Rakov Škocjan (hotel) - Rakov Škocjan (Rakova pot)

Access to starting point:
A) From highway Ljubljana - Koper we go to the exit Unec and we continue driving towards Unec. On Unec signs for Postojna and Rakov Škocjan point us to the right, on the road which a little further continues directly by the highway. After few kilometers from Unec, we get to a crossroad, where signs for Rakov Škocjan point us to the left on a macadam road, on which we then drive to Hotel Rakov Škocjan.
B) From highway Koper - Ljubljana we go to the exit Postojna, and then we continue driving on the old road towards Logatec. When Postojna ends, at hamlet Ravbarkomanda we turn right in the direction of Unec, Rakek and Rakov Škocjan. After that, when through overpass we cross a railway track, we continue left on the main road, and then through the underpass below the highway we pass on the other side of the highway. For some time we drive by the highway, and then signs for Rakov Škocjan point us to the left on a macadam road, on which we then drive to Hotel Rakov Škocjan.
C) First, we drive to Cerknica, and from there we continue driving towards Unec. In the settlement Podskrajnik we continue left towards Rakov Škocjan, Zelše and industrial zone. In unmarked crossroad in ind. zone we continue straight, and then we quickly get to the settlement Zelše. When the settlement ends, soon ends also asphalt, and the road brings us to a crossroad, where a road branches off to the right towards the hunting lodge Lovski dom LD Cerknica, and we continue straight and we continue driving to Hotel Rakov Škocjan.

Path description:
From the hotel, by which on the information board is nicely shown path Rakovava pot, we go on the road which continues towards the Big natural bridge (Veliki naravni most), and after few 10 strides, we leave it and we continue right on a cart track, on which we quickly get to the spot, where we join the settled path through Rakov Škocjan. We follow the mentioned path to the left (right path Jamarska pot), and then it leads us past many attractions. After the sources or in high waters the sinkholes, the path Rakova pot passes on the other side of the driving road, where the path leads us past another attraction, by which there is an information board. We quickly return back on the other side of the road, where paths Tkalčeva and Rakova pot leads through the forest. When we get very close to the road, the path leads through a meadow, and behind it again through the forest, where in few minutes of additional walking, we get to Big natural bridge, which is from the marked path situated few 10 strides to the right.
At learning board, which is situated in front of Big natural bridge, the path turns left and it ascends to a macadam road which we follow to the right. Few minutes we walk on the road, and then the path leads left, where we quickly get to cave Tkalca jama, where river Rak disappears. To cave we can descend on a secured path, otherwise we continue forward, on the path which it returns on the road. On the road, we ascend on Big natural bridge, from which a nice view opens up towards the valley of river Rak. On the bridge we once again leave the road and we continue slightly left, on the path on which we quickly get to the ruins of the church of St. Kancijan. Next follows some descent and the path returns on the road which we follow to the left, but only to the nearby information boards, where there is a marked crossing.
Here, the path Tkalčeva pot turns back, and we continue right on a side road which is when it snows closed for public traffic. We continue on the road which mostly runs through the forest, or on the settled footpath which runs a little right from the road. We walk on the road for quite some time, and after a time the road for some time turns more towards the north, and then in a longer right turn cuts the footpath, on which we will later continue. We continue on the road, and then at the nearby crossroad, we continue left, where we quickly get to a larger parking lot (one of the options where to begin the described path). On the upper side of the parking lot, we leave the road and we go on the path in the direction of the Little natural window. After few steps, we get to the information board, and the path towards the LIttle natural window branches off to the right. When we view this natural sight, we return to the last crossing, and then we continue on the path which starts gradually descending through the forest, and a little lower it crosses the road on which we were walking few 10 minutes back.
On the other side of the road, the path turns right, where at first leads past the former sawmill, then it for some time goes away from the river, and soon again gets closer to it. Further, we once again get very close to the road, on which we were walking for quite some time, and at the two crossings we continue left, and at the second we then go over a small bridge. On the other side of the small bridge, we short time still walk by the river Rak, and then at the crossing we continue left and in a gentle ascent, we walk to the starting point at the closed hotel.