At the beginning of winter, after heavier rains and weather forecast "it will be colder and mostly dry...", probably many of us think of quite a few well-known and often visited destinations, like e.g.: Ratitovec, Kobla, Rožca, Lipanca with nearby neighbors, etc. Just nice ringing names, and when you boast to acquaintances where you've been, they more or less know or at least imagine where it is.
But, as Močilar once told on a Sunday afternoon in the shade of a linden on a bench:
"It was winter and snow lay all around. Krpan was carrying on his mare along a narrow path a few hundredweights of salt; suddenly a fine carriage comes towards him; in the carriage sat Emperor Janez, who was just heading to Trieste. Krpan quickly grabs the mare and the load with it and carries it aside so the carriage wouldn't overturn it.
The Emperor, who apparently liked the fellow, continues: 'Hey, you know how to handle such things. But how did you move the little horse so easily? It really doesn't have much meat; but at least it has bones.'
Krpan grins a bit and says: 'I know your horses have more meat; but still I wouldn't trade my MARE for all four harnessed here. As for carrying, sir, I could carry two such mares for two hours' walk and even longer if needed.'
I leave the car at Lazna at the end of the asphalt. And here's the first unexpected surprise: no trace of snow. Up high there are dark clouds, but visibility is excellent, cold such that toes ache almost after lacing the boots. I stride briskly across the meadow straight towards the wall adorning the southern edge of Stador. And here's the second surprise: where are all those rocks, scree, sinkholes, thickets that boast around Poldanovec? It's a nice clean beech forest with nicely (almost too nicely / promenade-like) carpeted leaves reminiscent more of some Gorenjska hillock than Trnovo forest wilderness. The ground is so frozen that walking on leaves is like on a carpet. And one-two-three I'm at the top. I look towards Poldanovec almost wrapped in clouds, Stanov rob and Češevik clad in ivy and continue north. But on the other side down the ridge it's a different story. The ridge narrows, right steep walls into Trebuša, left towards Čepovan beech forest and leaves of respectable slope. But since the terrain is frozen, going on leaves is very nice, foot sinks but nothing slips. Just watch not to step on bare (earth, roots, moss), because there it's hard as concrete. If there was snow, I wouldn't dare here. As for orientation, nothing to add: just along the ridge all the way to Kobilca and back the same. Only where not possible right on the edge, we detour to the forest. A bit before the saddle between Stador and Kobilca I come to a nice forest path that a few steps further leads to the saddle. And here really over from Trebuša to Čepovan a nice wide path, almost cart track, visibly long out of use ("for pilgrims"). From afar it looked like Kobilca ridge densely covered with beech forest and spruces, so I was prepared for "bushwhacking". But it serves me the third surprise: not spruces, but pines, terrain nice clean and a nicely visible pathlet on it. A few steps further and fourth surprise: marker. Real proper Knaflič marker on a stone. First I think it's hallucination from cold and wind, but up close I see it's real. Who marked here? Ah, no, this stone accidentally flew here from Otlice when the devil slipped at Lokavec and horned into the edge carving Otliško okno. The trodden pathlet (similar to that from Vrtovina to Kucelj) quickly brings me to Kobilca, where the fifth surprise awaits: nice new box, inside neat logbook and stamp. All praise to diligent folks... From Kobilca onwards faster than I'd think along comfortable wide gentle ridge to Drnulk pass. I touch the road and turn back. Return is easier, as uphill slopes to Stador much more passable.
Since on return (as before) no big crowds, I quietly think to myself: where does that barely visible pathlet go, descending before J wall of Stador towards Trebuša? Where does the path over the pass between Stador and Kobilca to Trebuša join the trail? Where does the pathlet lead a bit further from the saddle that branches right through V slopes of Kobilca? And I somewhat doubt my grandma's saying about days and sausages.