MP Rateče - Lake Zgornje Mangartsko jezero

Access to starting point:
First, we drive to Kranjska Gora, then we continue driving towards Rateče and Italy. We park at an appropriate place by the border crossing.
We can also reach the starting point via the Predel border crossing.

Route description:
At the border crossing, opposite the Kompas Shop, we notice signs for the cycling path which leads towards Trbiž / Tarvisio and Mangart lakes / Laghi di Fusine. We head onto the mentioned path, which first leads towards the south, then quickly brings us into a strip of forest, where we join the asphalt cycling path which leads from Kranjska Gora towards Trbiž. The mentioned cycling path we only cross and continue straight on a macadam road which already after a few meters turns right. From the road at first still a nice view opens up towards Mala Ponca, Visoka Ponca and other surrounding mountains, then the road passes into the forest. Next follow some smaller junctions, where we continue straight, then after the bridge over the torrent, at a somewhat larger crossroad we continue slightly right downwards. The road quickly flattens and brings us to the nearby house, which we bypass on the left side and continue on a wide forest cart track, on which we mostly lightly descend. A little further we join the cycling road, which we follow to the left. On the road we ascend a little, then we arrive at the smaller hamlet Scicchizza.
At the mentioned hamlet we cross Jezerski potok, behind it we step onto the road, by which we can reach the Mangart or Belopeška lakes by car. We follow the road to the left, which leads past the parking lot. After the parking lot a well-maintained tourist path branches off to the right, on which we continue the ascent along Jezerski potok. For a few minutes we ascend along the scenic stream and numerous springs, then we arrive at Spodnje Mangartsko jezero. Here we continue right and in a minute or two of further walking we arrive at the nearby refreshment stand, from where there is a nice view towards Mangart.
From the refreshment stand we return to the dam, cross the small bridge, then continue between the road and the lake, a little further only along the lake. On the other side of the lake the path splits, we continue straight in the direction of Zgornje Mangartsko jezero (the right path leads circularly around the lower lake).
We continue on the cart track, which passes into the forest and turns right. On this section the cart track temporarily steeply ascends, then flattens and brings us to the next junction, this time near the climbing area. Here we continue left, then we gradually begin to descend. After a short descent we arrive at Zgornje Mangartsko jezero and the viewpoint on the surrounding mountains.
.Description and pictures refer to the condition in 2015 (June).

Along the route: Scicchizza (857m), Spodnje Mangartsko jezero (924m)

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