Srednji Lokovec - Lašček (via Raštela)

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 through the forest and is very secluded, especially in winter. The best time to visit Laščko is from autumn to spring. It can get very hot in summer and the paths quickly become overgrown. The trail is well marked, but because of the many forks you have to be very careful not to get lost. 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 many forks make it difficult to find the right direction. Orientation is quite difficult.

From the church, continue left along the asphalted road and after a few minutes you will reach a crossroads where you turn right. After a short but steep climb, you reach the small hamlet of Raštela. Continue walking along the road, which soon starts to descend to the next junction, where the asphalt road turns sharp left. Continue straight on the dirt road and after a few steps turn right. After a few metres, turn left onto a track which branches off the dirt road on your left. The path climbs gently along the edge of the forest and continues with a short climb through the raspberry bushes to the dirt road. Continue along the road to the left. Initially descending gently, continue ascending gently on a minor dirt road (still under construction at the time of writing). At the end of the road, bear right on cart track, which ascends gently. After a few minutes of further walking, you will reach a crossroads where an unmarked path (kolovoz) from Nové Město joins from the right. Follow the signs for Lašček (45 min) and continue left along cart track, which climbs moderately through a sparse forest, crosses a small clearing and turns into the forest again. After about 10 minutes' walk, you emerge from the forest onto a scrubby meadow, which you cross in a few steps and continue through the forest again. Soon you reach a crossroads where you continue to the right. Cart track continues to climb gently through the forest. Before a deeper hollow, it narrows into a track and skirts it on the left-hand edge, then climbs steeply along the edge of an overgrown pasture. In a few steps you reach a track and continue left and soon start descending to the next crossroads. Continue straight ahead (a wider road to the right would join the path from Lokovec via Novo Mesto). The top of Laščko is visible ahead. Go around the larger sinkhole and follow cart track up to the gate of the corral. Continue left (right to reach the path from Lokovec via Novo Mesto). Cart track leads you through another corral into the forest. Continue on cart track, which climbs gently for a few minutes, then turns right. Look out for the markings on the trees, as the more visible track continues straight ahead and can be easily ignored. The path climbs through another gate in the paddock along the edge of an overgrown pasture and leads to a larger clearing, which you cross along the left-hand edge and turn into the woods again. The path climbs slightly more steeply through the forest to the next crossroads, where we
In good visibility, the grassy summit offers expansive views. 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 Novo Mesto trail, making a nice circular hike. From the top of Laščko follow the signs for Lokovec - church (1. 5 h) and descend into the forest on the south side.

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