Poče - Medrce (via Labinjske lehe)

Access to starting point:
A) From regional road Idrija - Tolmin, at settlement Straža in hamlet Želin at the traffic light crossroad we turn right in the direction of Cerkno (if we come from the direction Tolmin we turn left). Further, we drive through the valley of river Cerknica, past Petrol gas station all the way to Cerkno, where at the crossroad behind the church of St. Jernej (by the church is also a cemetery and a parking lot) we continue left in the direction of Železniki, ski slope Cerkno, hospital Franja and center of Cerkno. At the next marked crossroad we continue left in the direction of the settlement Zakojca and Gorje. Further, we drive through the settlement Trebenče and past bigger picnic area, to a marked crossroad, where we turn right in the direction of village Poče (left Gorje). After further shorter ascent we reach fire station at the beginning of the village Poče, where there is a turning point for buses and by it NOB monument. The beginning of the footpath is a little further in the center of the village. Some options for parking are in the center of the village, or we can ask locals where we can leave a car.
B) From the road Škofja Loka - Žiri, after the settlement Trebija we turn right in the direction of Sovodenj and Cerkno (from the direction Žiri still before Trebija we turn left), from where we first drive to Sovodenj, and from there over mountain pass Kladje (mountain pass is located in the settlement Podlanišče) we start descending towards Cerkno. In Cerkno at the first larger crossroad we continue straight (right we come in the center of the town and to the church of St. Ana), after that in second, about 300 meters ahead we turn right in the direction of Železniki, ski slope Cerkno, hospital Franja and center of Cerkno. At the next marked crossroad we continue left in the direction of the settlement Zakojca and Gorje. Further, we drive through the settlement Trebenče and past bigger picnic area, to a marked crossroad, where we turn right in the direction of village Poče (left Gorje). After further shorter ascent we reach fire station at the beginning of the village Poče, where there is a turning point for buses and by it NOB monument. The beginning of the footpath is a little further in the center of the village. Some options for parking are in the center of the village, or we can ask locals where we can leave a car.
C) From the road Škofja Loka - Podbrdo, at settlement Zali Log we continue left in the direction of Davča and ski slope Cerkno (if we come from the direction Podbrdo or Soriška planina, at the end of the settlement, we continue right). The road ahead at first ascends on Davča, and from there it starts descending towards Cerkno. In the center of Cerkno, at post office we turn right towards Zakojca and Gorje. Further, we drive through the settlement Trebenče and past bigger picnic area, to a marked crossroad, where we turn right in the direction of village Poče (left Gorje). After further shorter ascent we reach fire station at the beginning of the village Poče, where there is a turning point for buses and by it NOB monument. The beginning of the footpath is a little further in the center of the village. Some options for parking are in the center of the village, or we can ask locals where we can leave a car.

Path description:
From the center of Poče we continue right in the direction of Labinjske lehe (left gentle and steep path to Porezen), through the village we follow the blazes. When we reach a wider cart track we ascend along it above the village, where we also arrive at a smaller hamlet, where two paths branch off to the left towards Porezen, both joining the gentle or steep path.
At the newer, at the time of description (July 2020) still unfinished house we go slightly left onto the cart track, which then diagonally ascends across a panoramic hayfield. A little above the nearby homestead located below the path, the path leads us into the forest, and at numerous junctions we follow the blazes. Higher up, where the path from Cerkno joins us, we briefly step onto the road, from it we go just a few steps further, at the junction where the path from Dolenji Novaki also joins us, left towards Porezen.
After the junction we immediately leave the forest and arrive at the Labinjske lehe hayfields, from where a nice view opens onto Cerkljansko, extending all the way to Krim, Snežnik and Trnovski gozd.
On the upper part of the hayfield the path turns slightly left and transitions to the slopes called Počanska gora. A gentle to moderate diagonal ascent to the left follows, we walk along a well-maintained path which on the short steep section is also well protected and undemanding in dry conditions.
After the protected section the path forks, we continue on the lower path (right winter route), which continues diagonally ascending. Later the slope becomes steeper, and the path steeply ascends briefly with the aid of log steps. The path soon levels out and we reach the Hom ridge, where the path from the Cerkno ski slope joins from the right.
We continue towards Porezen and quickly descend to the Velbnik saddle, where on the left we notice the hunting hut on Šašu.
From Velbnik saddle, where the forest road leading to Dom na Poreznu gets quite close, we ascend through a narrow belt of forest, then at the crossing of the pasture fence the path forks.
We continue along the ascending path (left path bypasses Medrce summit and is unmarked but slightly shorter and leads further towards Porezen), along it we ascend to the panoramic Medrce summit in 10 minutes, from where a nice view of Porezen opens up.
Poče - Labinjske lehe 1:05, Labinjske lehe - Velbnik 1:15, Velbnik - Medrce 0:10.
Description refers to the condition in July 2020, pictures are from July 2020 and October 2018.

On the way: Labinjske lehe (962m), Velbnik (1331m)

Trip can be extended to: Dom na Poreznu , Porezen ( 55 min)