MHE Zali potok - Zavetišče na planini Šija

Access to starting point:
We drive to Tržič, and then through gorge Dovžanova soteska and Dolina we drive to Jelendol. In Jelendol at Born's manor we continue straight, and then we drive on the main road to the next turn-off of forest road to the left, which is situated next to MHE Zali potok. We park on an appropriate place by the crossroad.

Path description:
From the main road, we go over Tržiška Bistrica, and then past the small hydropower plant, we continue on a relatively steep forest road. The road further leads on the left side of the stream Zali potok, stream which higher has two waterfalls. Higher, we get to the bottom edge of the mountain pasture Zali potok, where the road ends, and we bypass the first cottage on the right side.
The path continues on a cart track, and at the crossings we are choosing a wider cart track. After few minutes from the left joins quite a steep cart track which on the left side bypassed the first cottage, and we continue on a cart track to the next cottage, which is situated on the mountain pasture Zali potok.
We continue straight, and the cart track brings us in a little thinner forest, where it splits. A bit wider cart track turns left and leads to and over the stream and we continue straight on a steeper cart track. A little higher, when the cart track becomes more grassy, we get to the next crossing, where sharply to the right a grassy cart track branches off (there leads unmarked path on the mountain pasture Planina Pungrat and Tegoška planina), and we again continue straight. Cart track higher continues by and on a small stream and then on an old and from erosion quite ruined cart track there are visible traces of motocross bikes. Higher, we diagonally ascend on a panoramic slope, and at the end of the mentioned part we choose the right cart track which ascends steeper. When a little ahead we pass into the forest, traces of the cart track end, and a relatively easy to follow path, which was made by motocross bikes shows the way. When the forest gets thinner, the path turns right, and then through high grass and among young spruces we steeply ascend to a macadam road.
We follow the road few steps to the right, and then on the left we notice a continuation of the footpath made by motocross bikes. Next a short steep ascent follows, and then we reach the cart track which we follow left upwards. Cart track soon splits, and we choose the left, which descends to a smaller torrent. Cart track after that semicircular turns right and gradually starts vanishing. A short time we can still follow a worse footpath, and then we get closer to the dune of the next forest road, where the footpath entirely vanishes, and in few steps we steeply ascend to the nearby road.
We reach the road at the longer turn, and we continue on an old cart track which ascends left of a smaller and overgrown quarry. After a short ascent, the cart track semicircular turns right, and then it brings us on a panoramic slope, from where a beautiful view opens up. We continue diagonally towards the right and without large changes in altitude. On the other side of a larger old clearing, at the smaller crossing, we continue left, so that the path gradually turns left. Next follows an ascent on still the same clearing, only that we continue on an indistinct ridge and higher it runs by the grazing fence. After we cross the grazing fence, we step on a macadam road, and we follow it to the left (right - mountain pasture Pungrat). When we reach the road, we at first ascend a little more, and then we start lightly descending to approximately 20 minutes distant cottage Zavetišče na planini Šija.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2017 (August).

On the way: Planina Zali potok (1032m), Mrzla dolina (1145m)

Trip can be extended to: Planina Spodnja Dolga njiva , Tegoška planina , Planina Pungrat , Planina Ilovica , Dom na Kofcah , Planina Zgornja Dolga njiva , Mala Košuta