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Kucelj

sabina.714. 10. 2009 22:00:43

On Sunday we set off for Kucelj, which is located on the slopes of the Trnovo Forest northwest of the Vipava Valley. Due to nice weather the peak was quite visited, the hut at Čavn especially, so on the way back they had nothing left to offer us, especially not their good cooked štruklji. The path from the hut to Kucelj is very special due to its diversity: along the path it transitions from light forest to dark, then we have typical karst terrain, then typical Vipava Valley landscape ......on the spacious summit very nice view of Primorska and the sea, Trnovo Forest and part of the Julian Alps. mežikanje

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m15. 10. 2009 09:01:16

Hello!
This path; from Čavn to Kucelj, is one of the best for me.

Every year the 1st day of vacation in July I dedicate to this hike (from Predmeja first to Čavn and then 40 minutes away Kucelj). And on Kucelj at that time you can admire gentians and even edelweiss. nasmeh

Kucelj feels like high mountains.

Really nice trip. mežikanje

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sabina.715. 10. 2009 13:46:28

I agree; but the path from Vrtovina is not negligible either. Personally I prefer to hike there more in autumn and winter to avoid ticks eek

.
But it's really a positive place.
LP

igorfran15. 10. 2009 16:52:19

My favorite circular one is:
From the parking lot below Predmeja (above that "quarry" - marked) along the trail towards Čavn. When we reach the junction where the marked path to the hut at Čavn branches right uphill, we continue a few steps further (20-30m): the path turns a bit left and then a bit right - before this right turn there is a steep gully above us a bit hidden: rocky below grassy above. Up this gully (about 10 min) straight up to the ridgelet. Along the ridgelet (rock) right a couple steps - immediately left to the grassy slope to bypass the wall in front of us - immediately right again up the grass straight up and after 100-200m the terrain leads us gently left along the ridge (right we see the marked path to the hut on the other side of the gully). When we reach the walls above us (edge), we go left around them and above us opens a nice passage to the top of the edge (nicely visible small couloir between walls on the edge, if we look well we see it's a bit trodden). Here we are a bit right of the marked path to the hut. Now we turn left through nice meadows (can follow the path too), constantly above the edge and without orientation problems we reach the small hut below the forest. From here a couple more steps ahead we "rush" into the forest road - turn right up it. After 10-15min the road forks - we take right uphill and after 10min we reach the transverse marked path leading from the hut to Kucelj. Now just along the path to Kucelj. Return straight back to the hut and from the hut on the right side across the meadow (marked) to the trail where we started and to the car.
Options are countless, from all sides of Kucelj and all are interesting.
Regarding season and ticks I do the same as sabina7.

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m15. 10. 2009 18:10:19

Hello!

Regarding ticks; I'd say they are also in autumn. Probably fewer than in summer though.(I personally haven't encountered one at Čavn and Kucelj yet.)

Igorfran, your path sounds interesting. I should take you as a guide sometime. mežikanje

Also your variant, Sabina, I should try. nasmeh

Thanks to both. nasmeh

sabina.722. 05. 2010 21:13:37

Beautiful weather....I couldn't stay home and so I went alone in the afternoon to Kucelj, this time from Vrtovina. The first part of the path ascends slowly, the second part is a bit steeper. Ticks are plentiful in this area. I sprayed myself three times with tick repellent, but they still walked on my legs. I also met a snake along the way. So you need to keep your eyes open.. On the slope below the summit there are full of narcissi at this time and it's super nice. On the way back I turned towards the hunting hut and returned to the car on another trail. To the top it takes a good hour and a half.

After the first part of pleasant ascent one reaches a gravel road.

On the way back I met this interesting creature.

kapca819. 03. 2011 12:33:56

A few snapshots from Sunday's hike Lokavec - Kucelj on Čavnu, which I captured on my mobile. First time in these parts and definitely coming back for a shorter walk.

