Predmeja - Kucelj (on Čaven)

Access to starting point:
From the highway Razdrto - Nova Gorica we go to the exit Ajdovščina and follow the road ahead towards the village Lokavec (to Lokavec we come from the center of Ajdovščina, or from the old road Ajdovščina - Nova Gorica, where at the settlement Cesta we turn right). From Lokavec we continue driving on the ascending winding road in the direction of Predmeja. We follow the mentioned road to the crossroad, where the road branches off to the right towards Col. We park on the parking lot right next to the crossroad.
To the starting point we can also come from Godovič, over Črni vrh and Col to Predmeja. In this case we drive to the crossroad, where just after the sign "end of Predmeja" the road branches off to the left downhill towards Ajdovščina. We park on the parking lot right next to the crossroad.

Path description:
From the parking lot by the crossroad we head onto the footpath in the direction of the mountain hut Koča na Čavnu. The path first ascends past the memorial plaque to Josef Ressel, then enters the forest, where it begins first moderately, then steeply to ascend. Higher up, the path brings us to a small vantage point (view of Predmeja) beside which we notice a bench and a thermometer.
At the bench we also join a wide cart track, which a little higher turns into a footpath that soon starts to ascend steeply again. The relatively steep path, beside which we notice numerous larger cairns, brings us higher to a macadam road, which we follow to the left. We continue the ascent along the mentioned road, which for a short time gets an asphalt surface. Higher up, the road levels out and brings us from the forest to panoramic slopes from which a nice view opens onto Golaki, Nanos and Vipava Valley, later also the Adriatic Sea. We follow this road, which slowly turns to the right and in the last part even descends slightly, all the way to the mountain hut Koča na Čavnu.
Behind the hut, the signs for Kucelj direct us slightly left onto a footpath that begins to descend transversely. The path further crosses a short strip of forest, then turns right, where it continues descending gently. The path then gradually enters the forest and from the left the path from the village Kamnje joins us (there are two turn-offs for Kamnje). We continue in the direction of Kucelj along the path that gradually passes to the right side of the "Čavnov" ridge. The path continues across a larger clearing, from which a view opens onto the surrounding hill country, then returns to the forest. A little further, we leave a gently graded cart track and continue the ascent left, ascending further through dense forest. The steepness soon eases and the path brings us from the forest to increasingly panoramic grassy slopes. A few minutes of easy walking follow, then the path brings us below the summit of Kucelj, where it ascends steeply again. We follow this path, which offers ever more beautiful views, all the way to the summit of Kucelj, which we reach after a few minutes of further walking.
Predmeja - Koča na Čavnu 1:15, Koča na Čavnu - Kucelj 45 minutes.

On the way: Koča Antona Bavčerja na Čavnu mountain hut (1242m)

Trip can be extended to: Veliki Rob (1 h)