Srednji Lokovec - Lašček (via Novo Mesto)

Access to the starting point:
Many of the trails lead us to the beautiful and largely ignored Banjska Plateau, whose highest peak is Lašček.
On the easternmost and highest part of the Banjška plateau, just at the edge above the Čepovan valley, the Lokovec stretches in a narrow strip. One of the longest and most spacious Slovenian villages with smaller hamlets and isolated homesteads, it unites three Lokovce: Dolenji, Srednji and Gorenji Lokovec. Our starting point is at the church in Srednji Lokovec, which can be reached by car:
- from Nova Gorica via Banjšice or Čepovan,
- from Kanal via Kanalski Vrch and Banjšice or via Avč, Levpa and Kalo nad Kanal.
- From Most na Soči via Čepovan or Kala nad Kanal.
For those with a more adventurous spirit, you can also drive from Dolenje Trebusa.

a) From Nova Gorica follow the signs for Bovec-Tolmin and continue on the Solkan bypass or, alternatively, take the Nova Gorica to Solkan. At the traffic lights, above the cemetery in Solkan, continue in the direction of Čepovan, Lokve and Sv. Gora on the road that climbs past the quarry. Shortly after the turn-off for Sv. Gora, the road for Čepovan, Banjšicee and Grgar branches off to the left, and the road continues straight on to Trnovo and Lokve. Continue driving left to Grgar, where you have two options: you can turn left for Banjšicee or right for Čepovan. The road via Čepovan is less than 2 km shorter, but via Banjšice it is much more scenic, as with good visibility you get a beautiful view of the Julian Alps. From Čepovan continue in the direction of Banjšice and after 3 km you will reach Srednji Lokovec. From Banjšice continue in the direction of Čepovan and after 5 km arrive at Srednji Lokovec.
Nova Gorica - Čepovan - Sr. Lokovec: 24 km, Nova Gorica - Banjšicee - Sr. Lokovec: 26 km.

b) From Kanal (from Nova Gorica direction there is a turn-off just before Kanal) drive to Kanalski vrh, where you can see the huge pool (15 ha) of the pumping hydroelectric plant Avče, and continue via Bat and Banjšice to Sredni Lokovec (22 km).

c) From Most na Soči continue in the direction of Cerkno, Idrija, Podbrdo to the railway station and follow the road to Čepovan and Lokve. A steep, winding road leads to Čepovan, and after another 3 km you reach Srednji Lokovec. Most na Soči - Čepovan: 15,5 km, Čepovan - Sr. Lokovec: 3 km.

Path description:
The route is easy, with only a few short climbs. It mostly follows abandoned tracks, between isolated hamlets and through the forest. The best time to visit is from autumn to spring, as it can be very hot in summer and the paths quickly become overgrown. The trail is well marked, but you have to be very careful not to get lost because of the many forks. If you don't see any markings for a long time, you are definitely not on the right path. A first visit is not recommended in snowy conditions, as the path is often unpaved and the ground markings under the snow and the numerous forks make it difficult to find the right direction. Orientation is quite difficult.

At the church in Srednji Lokovec, cross the road and follow the cart track, which climbs past the sports ground and the house that houses the Small Blacksmith Museum and the permanent exhibition on the life and work of Bishop Methodius Pirih, who was born in Lokovec. After a short, steeper climb, the path continues through the forest in a more gentle ascent. Follow the markings carefully. At the first crossroads, turn left immediately after entering the forest, and later, when the path becomes more level, turn right. After about 10-15 minutes, the track leads to an asphalted road, which continues to the left with a short climb along the road. The asphalt ends at a crossroads where there is a marker for a memorial plaque. Continue on the dirt road on the right. The path almost completely lays down and leads past a group of houses to the next crossroads, where we again continue to the right and in a slight downhill on the macadam road we reach the hamlet of Novo Mesto. Continue along the macadam road through the hamlet and continue along the wider road on the right past a larger homestead. Continue to follow the macadam road, which descends gently to the next crossroads, where a cart track joins us on the left and the road turns right. At this crossroads, a sign on a telephone pole directs us to a path that climbs from the road to the left, crosswise into the forest. You could also follow cart track to the left and join the path from Sr. Lokovec via Raštelo (possibility of shortening the circular route on the return).

The path climbs moderately through the forest to a few ruined houses and continues to climb to a small clearing, which is crossed and begins to descend through the forest. Follow the markings carefully and at the crossroads continue on the left cart track. After a short descent, you will come to a mighty isolated farmhouse with a beautiful stone portal. The path takes you past the house and round a small hollow on the left. In the woods, the path starts to descend cross-wise (straight ahead or up to the left to reach the new house) until it reaches a small cart track, after which it starts to climb to the left. After a few minutes, you reach another less well-marked crossroads, where you continue climbing left. Cart track widens and, after a short climb, leads out of the forest. A marker on a tree leads straight across a grassy slope, and a track turning left leads to a small restored house. After a short climb, continue along the left edge of the overgrown meadow (you will see the remains of the house on the right). Continue along the grassy path, which soon starts to descend and then turns left into the woods and widens into a narrower track. This first descends, then turns left, and after a few steps begins to climb to the right. It soon leads out of the woods, where at a crossroads you continue to the right and continue walking on less densely vegetated terrain. After a short climb, the path begins to descend and leads to an asphalted road. Ahead of you, you will see a lonely farmhouse just below the top of the hill. Continue ascending the road towards the homestead for a short distance, turning left at a bend onto a less well-trodden dirt track, and after a few steps you will reach a large turning point. The dirt road turns left (if we had continued in this direction, we would have joined the path from Sr. Lokovec through Raštelo), and we continued to the right, following the path that goes through the gate of the pasture paddock, climbing up the left edge of the larger sinkhole. After a short climb, we join the path leading from the house on our right. Continue left and you will soon reach the next crossroads. Signs point us right into the woods, and straight ahead we should reach the path from Sr. Lokovec via Raštelo. After a 10-minute steep climb through the forest, we reach the grassy peak of Laščka.
In good visibility, the views are expansive. From the Gulf of Trieste in the south, Friuli and Dolomites in the west, Julian Alps with Matajur, the Kanin mountain range, Krno and the wreath of the Tolmin and Lower Bohinj mountains, with Triglav reigning behind in the north. Only to the east do the trees block the view of the Škofjeloško mountains and Porezen.

The valley can be reached via the Raštelo trail, making for a nice circular hike. From the top, follow the signs for Lokovec - church (1. 45 h) and continue walking along the forested ridge to the crossroads, where you turn left and follow the signs for Lokovec - church.

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