Podbrdo - Četrt (via Črna prst)

Access to starting point:
A) First, we drive to Škofja Loka, then we continue driving towards Železniki, Podbrdo and Tolmin. When we arrive in Podbrdo, we park at a suitable place in the center of the settlement.
B) From the road Idrija - Most na Soči, at the settlement Bača pri Modreju we turn right, or left if coming from the direction of Posočje, and continue driving towards Podbrdo. When we arrive in Podbrdo, we park at a suitable place in the center of the settlement.

Path description:
From the center of Podbrdo we continue along the main road towards Tolmin. The road first leads under the railway, then brings us to a crossroads where the road to the village Porezen branches off to the left, and to the right towards Bača pri Podbrdu. From here we continue along the main road for only some 10 m, then the signs for the village Trtnik and Črna prst direct us onto a narrower and ascending road. We follow the somewhat narrower road, which ascends west of Podbrdo, all the way to the village Trtnik, which we reach after approximately 20 minutes of walking.
In Trtnik the signs for Črna prst direct us straight uphill onto a marked footpath, which first leads up the stairs of the nearby residential house, then transitions to a grassy slope where it steeply ascends beside the orchard. Higher up the path enters the forest and gradually flattens. The path continues through the forest and soon joins a partly stony cart track, which we follow to the right. Along the cart track we continue ascending transversely towards the right, and it occasionally leads across steeper slopes. Since the path is wide enough, the steepness of the slope does not cause major problems; we must be careful mainly at one spot where there are usually lots of leaves and the path is consequently quite slippery. Higher we cross a somewhat larger gully, then the cart track brings us to a forest road, along which we ascend in a few minutes to the nearby Sedlo saddle, where there is a signposted junction.
From Sedlo, where the path from the village Kal and the path from Kocenpohar join us, we continue straight along the cart track, which we follow only briefly, as the blazes then direct us left onto a footpath that begins to ascend ever more steeply through the forest. Higher the trail temporarily flattens somewhat, then brings us to a viewpoint with a bench. Slightly beyond the bench the trail splits into two parts (the right one is more trodden), then after approximately 15 minutes they join again. Just a little above the junction of both paths, we arrive at the next bench, from which a beautiful view opens towards Kobla and the peaks above Soriška planina.
From the bench we continue briefly through the forest, then the path transitions to ever more scenic grassy slopes. When we step out of the forest, the path slowly begins to turn somewhat to the right, then turns left and ascends transversely to the Čez Suho saddle, where the path from the Bohinj side joins.
Here we continue left and, with views of Baška grapa, Bohinj and the highest peaks of the Julian Alps, ascend in a few minutes to the Dom na Črni prsti hut, which is located just a few meters below the summit.
We bypass the Dom Zorka Jelinčiča hut on the left side and over a short steep slope ascend in a few steps to the scenic summit.
From Črna prst we continue westwards in the direction of Rodica, which is approximately three hours' walk away. The path ahead first leads along a wide grassy ridge, which soon narrows and the path begins to descend more steeply. After a few minutes of descent the path from the Osredki pasture joins from the right, while we continue along the left (Primorska) side of the ridge in the direction of Vogel.
After the junction the path becomes more demanding as, with the aid of steel cables, mostly without them, it crosses quite steep grassy slopes that are especially dangerous for slipping when wet. The path then flattens somewhat and brings us to the Vrata saddle (1721 m). After this the path again withdraws to the left of the ridge and ascends transversely over the next steep slope. That the path is not entirely easy is indicated by a memorial plaque. The steepness of the slopes then gradually eases and the path approaches the main ridge again.
For the ascent to Četrt we leave the marked path at this point and continue sharply right, first beside and then along the ridge. After a few minutes the ridge widens and we follow it along the expansive summit section to the top, where we notice an old boundary marker from the time of the Rapallo border.
The pathless section, which is not technically demanding, takes approximately 15 minutes.
Podbrdo - Čez Suho 3:00, Čez Suho - Črna prst 15 minutes, Črna prst - Četrt 50 minutes.

On the way: Trtnik (656m), Sedlo (985m), Čez Suho (1760m), Dom Zorka Jelinčiča na Črni prsti (1835m), Črna prst (1844m), Vrata (1721m)