Andrej529. 04. 2011 18:02:45

On Easter Monday also to Kucelj. It was quite nice.

LidijaJesih23. 10. 2011 18:17:28

Weather conditions did lower me a bit from the heights, but didn't deter me from hiking. After yesterday's visit to the Dolomites (ours, of course zavijanje z očmi

), today to Primorska, where the weather showed a somewhat friendlier face. From Stomaž to Kucelj, then from Kucelj to Koča A.Bavčerja at Čavnu and back the other side. Nice circular tour, which in the lower part doesn't bring many views, but steepness that turns into long traverse of slopes, so the last 300 meters climb maliciously. There was everything, from sunshine (least), to fog at the hut which is open, dry ground and snow that doesn't bother, mainly windy. Impression just on the edge of fog and clouds pressing from the background of Trnovo Forest, but didn't reach this side. Sea view was there too. Quite some ascent for a decent tour, since start below 300m a.s.l. Windy day in good company; as little brother said: day for pršut (for such you'd need to drag yoga up there...) velik nasmeh

A tied rock that could otherwise fall like a plug onto the hole from which it probably blows. Well, today it was blowing elsewhere too.

There are also scree fields, quite decent.

Snow is here too, but nowhere does it bother.

View back, already from the summit towards the Koča. It was windy, ears were freezing and no lounging.

The koča was open, in front of it an ice axe, cool as can be (probably can peel pears with it too).

A bit lower it's different, autumn is still here, colors still there.

...and grasses are still golden in places.

Here it's already prepared for the nativity scene. The locals brought moss just today. Oh, already????

rasto_r4. 03. 2012 15:43:05

Yesterday I did the path to Kucelj from Vrtovina, then back along the ridge towards Koča A.Bavčerja and past the hut to Mali gori. Snow only in a few spots between Kucelj and the hut, otherwise what surprised me most was the idyllic spot and the arrangement of the hut at Mali gori.

view from the summit towards Koča na Čavnu

really idyllic little space - and nicely maintained

Irina21. 05. 2012 16:48:10

From Koča A.Bavčerja to Kucelj and descent to idyllic Mali gori, across wonderful karst meadows back to Koča AB.
Visit the hut at Mali gori, good people live there and enjoy the beauties offered to you.
I wish you nice days and safe steps.

Plenty of choices, something for everyone

From Koča AB towards Kucelj - view of spruces without needles

nicely arranged surroundings of Koča na Mali planini

This one has finished his wandering .... many more await us

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gvodopivec21. 05. 2012 21:38:06

If I can just a little correct you - Mala gora and not Mala planina mežikanje

So, legally? velik nasmeh

Nice greetings from Vipava Valley nasmeh

Irina21. 05. 2012 22:06:12

Thanks for the kind reminder. In the text I immediately corrected my carelessness. But, the caption under the photo can't be fixed.
You wrote that about law quite meaningfully .... so I hope there won't be legal consequences?

Returning wet greetings from central Slovenia.

sabina.710. 12. 2012 20:27:03

Yesterday at noon we set off for Kucelj on the Srednječavenska path that starts above Lokavec. There's really no shortage of snow, but the trail is hoof-marked. The hut on Čavn was open. The whole tour is still quite demanding because it sinks quite a bit occasionally. We also saw our glowing orb setting, which gave the entire landscape a special light. When we were at the car, it was already dark and cold too. The road to Predmeja is well plowed. nasmeh

Here we are already above the forest, the view is extensive: Trnovski gozd, the entire Vipava valley, the sea...

