Skadanščina - Slavnik (via Mala Vrata)

Access to starting point:
We leave the Primorska highway at the Kozina exit, and then follow the road towards Ilirska Bistrica and Reka. After the settlement of Materija, we stay alert, as the road soon branches off to the right towards Skadanščina. We continue on this road, following it to a marked parking lot located shortly before the settlement of Skadanščina.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we head onto a marked footpath toward Skadanščina and Slavnik, which ascends through a strip of forest, and when the forest ends, we quickly reach the church of St. Rok, located on the outskirts of the settlement Skadanščina.
We bypass the church on the right side, then begin descending through the village, following the trail markers. Lower, we reach a marked crossroads in the middle of the village, and we choose the road with signs for Slavnik SPP, Mala Vrata, and Plešivec (to the right, Jegno pasture). The road after the village loses an asphalt covering and after few minutes of walking splits into two parts.
We choose the slightly left, lower path, by which there are signs for Mala Vrata, Plešivica, and Slavnik (slightly to the right, the normal, shorter path from Skadanščina to Slavnik) and along which we initially descend a little. Next follow a few smaller crossings, where we follow the blazes, and then we gradually enter a denser forest, where the path continues along various cart tracks, and at the crossings, we still carefully follow the blazes. After some time, we leave the cart track, which continues with a few shorter ascents and occasional descents, turning left onto a footpath that initially ascends mostly gently; higher up, when we reach a small, indistinct valley, it ascends moderately. Through the forest, we then reach the saddle Mala Vrata, where we arrive at the national border with neighboring Croatia, a marked crossing, and a barbed wire fence within the Schengen area.
Here we continue right toward Slavnik (left Velika Plešivica, Velika Vrata, and Ostrič) and begin ascending alongside the barbed wire fence, where extra caution is needed, especially during descent, to avoid cuts. The path ahead leads us along the eastern ridge of Čuka (976 meters), where, in a few shorter sections, a nice view opens up; when we reach the slopes of Čuka, the path flattens and moves away from the national border. Next follows some light to moderate ascent, and when we reach the northern side of Čuka, a short descent follows to a forest road, which we only cross. Next follows a bit more easy descent, and we arrive at a small sinkhole, from which an ascent leads back to the forest road, along which we continue walking. While walking along the road, we pass a patch of wild garlic, and then we soon leave the forest. Next follows an increasingly panoramic walk, and we join the gentle path from Podgorje.
Here we turn right and in a few minutes moderately ascend to cottage Tumova koča on Slavnik.
Before the cottage, we turn right and in a minute of further walking ascend to the panoramic peak, from which a beautiful view opens up, stretching from the sea to the Alps.
Starting point - Sveti Rok 0:05, Sveti Rok - Mala Vrata 1:30, Mala Vrata - Slavnik 1:25.
Description and pictures refer to conditions in April 2024.

On the way: Sveti Rok (Skadanščina) (581m), Mala Vrata (695m)