Sentieri ciclabili attraverso il Miren Kras

Cinque percorsi ciclistici di montagna per ammirare il panorama dalla Valle del Vipacco e dal Carso e attraversare i paesaggi verdi che si estendono dalle Alpi Giulie al Golfo di Trieste.

Breathe in the views between the Vipava Valley and the Karst, full of the intoxicating scents of pine trees, spices and herbs that you can only find at the intersection of the Mediterranean and the Karst worlds. Embrace the green expanses from the Julian Alps to the Gulf of Trieste. You'll travel through the landscape even faster on a bike than on foot. There are 5 marked mountain bike trails of varying lengths and difficulty (10 km - 22 km). Not all of them will make your mouth stretch into a smile at the picturesque scenery and views.

Which way will you pedal? Ride between the dry Karst walls that protect the red karst soil from the wind. Drive through the vineyards and the thought of terrine will tickle your throat. Cycle between the eastern peaks of the Black Hills, from Cer and Fáti Hill to Trstelj, the highest peak in the Karst. Here you can gaze out towards the Julian Alps, the green fields around Orehovlje and the blue of the Vipava River. From Mirno, the Peace Cycle Trail leads all the way to Komno.

On the other side of the Black Hills, between the picturesque villages of the southern foothills, take a ride from Opatje Selo, famous for its unique tradition of whip-making, and pedal between the scenic hills all the way to Brestovice, where on a clear day you can see the ships and sailing boats in the Gulf of Trieste. One of the starting points is in Kostanjevica in the Karst, sunning itself in a valley in the middle of the Black Hills.

Paths:

Among the stone walls on the Karst plateau:

22.6 km

Altitude difference: 250 m

Difficulty: easy

The starting point of the trail is in Opatje Sel in the car park in front of the shop. From the square in front of the church, drive to the southern edge of the village in the direction of Hišari. Follow the signs leading to Nova Vas. From there, a forest trail leads towards Župan's Peak, past the lookout tower and Kremenjak, to the settlement of Sela na Krasu. At the crossroads, you can take a shorter route and go through Korita to Lokvice or Kostanjevica na Krasu. Or take the longer option of following the asphalt road to Vojščice. Then, after the inn, turn left onto the track that leads to the asphalt road to Temnica. From there, the path leads to Novella and through Kostanjevica na Krasu. At the crossroads turn right towards Opatje Sel. Leave the road in front of the village and take the track towards Lokvica. The signs lead you past Borojević's stone throne and monument. Not far away is the Pečinka Cave. Continue along the road to Lokvica and further on to Opatje Selo, where we round off the trip.

On the scenic northern edge of the Karst:

Length: 20.7 km

Elevation difference: 410 m

Difficulty: medium

The starting point of the route is at the square (centre) of the village of Kostanjevica na Krasu. At the crossroads turn towards the village of Novelo and then past Temnice. At the crossroads below Temnica turn left and follow the road leading to Renče. Soon, a signpost points to the right on the road to Trstelj (643m), the highest peak in the western part of the Karst. From the top, return to the bend above the hut, where you will find the start of a track that leads through the forest to the north side of the hill. At the saddle between Trstelj and Stol, join the wide forest road. Drive under the Stol, Stolovec and Vrtovka to reach the Teminca - Renče road. Go down to the first bend below Renški vrh and follow the path below Veliki vrh and Fajty hill. Below Cerje, descend towards Lokvica. Just before the village, take a sharp left and drive past the Pečinka Cave and Borojević's Throne on the macadam road to Kostanjevica na Krasu.

Cycling routes Sela na Krasu 1:

Length: 16.8 km

Difficulty: easy

Start cycling in the village of Hudi log, at the restored water reservoir, and cycle along the asphalt path towards the village of Korita na Krasu. At the first crossroads turn right and just before the village take a sharp right towards Sela na Krasu. After 1.2 km, a wide path leads to a crossroads where you turn left and continue along the track to the main road. Turn left on the main road and before the village of Sela na Krasu turn again towards Vojščice. Continue on this asphalt path for approx. 1.8 km and then turn right onto a paved macadam path. Follow the signs leading you past the water pumping station back towards the centre of the village of Sela na Krasu. Turn right at the church, go through the village and after about 120 m turn left in the direction of Nová Vas, where the most beautiful part of the route awaits: the view from Špik to the village of Brestovica or the view from Kremenjak to the Gulf of Trieste. The border watchtower stands along the path. If you climb it, you can see the Julian Alps, Venice and Snežnik in good weather. Before Novo vasje, turn right and after about 1.5 km turn left and return to Hudi Log.

Cycling routes Sela na Krasu 2:

Length: 30 km

Difficulty: medium

The shorter cycling route starts in Sela na Krasu (the bowling alley on Kal), cycling along the asphalt road through the village of Korita to Hudi Log. At the beginning of the village turn left onto the macadam road and at the first crossroads turn left again in the direction of the village Korita na Krasu. After approx. 700 m turn right at the crossroads. The path leads you over the Srnjak hill to Kremenjak, where you will have an exceptional view of the Gulf of Trieste and the shipyard in Tržič. From Kremenjak, after a slight downhill, turn right and follow the macadam road back to Sela na Krasu.

Interbike:

Length: 30 km

The cross-border cycle route starts in Kranjska Gora. You arrive in Miren on a well-maintained cycle path from Vrtojba. In Miren you can visit the Spomni se nam museum (by the cemetery) and the Shoemaker's Museum. At the end of the village, a winding road leads to Mirenski Grad, the Church of the Sorrowful Mother of God. But we drive for another 300 m, where a macadam road turns right towards the Nad Logem hill. We continue all the way to the asphalt road Miren - Opatje Selo. Pass the parking area on the left and at the first crossroads turn off for the village of Lokvica. At the crossroads Kostanjevica na Krasu - Opatje Selo, cycle towards Sela na Krasu. The road leads past the villages of Hudi Log, Korita na Krasu, Sela na Krasu. At the crossroads near Osmice turn in the direction of Vojščice. Drive through the village and at the crossroads turn towards Kostanjevica na Krasu. Soon you will see the turn-off for Temnica on the right. Go through the village, down to the road below the village and then turn towards the village of Lipa. At the end of the village turn towards Komno.

You can download a map of the cycling routes here.