Lokvica - Stolovec

Access to starting point:
On the highway through the Vipavska Valley we drive to the border crossing Vrtojba, then in the larger roundabout, which is located on the Italian side of the border, we continue towards the village Miren (to the village Miren we can also come if we drive on the regional road from Šempeter pri Gorici towards Dornberk. In this case in Volčja Draga we continue right or left, if we came from Dornberk. From the village Miren we continue driving towards the village Opatje Selo. After a few hairpin turns signs for Cerje point us to the left on a macadam road, which we then follow to the parking lot, that is located only a few minutes below the monument Veliko Cerje.

Route description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the macadam road closed to traffic, on which we ascend to the monument Veliko Cerje in 5 minutes of walking.
From the monument we continue right on an initially wide path in the direction of Fajti hrib. The path ahead first slightly descends, then gently ascends over gentle and initially also quite scenic slopes. The path then passes into a mostly pine forest, where it continues with some shorter ascents and descents. After a while we cross a forest road, then we continue the ascent on a narrower and in several parts surrounded by thorns mountain path. Higher the forest thins out and a moderately steep path brings us to Fajti hrib, on which there stands a smaller information board in memory of the First World War.
From Fajti hrib we descend through a young pine wood (here we still have nice views) to a saddle between the already mentioned peak and Veliki vrh. On the saddle we cross a wide cart track, then we begin to ascend to the 463 m high Veliki vrh, which we reach after approximately 20 minutes of ascent through the forest and bushes.
From Veliki vrh follows an approximately 100 altitude meters long descent, which ends on the next cart track. We continue on the marked path, which past a decaying bench leads us into a dense forest, where it starts to moderately ascend. After approximately 15 minutes of ascent we step onto Renški vrh 449 m.
A relatively gentle descent follows on the path which quickly brings us to an asphalt road, which we only cross. We continue the ascent in the direction of "Trstelj po vrhovih" on a quite overgrown mountain path, which after approximately 20 minutes of ascent brings us to the forested peak of Vrtovka.
From Vrtovka we continue on the path, which gently descends towards the east. Already after a few minutes of descent the path brings us to a macadam road, which we follow for a few minutes, then the blazes direct us right onto a footpath which gradually starts to ascend more steeply. Higher the path flattens and brings us past caverns to Lešenjak.
From the top we continue in the direction of Trstelj on the path which starts descending towards the east. After a few minutes we cross a power line, then we join a poor macadam road. We follow the road for a few minutes, then the blazes direct us left onto a relatively steep footpath, on which in a few minutes we ascend to Stolovec.

Along the route: Veliko Cerje (343m), Fajti hrib (433m), Veliki vrh (Črni hribi) (463m), Renški vrh (449m), Vrtovka (502m), Lešenjak (552m)

The trip can be extended to the following destinations: Stjenkova koča on Trstelj ( 50 min), Stol (Črni hribi) ( 25 min), Trstelj ( 45 min)

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