make sure you won’t be hungry or thirsty. You can take a walk alone or accompanied by a guide along the Memorial Peace Park, which is located in the vicinity of the mountain hut and includes an outdoor museum with restored trenches, cavern labyrinth along the entire mountain and other interesting sights. The trail from the mountain hut to the top of Mt. Sabotin is routed along the ridge which offers splendid views of the Soča River winding along the narrow valley far below. Only when you arrive to the ridge, you can fully experience the important position of this solitary mountain at the geographical border between the Julian Alps and the Friuli lowlands where the border is delineated between the Republic of Slovenia and Italy. During the spring and summer months you can also enjoy in the diverse fauna and flora, whilst during the autumn months, you can enjoy in the wonderful fiery colours of the European smoketree covering the entire ridge.

The rocky cart track across Mt. Srnjak is routed in a pleasant forest shade, which, however, does not apply to the section along the paved road beneath the ridge of Mt. Sabotin where it can get pretty hot during the summer months, which is why you should bring a sufficient amount of water or start the tour in the morning. During the cooler months, this section of the ascent is quite pleasant because the paved road is routed along the sunny and leeward side of the mountain. You can find restaurants in the village of Plave and on the top of the mountain. This tour is also appropriate for e-cyclists.

Sights along the trail: St. John the Baptist in Plave, St. Ahac's Church in Prilesje, Walk of Peace, Prižnica memorial park, Sabotin peaceful place

​(Foto: Srečko Križnič)

distance
25,5 km
elevation
699m
time
3h 45min
difficulty
2/3