Hrastovlje - Zjat

Access to starting point:
From highway Ljubljana - Koper we go to the exit Črni Kal. From Črni Kal we continue driving on the old road towards the coast, and we are driving there only to the next little bigger crossroad, where we turn left in the direction of border crossing Sočerga. Further, we drive towards the mentioned border crossing, and we follow the road only some km, because then signs for village Hrastovlje point us to the left on a local road. After few km of additional driving, we get to Hrastovlje, where at the crossroad by a smaller chapel we continue left and then we park on the settled parking lot below the church of the Holy Trinity in Hrastovlje, which is world known after frescoes Mrtvaški ples.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on a narrower asphalt road which is ascending towards the nearby church of the Holy Trinity. Right before we come to the church, the road splits into two parts. We continue on the bottom left marked road (on the right road in few steps we get to the already mentioned church, which is known after frescoes Mrtvaški ples), which starts descending through the village. Through the village we carefully follow the blazes, so that in crossroads we don't stray on the wrong path. After a few minute descent the road flattens, and we continue on a macadam road, from which beautiful views are opening up on Kraški rob. The road quickly brings us to a smaller crossroad below the power line, where we continue straight, or slightly left on a marked road. For some time we continue on the bottom of the valley, after that rough road crosses a stream and behind it turns slightly to the right and starts moderately ascending. A little higher worse road splits into two parts, and we go slightly left and we continue on a wider cart track, on which in few minutes of additional walking, we get to the underpass under the railway track.
On the other side of railway track is unmarked crossing, where the marked path in Zanigrad branches off to the right, and we continue straight on at first unmarked cart track, on which in less than a minute of walking, we get to the next crossing, where we again step on a marked path. Here we continue left (right viewpoint on Štrkljevica 5 minutes) and we continue on a gentle cart track which crosses slopes towards the left. After a few minute crossing we step on a macadam road, on which in few minutes we ascend in Podpeč. When in Podpeč we step on an asphalt road, we follow it to the right, and we walk there almost to the end of scenic village, through which is winding a narrow road. Just before the sign, which marks the end of Podpeč, blazes point us to the left in the forest, through which we start steeply ascending. Steep path soon for some time flattens and turns to the left, where crosses pretty steep and for slipping dangerous slopes. At the end of the crossing, the path turns to the right and with the help of wire fence steeply ascends towards defense tower from 11th century. Tower, which is usually closed we bypass on the right side and further we are ascending on a little less steep slope. After few minutes of walking from the tower path flattens and brings us on an ample karst meadows above steep slope of Kraški rob. Here we continue left and by the edge of the cliffs ascend on an indistinct, but very panoramic Zjat.

On the way: Sveta Trojica (177m), Podpeč (312m), Obrambni stolp nad Podpečjo (385m)