Topla (Končnik) - Čofatijev vrh (via Šoparjev vrh)

Access to starting point:
A) We drive to Črna na Koroškem, then continue driving in the direction of Koprivna and Topla valley. Further on, we drive along the Meža river, where the road leads past the turn-off to Podpeca, and from the main road we turn right at the intersection, where signs for Topla valley direct us right. Driving through the mentioned valley follows, where a few paths to Peca branch off to the right, and we drive along the road to the Končnik homestead, or a little further to a smaller intersection by the NOB monument (the monument is right above the road), where we park in a suitable place.
B) We drive to Solčava, then follow the signs for Črna na Koroškem. A few kilometres of ascent follow, then some descent, to reach the Meža river valley. When we reach the mentioned valley, at the intersection by the road sign "4 km", we turn left into Topla valley. Driving through the mentioned valley follows, where a few paths to Peca branch off to the right, and we drive along the road to the Končnik homestead, or a little further to a smaller intersection by the NOB monument (the monument is right above the road), where we park in a suitable place.

Route description:
From the intersection by the NOB monument we continue on the left road (the road leading straight ends at the nearby house, or turns into a cart track), beside which we notice a sign that we will continue the path on the forest road. The road quickly takes us to the other side of Topla stream, where it splits.
We continue on the right road in the direction of Koprivna (the left road leads to the hunting hut), which ascends through the forest and brings us after a few minutes to the left serpentine, where there is also a smaller intersection. To the left the driving road continues towards Koprivna, but to avoid walking on the road, we head to the right road, from which after a few steps we go left onto a partly grassy cart track. After a short moderate ascent the path brings us into the forest, where we join a wider cart track, which we follow to the left. Further on, the cart track has a few smaller junctions, where we choose the wider paths. The fairly steep cart track, near a wooden landmark (cross), returns to the previously mentioned driving road leading towards Koprivna.
We follow the mentioned road to the right, then at some kind of widening where there is a snow gauge, we continue left onto the cart track leading towards Šoparjev vrh. The cart track quickly enters dense forest, and we then follow the unmarked path to the nearby Šoparjev vrh, from which a nice view opens towards Peca and Topla.
From Šoparjev vrh, where there is a larger clearing and to which some wider cart tracks lead, we continue towards south to southeast, where at first we walk on the cart track along the edge of the forest, but the cart track quickly enters the forest. Through the forest the path continues mostly along the forested ridge, and the direction mostly remains the same. At first the path is quite gentle, occasionally even descending a little, but in the second part it starts lightly at first, and in the last part somewhat more steeply ascending. At a few junctions we follow the ridge path, by which we then arrive at the panoramic but still somewhat vegetated Čofatijev vrh.
Starting point - Šoparjev vrh 1:15, Šoparjev vrh - Čofatijev vrh 35 minutes.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in 2017 (November).

Along the route: Preval (1413m), Šoparjev vrh (1524m)

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