Kneške Ravne - Grušnica (via Planina na Kalu)

Access to starting point:
From the road Bača pri Modreju - Podbrdo, in the settlement Kneža we turn onto the road in the direction of Kneške Ravne. Further on, we ascend along the road which continues through the valley of the Kneža stream. Initially a fairly gentle and partly macadam road, higher up it starts to ascend more steeply, on the steep section the road is mostly asphalt. Higher up, the road forks, and we choose the slightly left road, which remains asphalt and leads towards Kneške Ravne (slightly right macadam road which leads in the direction of the mountain pasture Planina v Prodih). This is followed by the crossing of the scenic Prošček stream, then we quickly ascend to the parking lot before Kneške Ravne, where we park.

Path description:
From the parking lot, where there is an information board of Kneške Ravne and surroundings, we continue upwards, at the first crossroad by the NOB monument, we go straight (left homestead Pri Jakopu and homestead Pri Jaklnu). The road soon turns left, from it a road to the homestead Pri Francu branches off to the right. Here too we go straight, at the next crossroad we go slightly right (slightly left homestead Pri Pologarju). The asphalt road splits once again, this time we choose the left path (right leads to the homestead Pri Francu), which loses the asphalt surface and leads us across a grazing fence. Further on we ascend along a cart track that leads us above an orchard, then it turns left and through a strip of forest and across several grazing fences brings us to a junction by a smaller partly stone hut. Here we go right, the cart track higher up turns left again, then brings us in a few minutes to the hunting observatory. At the hunting observatory we go sharply right, then from the poor cart track immediately left, straight up the slope. After a short ascent a path appears, which mostly ascends transversely through the forest, leading us parallel to the edge of the nearby hayfield. Higher we reach the ridge between Ljubinjske stene and Masovnik, where the path becomes more distinct and takes us to the other, western side of the ridge. This is followed by crossing slopes and some gullies, the path along which we notice some old, already quite faded blazes, later starts to ascend transversely. Higher we arrive at overgrown screes and in a few minutes ascend to the junction at the foot of Ljubinjske stene.
We continue left in the direction towards Planina Razor (right Planina v Prodih and Rut), the path leads us directly below the cliffs, where especially in spring there is an increased risk of falling rocks. This is followed by a transverse ascent and the path takes us into the forest, where it leads us past a spring. After the spring the path temporarily ascends steeply, after two switchbacks it flattens again. A little further we cross another grazing fence, the path takes us from the forest to the upper part of Planina Kuk, to the area called Močila, where we bypass some huts along the lower side. Behind the huts we reach a dirt road, which we follow to the right (left Planina Kuk and parking lot), along it we soon arrive at a junction where the path to Žabiški Kuk (also Žabijski Kuk) - path past Gradič (old military path) branches off to the right.
We continue in the direction of Planina Razor and proceed along a gentle macadam road that crosses the western slopes of Žabiški Kuk. Along the road, from which we occasionally get nice views to the northwest, where we see Rdeči rob, Vrh nad Peski, Grušnica, Tolminski Migovec and other surrounding mountains, and after about 25 minutes of further walking, we arrive at the place where the signs for the mountain hut direct us right onto the path that ascends transversely above the road. Only a few minutes of walking follow and the path brings us to the Koča na Planini Razor.
We bypass the hut on the right side, then continue in the direction of Tolmin and Krn. A gentle descent follows along a partly concrete road, but when the road turns left towards the nearby cheese dairy, we go slightly right onto the marked footpath in the direction of Planina na Kalu and Krn. Easy walking follows across the expansive and scenic Planina Razor, the path also turns somewhat left, so it leads us westwards. The gentle path first leads with nice views of Grušnica and Tolminski Migovec, and when we reach the edge of the pasture, a nice view also opens towards Tolmin. From the edge of the pasture the path turns right and enters the forest, through which it occasionally descends gently. A bit further the path brings us to the lower edge of the cliffs of peak Kopecko, followed by crossing an alpine hollow. On the other side of the hollow the path returns to the forest, from the left a less trodden path from Tolminske Ravne joins us (path that from Tolminske Ravne leads directly towards Škrbina), a little further we arrive at a well-marked junction.
We continue right in the direction of Planina na Kalu and Krn (straight Tolminske Ravne and Planina Spodnji Kal) and begin to ascend more steeply, mostly through forest. After 15 minutes of ascent we arrive at the next junction, where we choose the left path (right Škrbina and Vrh nad Škrbino). Ahead the path flattens and gradually brings us out of the forest. A gentle transverse ascent to the left follows, and increasingly beautiful views open from the path. When the belt of dwarf pines ends, we arrive at Planina na Kalu, and we walk to the nearby huts.
From the saddle, from where a nice view opens towards the Tolminka valley, Vrh nad Peski, and nice too is the view of the peaks above Tolminske Ravne, which we have occasionally seen already during the ascent, we continue slightly left of the Grušnica ridge, along an easy-to-follow path. After a short transverse ascent we reach the eastern ridge of Grušnica, from where a nice view opens to the south. Here the path turns somewhat right, then in a few minutes of increasingly scenic walking brings us to the scenic summit, from which a nice view opens onto the surrounding mountains.
Starting point - Močila 2:10, Močila - Planina Razor 0:35, Planina Razor - Planina na Kalu 1:30, Planina na Kalu - Grušnica 0:15.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in 2018 (July) and 2016 (April).

On the way: Močila (1258m), Koča na planini Razor (1315m), Planina na Kalu (1490m)