From Tomaj to Štanjel

Highligths:

• hillforts Tabor (Tomaj), Vahta (Kazlje), Gledanica (Štanjel), Gradišče (Kobdilj) and Gradina (Kosovelje), karst villages: Pliskovica, Kreplje, Godnje, Tomaj, Utovlje, Grahoovo brdo, Kazlje, Nova vas, Kobdilj, Štanjel , Hruševica, Kosovelje

After a morning snack enriched with wild traditional flavors of the region, we will leave Pliskovica along the asphalt road, but soon turn off onto a beautiful gravel road that will take us through the picturesque villages of Kreplje and Godnje and the most beautiful vineyards around Dutovlje to Tomaj. Next to the local church of Sv. Peter and Pavel was the first of the hillforts, named Tabor. We will continue past Utovlje and Grahovo Brdo to Kazlje, above which another hillfort Vahta will be waiting for us. From Kazlje we will descend to the hidden valley of the river Raša, where the limestone structures meet the flysch from the slopes of the so-called “Karst Switzerland” and watercourses are also preserved on the surface. The ascent to Štanjel follows, where we will also refresh ourselves with a delicious hot meal. After, we can also see the Štanjel hillfort Gledanica and the nearby hillfort Kobdilj. They are connected by Fabiani’s path, named after Max Fabiani, an architect who was a native of Kobdilj. We return to Pliskovica past the last hillfort of Gradina near the village of Kosovelje, partly along the Pliska path.

Distance:	38 km
Gain:	749 m
Terrain:
Surface:	asphalt / gravel
Day Level:
Meals:	breakfast, lunchtime snacks, dinner
Accommodation:	–

Between Debela griža and Martinišče

Highligths:

• hillforts Debela Griža (Volčji Grad), Brith (Zagrajec), Lipovnik (Škrbina) and Martinišče (Sveto) and the ancient religious shrine of Gulaka near Temnica; karst villages Kregolišče, Volčji Grad, Gorjansko, Zagrajec, Temnica, Lipa, Škrbina, Sveto, Komen

On the second day, we will leave Pliskovica along cart tracks and return to the picturesque, dry-walled asphalt road in the village of Kregolišče. In the neighboring Volčji Grad, the first hillfort will be waiting for us – the imposing Debela griža. We take some more time for it and leave it along the way, where we find two more typical karst sights – a quarry (java) and a dry-wall stone shepherd’s house. We continue along a single track through the grove to the asphalt road and the village of Zagrajec, above which is the hillfort Brith. To the neighboring Temnica, the path will lead us along a forest road to the next ancient religious landmark – the Gulaka shrine. Above it, on the slope of the hills, which stretches from Cerje to Štanjel and onwards to Razdrto, there are two more hillforts – Sv. Ambrož and Lipovnik, but we will visit only the second one. We will finish discovering the hillforts in the picturesque village of Sveto pri Komnu, where the Martinišče hillfort is, and then we will only return to the starting point in Pliskovica.

Distance:	36 km
Gain:	730 m
Terrain:
Surface:	asphalt / gravel
Day Level:
Meals:	breakfast, lunchtime snacks
Accommodation:	–

Upon registration:

• pay the mandatory 30% of advance payment at the time of booking
• check the contents of the confirmation email
• meet any requirements from the confirmation email

At least one month before the trip:

• arrange insurance (Coris or similar)
• carefully read the travel confirmation email, as it may contain very important information
• pay the last installment

* The trip takes place in sites with limited accommodation capacity, so in some cases we can be accommodated in three or four persons bedrooms. Participants wishing to have a single room will be catered for where practicable and their single room supplement will be reduced accordingly with a lower standard of accommodation.