Matajur / Montemaggiore - Monte Mataiur/Matajur (via Dom na Matajure)

Access to starting point:
A) On Italian side: From Gorca direction we drive on a regional road towards Videm / Udine to the turn-off for Krmin / Cormons. At the roundabout on first exit we turn towards Krmin / Cormons and Čedad / Cividale and we drive below underpass and then we immediately turn left. In larger and clumsy crossroad in Krmin we turn right towards Čedad / Cividale del Friuli. We continue driving through more settlements on carefully treated Friulian plain, from where in good visibility our destination Matajur at first shows on our right side next to Krn, and from Čedad straight in front of us. In Čedad we get to the traffic light crossroad next to building, in which is at first pharmacy (farmacia) and then bank. At the crossroad, we turn sharply right (straight in front of us entrance in old part of the town and large free parking lot). To famous bridge Hudičev most there is only few minutes of walking.
We continue to a smaller roundabout, in front of which there's more signposts, among them also brown sign for Kolovrat. From here further we follow the signs for Kolovrat. By the river Nadiža we drive towards the settlement Špeter Slovenov / San Pietro al Natisone. Approximately 1 km before Špeter we get to a crossroad in the settlement Ponte San Quirino. Here we turn right (straight Špeter), left over a bridge Čedad on other bank of river Nadiža, on which from Čedad brings us path, which you can find on Google Maps. We still follow the signs for Kolovrat, but only for approximately 1.5 km, where the road branches off to the right towards Kolovrat and former border crossing Solarij / Solarie. We continue straight to bigger settlement Sauodnja / Savogna, also center of the eponymous municipality. Here we turn right over a bridge and we continue on the main road. We could also go after the bridge left upwards, but the path is very steep and narrow. On the bridge we see also red signs for Rifugio Pelizzo. The path soon starts ascending in zig-zags (approx. 3 km and 6 sharp turns). On the top we come to the next turn-off, where we turn left towards the village Matajur / Montemaggiore and Rifugio Pelizzo. Straight in front of us village Čepletišče (Cepletischis) and approximately 6 km to Livek. From the crossroad to the village Matajur separates us approximately 5.5 km moderately ascending two-lane road, and to Rufugio Pelizzo 9 km.
B) On Slovenian side: From the road Tolmin - Kobarid, in the settlement Idrsko to the left (from the direction Kobarid right) steep two-lane road branches off towards the village Livek (approximately 5 km). We continue here on a narrower road in Italy. On the other side of the border, the road starts slightly descending, at village Polava the road again widens and slightly ascends towards the village Čepletišče / Cepletischis. From here we descend towards the crossroad (0.5 km), where we continue right in the direction of village Matajur / Montemaggiore and Rifugio Pelizzo. Straight Sauodnja / Savogna. From Livek to the village Matajur is approximately 10 km, and to Rifugo Pelizzo 13 km.

Path description:
We park by the road above the village Matajur. In the snow conditions is here also the road closure. Signposts point us to the right upwards past the holiday cottage towards Matajur and mountain pasture Gosnach. After a very short ascent we cross the road, where mountain signpost points us straight through the forest towards Matajur and mountain hut Dom na Matajure. After few steps, we turn left and we start relatively steeply, after that mildly ascending towards the mountain pasture Gosnach. The path runs partly through the forest, partly crosses grassy slopes, from which nice views already open up to the sea. Below bigger white homestead, which we notice on the right side, forest gets much thinner. We soon get to abandoned Rifugio Gosnach, from where in nice weather first views open up towards Dolomites. From here the path starts ascending steeper on southwestern grassy slopes of Matajur. In front of us we all the time see Dom na Matajure and the peak Matajur. After a good hour of walking, we come to the beginning of the mountain pasture Maršinska planina / Malghe di Mersino on which opens up beautiful view from Dolomites to Kanin mountains. From the right side at this spot joins the path from Rifugio Pelizzo.
Those who like steep ascents is go here straight upwards towards Dom na Matajure (approximately 30 min), and those who like views continue ahead on a cart track which leads towards cottages, which we see in front of us. The path is moderately ascending below the western slopes of Matajur. Above the cottages cart track flattens and in few minutes brings us to the next group of stone cottages at artificial lake. From here views open also towards the Julian Alps. Cart track continues towards the saddle below northern slopes of Matajur, to where we can also come on the path from Avsa (instead of going on the path Beneška pot, we continue straight below northern slopes of Matajur in the direction of Sedlo-Meršinska smer). From the saddle ascends the steepest marked path on Matajur, which is undemanding in snowless conditions, but in snow conditions it requires a lot of caution and appropriate equipment.
From the lake at stone cottages a wooden signpost point us on a footpath which right upwards in some turns ascends towards the mountain hut of Slovenian Mountaineering family Benečije – Dom na Matajure. Mountain hut we reach after approximately 15 minutes of a moderate ascent. From Dom na Matajure to the top Matajur, on which stands a church, separates us 15 more minutes of mild ascent on a wide western ridge.
The path from the village Matajur is current mainly in the winter, when the road to Rifugio Pelizzo is closed. In the summer is because of the south position very hot and it is appropriate only for very early morning hours. From beginning of the mountain pasture Maršinska planina forward towards the lake, the path is fresher, and in the winter usually isn't beaten (or is soft or frozen – therefore we need snowshoes or crampons).
The path to the mountain pasture Maršinska planina we can shorten if with a car we go to Rifugio Pelizzo. From here in a moderate ascent we cross southern slopes of Matajur and in approximately half an hour we reach beginning of the mountain pasture.
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On the way: Jezerce na Maršinski planini (1437m), Dom na Matajure (1545m), Rifugio Pelizzo (1320m)