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Sabotin

bagi17. 12. 2022 13:47:53

We went to Sabotin a bit differently, colloquially around the ass in circles nasmeh

. Partly to make use of nice day after period of bad weather, partly because we haven't done such combination yet. Aim was to traverse ridge over Sveta gora all the way to Plav in Soča valley, with return via opposite ridge over Sabotin to starting point in Solkan. Path is long, but everywhere nicely passable and without excessive ups and downs. Lots of signs for various thematic paths, so good to know route in advance. If anyone interested I can send GPS track. More about our outing in photo story ...

We park in Solkan next to the railway station and our car is the only snow-covered one :)

The start of the path leads us through the village. The morning is barely dawning and everything is still closed.

It climbs along an unmarked trail on the right side of the quarry.

Sveta Gora. Our first goal is already eagerly basking in the sun.

View towards Gorica and the steep slope of Sabotin. We will return there.

Passing Kramarce and Prevale, it joins a marked path.

The path is gentle and rutted. Some snow from the night's precipitation remains.

Soon we cross the road below the summit section and head to the top on a wide path.

Basilica of Mary's Assumption with the Franciscan monastery beside it.

Interior of the basilica. The nativity scene is set up but not yet finished.

The view from Sveta Gora is excellent and reaches to the snow-covered Julian Alps.

From the basilica we continue straight on. The sun has no strength here and the frost quickly bares its teeth.

After about a kilometer we take the military path to General Gonzaga's mausoleum on Vodicah.

The macadam soon gives way to karst landscape with a fortified military trail full of ditches and caverns on both sides.

The Path of Peace also runs here, passing through Posočje along the WWI battlefields.

The mausoleum stands out for its grandeur. It was built at the general's request to be buried here.

The mosaic inside depicts the coat of arms of the Gonzaga family and the list of battlefields where the general fought.

The continuation runs partly in the sun, partly in the shade. Only the cold is always present :)

We often come across info boards about the battlefields in this area.

Zaselek Vodice. A quite remote place, but life is still here.

The village consists of just a few houses in total, so we pass through quickly.

A little further on we reach another monument, this time dedicated to General Guido Novak.

Appropriate to his surname, this place has long been called Novak Platz.

It turns left around the slope and the shade slowly departs.

Village Paljevo. Not many houses here either, but they at least have an asphalted access.

In the distance we already see Plave. From there we will ascend to the opposite ridge.

Bridge over the Soča in Plave. On the other side is an inn where we will treat ourselves to a rest.

The inn is unfortunately closed, so we find our spot under the sun elsewhere :)

We first ascend to the ridge along the main road.

In between we enter another municipality, the road remains equally boring :)

Soon we are in the village of Vrhovlje pri Kojskem, where we turn left onto the marked trail.

The terrain is soaked from rainfall and several puddles test our ingenuity :)

The Juliana Trail also passes here, marked with yellow signposts and yellow blazes.

Slowly we head back to the starting point. We still have a long way ahead.

There are plenty of such monuments from our history on both sides of the border, especially many in border Italy.

We walked the left ridge in the morning, left the right one for the afternoon :)

Next to the sign there is a bench with a verse by Simon Gregorčič

Dedicated to the emerald Soča, which winds deep below through the narrow valley

We've long been walking along the ridge and finally Sabotin appears in the distance

The hut on Sabotin is closed, no operating hours indicated

Never mind that, the day is departing and we hurry to the top. Gorica is already visible below

And the view towards Sveta Gora on the opposite side

We are still continuing along the ridge ...

At the remains of the church of St. Valentin we turn right downwards

A comfortable mule track takes us to the Italian side. A nice log cabin is right next to the path

At these direction signs we turn sharply left

The last sun creates wonderful colors for us :)

One last solar greeting before it goes to sleep into the sea

Dusk is already busily licking the valley beneath us, but we are not far from the starting point anymore

We quickly reach the road to Goriška Brda ...

We cross it and on the other side descend a short distance further through the forest

We are already down below. The car is parked on the opposite side of the bridge

GPS track of the hiked route. It shows 33 km and 1700 m of ascent

(+9)

lino17. 12. 2022 14:40:49

Bagi, very interesting trip with interesting comments. The photos are also excellent and taken with feeling for the scene worth capturing.
For cuteness and heartiness photo number 44 stands out to me. Good luck further! Lino nasmeh

padez17. 12. 2022 14:42:42

The eternal problem with starting points.
Where exactly in Solkan does footpath to Sveta gora start, so not to walk on main road? I think there is also footpath from Zogica, since slope crisscrossed with former military paths. Nice if someone attaches some pic of these starting points, and some sign or mark would be very welcome.
Main road from Solkan to Prevala very busy and for walkers also life-threatening...

(+2)

GITA17. 12. 2022 15:25:59

Nice photo report! Just small note: signs on photo 34 refer to "Juliana Trail" path, which in October 2020 got 4 new stages...

(+4)

bagi17. 12. 2022 15:43:18

Corrected, thanks nasmeh

. Path of Peace is sign lower on pole.

Padez, attaching enlarged section of path from Solkan to Prevala. In village turn into alley behind church of St. Stephen and continue on forest path. Not marked, but well-trodden.

(+1)

padez17. 12. 2022 17:51:25

Thanks bagi! For me and probably also for someone, this is extremely useful info. I see that towards Zogica there is also an MTB trail and that can be useful as a shortcut, of course with lots of caution...

(+1)

voluhar17. 03. 2023 06:56:52

https://tomazsarc.blogspot.com/2023/02/sabotin-1822023.html

skala12324. 03. 2023 19:18:00

Some yesterday's impressions from the nice circular path on Sabotin. Up the northern path, descent the southern path.

Nice mountaineering regards.

(+3)

Jusk2. 05. 2025 19:56:18

From Solkan up the northern path, past the ruins of Sv. Valentina and down the southern path to Nova Gorica. Lp

mirank2. 05. 2025 20:30:44

Sl 15 - guard posts are on the southern slope and are buildings of former border guards. Those in the picture are entrances to caverns from WWI. By the way, sl 19 shows the Mrzlek waterworks building under Sv. Gora, supplying drinking water to Nova Gorica, much of the surroundings and also Gorizia in Italy.

(+2)

lijaneja9. 02. 2026 11:28:20

This border mountain is a nice little playground for Solkan locals and Nova Gorica people. Due to the mild climate it is visited all year round, many paths lead to it. The start of my ascent is from the bike path by the Soča, where you practically bite into the slope from the plain. In all these years I've been going up it, the path is nice, well maintained, the access bike track has been asphalted for a decade.
The ridge of the mini-mountain is nicely panoramic, due to gravel and sharp stones a bit awkward to walk. There are many more descent paths to the southwest than to the east and they are noticeably gentler. Best starting point is Kajak center Solkan, with super parking and new footbridge over Soča.