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Korada-Sabotin

SuzanaM9. 11. 2014 17:17:17

I got to the starting point in Plave by train on 25.10.2014. For everyone arriving to Nova Gorica by car, I recommend starting at the Solkan train station. The parking lot where the trail ends is not far away.

From the Plave train station, you need to go back along the road in the direction you came from, as the church where the trail starts is about 10 minutes walk before the station. Under the second underpass, I crossed the railway track and climbed up to the road on the other side of the track past the houses. From the church onwards, I followed the hiking signs. The trail is mostly well marked and quite varied, the 700 meters of elevation should be overcome in 2 hours according to the signs. With photo stops, it took me 2.5 hours from the church in Plave to the chapel on Korada. At the top, despite the icy wind that was gusting to blow me away, I photographed for a good hour more and then headed towards Sabotin, which should have been 3.5 hours away. But I probably fell into some time warp, because with photographing it took me a full 5 hours for that part. On the top of Sabotin just a short stop, then another 1-hour descent to Solkan, where I arrived at sunset. According to the times, the trail should take 6.5 – 7 hours, mine with photo stops lasted more than 10. I still don't understand where the time went, but on such a nice day I really wasn't in a hurry to go home. After prolonged rain and fog, it was really pleasant to bask in the sun and air out in the cold north wind that mercilessly blew across the entire Sabotin ridge. Due to heavy rain, there was some mud on the trail, especially on the cart track from Vrhovlje to the hunting hut. Most of it I could bypass among the trees, but on one section I couldn't avoid sinking up to my ankles. More in the descriptions under the photos.

Korada-Sabotin By train across the Solkan Bridge

Korada-Sabotin To the station onto the road and back in the arrival direction

Korada-Sabotin Under the track past houses to the road on the other side of the railway

Korada-Sabotin In anticipation of the sunrise

Korada-Sabotin The sun just wouldn't come out from behind the clouds

Korada-Sabotin Wide cart track from the start, narrows towards the summit

Korada-Sabotin No signs, but the direction is correct

Korada-Sabotin Continuation on the gravel road

Korada-Sabotin Fallen tree - straight through the branches, a bit more to the right

Korada-Sabotin From the road the path turns past the streambed into the forest - carefully, not to miss the junction

Korada-Sabotin Straight ahead the church of Sv. Genderce on Korada is already visible

Korada-Sabotin But before past the hamlet of Vrtače, appearing on the right

Korada-Sabotin The path climbs between the houses

Korada-Sabotin Above the houses straight up the hill - junction not marked

Korada-Sabotin All the way to the road visible on the left

Korada-Sabotin A moment of trouble on the road, even worse in the opposite direction for all who are on this path for the first time.

Korada-Sabotin A few dozen meters to the right is a new junction.

Korada-Sabotin The signs are on the tree.

Korada-Sabotin That Korada is to the left is clear to everyone.

Korada-Sabotin Along the path to the left first to the chapel Sv. Genderce, along the road towards the hut on Korada - both paths are correct.

Korada-Sabotin View back, in the background the chapel Sv. Jakoba.

Korada-Sabotin Another short ascent through the forest.

Korada-Sabotin View towards Plavam, Sv. Gori and Sabotinu.

Korada-Sabotin Bridge over Soča in Plavah.

Korada-Sabotin Wide views somewhat in the clouds.

Korada-Sabotin Kaninsko pogorje, Matajur, Krnsko pogorje.

Korada-Sabotin Furlanska nižina and Stara Gora (Castelmonte) above Čedadom.

Korada-Sabotin Stara Gora (Castelmonte).

Korada-Sabotin Left Korada, right Lig-po along the ridge road we can reach all the way to Matajurja.