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tulipan19. 01. 2013 19:52:04

Today from Stomaž. Snow starts at the hunting lookout. All the way to Mala gora, further on blurred footprints. Easiest was on the wind-blown meadow below the summit.

https://plus.google.com/photos/113334581701584163856/albums/5835229082676747329

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5ro8. 02. 2013 00:11:37

Today (Thursday) from Vrtovina to Kucelj, back first towards Veliki rob, then along the old road connection from Vrtovina to Trnovska planota to the Srednječavenska path, which I follow to the junction of the direct path to Vrtovin, down which I descend to the starting point. Below the path is wet, muddy, snow starts at 700m. Towards the top it's quite wind-blown, otherwise up to knees in places. Except wildlife (met a herd of mouflon) no one ahead of me, so I broke trail a bit. Worst on descent towards the old road connection to Trnovska planota, where it was quite drifted and I sank twice to my waist, on the road then up to 0.5m. Otherwise pure pleasure and weather ok - bora has stopped.

view towards Veliki rob towards which I start descent

view back to Kucelj. From here it sank to knees, occasionally more

tulipan16. 02. 2013 15:14:42

Today from Vrtovina. Good training for walking on bare ground to the Srednječavenska path. Further from the forest to the saddle, the snow crust sinks a bit, but mostly holds. From the saddle to the summit, bare ground. It was also warm. The bora more resembled wind.

https://plus.google.com/photos/113334581701584163856/albums/5845547296473242657

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voluhar24. 03. 2013 12:35:10

http://tomazsarc.blogspot.com/2013/03/kucelj-modrasovec-2332013.html

cebelca24. 03. 2013 14:20:55

That's how it was one day earlier. With both of us starting from Predmeja. And then wandered a bit on the plateau between Kucelj and Veliki rob, because we unsuccessfully looked for the ridge path towards Veliki rob. Wonderful day! mežikanje

View of Kucelj from the neighboring hillock

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LidijaJesih7. 04. 2013 18:34:57

Slowly running out of real ideas for the Primorska end if this cloud cover over the rest of Slovenia doesn't lift. True, in return you have to endure some gusts and today it was definitely pulling on the slopes of Čavn, someone else will whine for elsewhere. We start at the quarry just before the tunnels on the road to Predmeja. The path climbs right away but soon levels and then we comfortably wandered for about two hours on the nicely laid Srednječavenska path. Wind didn't bother much due to trees, only around corners it was a bit faster. We went all the way to the bivouac (hunting hut) and then further over scree and forest. Then comfort ends and the last few hundred meters the slope stands vertical. When trees give up, real bora storms, fog and ice flowers everywhere await. Summit visit was flying, then straight down towards the hut below Čavn. After the summit part there's still snow, today hardened by frost and fog. We decide for descent to Mala gora, hut open, friendly local serves us frtalja and tea, beer found too. After short chat back, again to the junction with Srednječavenska, where we finally warm up. Brr, how cold it was up there, but down we caught some sun and views around. Not my first time, nor last.

You'll find even a chain here. Why? Wind, they said

Takeoff point? :) To Lokavec it would glide

View over the valley, below Lokavec landslide works

this hangs at the bivouac (hunter's hut)

it didn't look very warm up there anymore (Kucelj)

if I say it was blowing 80 per hour I'm not far from the truth

if there are no spring ones winter flowers will do too

blue sky and tube-shaped cloud that was driven around all day

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SuzanaM6. 05. 2013 18:59:20

Yesterday on Kucelj wildly beautiful day. I started at the quarry and climbed via Srednječavenska path to the hut on Mala gora and further to the summit of Kucelj.

At the summit it was blowing so hard I could barely stand, a meter lower I sat in pleasant shelter and enjoyed complete solitude on this beautiful hill.

Down to the valley to the hunting hut in Gojače about 1,000m lower. On the way I detoured past Sv. Pavel and saw the 5th century water tower, considered the best preserved ancient technical building in Slovenia.

Bora that mercilessly whipped the whole way failed to blow away clouds and mists, so views weren't the best. But eyes were delighted by vivid colors of greening trees and flowering pastures where cowslips, primroses and narcissi glowed. When lily-of-the-valley bloom in the forest in a week or so, it will be like in a perfumery.