Korada-Sabotin view back across the pasture where the marked path used to run, now the passage is blocked

Korada-Sabotin view back towards Korada summit

Korada-Sabotin path rejoins the road (good starting point for Korada from here if arriving by car)

Korada-Sabotin poorly marked junction - due to mud better to go straight on the road

Korada-Sabotin anyone who doesn't know the path would hardly see the marking in the bushes by the road

Korada-Sabotin path along cart track goes on shady side of slope, so mud often problem here

Korada-Sabotin back on road - in opposite direction path is well marked

Korada-Sabotin view towards the monument in Gonjače and all the way to the sea in the distance

Korada-Sabotin plaque from the First World War under the road

Korada-Sabotin now straight along the main road through Vrhovlje (view back in the direction of approach), the descending road leads to Plave

Korada-Sabotin We cross Vrhovlje along the main road (view back) - the turn-off to Sabotin via blue trail past the hunting hut is not marked (the road route is longer)

Korada-Sabotin we turn just before the Vrhovlje sign onto a narrower road to the house and continue along the cart track

Korada-Sabotin continue right past a small field (path left leads to meadow)

Korada-Sabotin ahead I already see the ridge of Sabotin

Korada-Sabotin Only mud on the cart track, mostly I could avoid it higher among the trees, but on one section there was no other way than through the living mud that sank over the ankles

Korada-Sabotin junction where signs wrongly direct across the meadow instead of along the road

Korada-Sabotin the sign should direct left along the road

Korada-Sabotin another sign at the same junction

Korada-Sabotin another view of the junction from the other side - straight ahead Korada from where I came, right Sabotin

Korada-Sabotin forward along the gravel road to the hunting hut

Korada-Sabotin on the right opens a view of the Sabotin ridge

Korada-Sabotin on the left towards Korada, which is already far in the background

Korada-Sabotin the path turns past the hunting hut

Korada-Sabotin from the hunting hut opens a view towards Krn

Korada-Sabotin Krn, Batognica and Vrh nad Peski in cumulonimbus clouds

Korada-Sabotin the path climbs to the ridge that winds above the Soča

Korada-Sabotin the path to the summit is still long

Korada-Sabotin view back towards Plave and Korada

Korada-Sabotin due to abundant rain the rue has turned brown prematurely

Korada-Sabotin Finally at the former guardhouse (now mountain hut and refreshment place with museum) on Sabotin.

Korada-Sabotin Cableway from World War I.

Korada-Sabotin View across the ridge to Korada.

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Korada-Sabotin Further along the ridge towards the chapel of Sv. Valentina.

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Korada-Sabotin View back towards the summit.

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Korada-Sabotin Straight ahead Škabrijel, bottom left HE Solkan, right chapel Sv. Valentina.

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Korada-Sabotin Remains of the chapel Sv. Valentina.

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Korada-Sabotin Path across the inscription, slowly overgrowing.

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Korada-Sabotin From the inscription towards Čavn.

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Korada-Sabotin Nova Gorica and Črni hribi.

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Korada-Sabotin Solkan and Nova Gorica, below Kajakaški center Solkan.

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Korada-Sabotin Once more across Soča to the parking lot.

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(+6)

dejanch9. 11. 2014 20:55:05

Great trail, great photos. Gotta repeat it..

SuzanaM12. 11. 2014 19:27:40

Thanks. The trail is really nice, but unfortunately not well marked in some places. Already at the station in Plave there could be a sign. For me the first time a friendly local helped me in the right direction, whom I met on the road in the morning. Also at Vrhovlje locals directed me to the right path towards Sabotin, as the junction wasn't marked. The nicest part for me is the trail over the Sabotin ridge, which might seem endless to some, but always excites me.

(+2)

urbanr11. 12. 2014 09:26:11

Very nice tour, I hiked it alone the day before yesterday, with faster walking in about 5.5 hours. It's true that one can easily get lost the first time (at least I did a few times) in the section from Korada to Sabotin. But I didn't use the train and start and finish were in N.Gorica, so the whole tour took about 7h45min. We'll repeat! nasmeh

(+2)

SuzanaM25. 12. 2014 12:02:16

On the first day of winter I repeated the hike from Plave to Solkan over Korada and Sabotin. Two months ago a strong north wind accompanied me from Korada to Sabotin, blowing mercilessly over the Sabotin ridge. On Sunday, 21.12.2014, it was almost spring-like warm with barely perceptible breeze. Even on the ridge, where it always blows, there was calm. Mud again in abundance, especially on the section from Vrhovlje to the road to the hunting hut. Mud is obviously a staple on this part of the trail, as there are quite visible paths detoured through the trees above the cart track. In the last part of the cart track, just before it joins the gravel road to the hunting hut, the bypass path turns right from the cart track into the forest and then descends via the abandoned cart track to the road to Sabotin. To the junction where the road turns to the hunting hut, it's just a few steps.
Whoever gets annoyed by mud can avoid it completely by continuing from Vrhovlje along the road towards Dobrovo and then after one or two bends turning onto the road to Sabotin. How much longer the detour is, hard to say. Here I've always rushed only by bike or car, so no real feel. Maybe 10 minutes or less, since we can walk much faster on the road than on the muddy cart track. Only annoying are the cars whizzing by. I'll check next time.

Definitely take the train for the trail, as you don't double back and in the described direction the sun accompanies us from sunrise to sunset.

This time under the first underpass under the railway track

The strong morning sun glowed through the misty veil

View towards Sv. Gora and Sabotin in mists above Soča

On the path to Sabotin, view over the misty Friulian plain with Dolomites on the edge

on Vrhovljah I climbed to the chapel of Device Marije pri Kapeli

opposite the info point the path turns towards the hunting hut (past houses), those who don't want mud go along the road towards Dobrovega

immediately after the houses the cart track starts, at first junction right, left path leads to meadow

immediately after junction mark on stone which we easily miss

A nightmare for me, pure pleasure for cross motorcyclists.

I avoided the worst mud along a path that continues with descent on the abandoned track (view back).

We continue left on the road to Sabotin.

Ahead towards the hunting lodge (left - gravel). Right to Sabotin on road (asphalt).

After 2 minutes of walking at the junction where the path from Korada joins from the left. We continue straight on the road although markers show right across the meadow.

This time too the little donkeys on the pasture by the path delighted me.

Behind the pasture the ridge of Sabotin.

The last rays of the winter sun were still illuminating the ridge of Sabotin.

view back to the hut and sunlit ridge to Korada

from the summit along the ridge to Nanos above the fog in Vipava Valley

sun before sunset caught in clouds over Friuli

after sunset the sky over the mountains spills into violet shades

through the mists with Soča towards the sea

lights turn on in Gorice, but the sky still glows

behind the sea lights sparkle like a real sea

(+4)

SuzanaM27. 12. 2014 09:52:49

During yesterday's hike to Kolovrat I measured the length of the road from the info point at Vrhovlje to the turnoff for the hunting hut on Sabotin and it's 1.7 km.
Vrhovlje-junction for Sabotin – 0.9 km
Junction for Sabotin – junction for hunting hut – 0.8 km.
So the road is at least time-wise not longer than the cart track one, for which I needed over 20 min.

Summit from the viewpoint tower in Gonjače.

(+2)

Spelcarocket22. 02. 2021 14:41:32

Hello! Planning to hike the described trail and I wonder what you recommend, where to start. To the starting point by train. Either in Solkan or Plave? From the pictures onwards the trail will be gorgeous anyway regardless of direction nasmeh

mirank22. 02. 2021 17:35:20

We hiked exactly that a couple of years ago; we started in Plave. But it's really all the same wherever you start, it more depends on the timetable; if you want peace and not to watch the clock, park in Solkan at the turning point, take the train to Plave and then nice trail underfoot.

(+1)

Stane722. 02. 2021 20:28:46

Consider the variant Kanal-Korada-Sabotin. I find it nicer than from Plave and only slightly longer.

Spelcarocket27. 02. 2021 18:04:57

Thanks for the advice. I really set off from Kanal along the memorial path of Valentin Stanič via Korada to Sabotin and to Solkan. I have to say that in places it's a bit poorly marked and the first third of the trail from Kanal to the hamlet Ravna has a lot of obstacles and uncleared trees on the path. From Korada onwards I often followed the Juliana Trail Šmartno signs when the marks hid. Otherwise a nice trail offering wonderful views. With stops just under 9 hours and about 25km, with the bonus of the first tan of the warm sun on my face nasmeh