Vitovlje (Križišče) - Čaven

Access to starting point:
From the Vipava–Nova Gorica highway, take the Selo exit and follow the road ahead in the direction of the villages Črniče and Šempas. When we arrive in the village Vitovlje, stay alert, as we will leave the main road in the middle of the village and continue driving towards the Maloščevo farm (the turn-off is marked). We then drive through the village on a narrow and steep road, which higher up brings us to a sign reading »Vitovska krožna pot«. We continue left past the last houses on an increasingly steep road, which shortly higher turns into a macadam road alongside which we park (the most suitable parking spot is between the fourth and fifth stations of the Way of the Cross).

Route description:
From the starting point, called Križišče, we continue on a deteriorating macadam road, which after a few minutes of walking brings us to a well-marked junction, where a marked path towards Trpinovišče, the memorial plaque and Vodice branches off to the left. We continue on the right path, which past the stations of the Way of the Cross brings us to the next well-marked junction near the summit of Vitovski hrib. We again continue right and follow the increasingly rough road, which here finally turns into a cart track, to the panoramic summit, on which a church stands.
From the summit we descend back to the junction, then continue the ascent in the direction of Čaven and Sekulak along the old Napoleon path. Soon we reach the next junction, where the path to Skozno branches off to the left, while we continue right towards Čaven. The still gentle Napoleon path soon brings us to the steep rocky cliffs of Visoki zid. A wide path then leads us across an artificially carved panoramic ledge (danger of falling rocks), after which the path returns to the forest and brings us to the spot where the path to Kopitnik branches off to the left.
We continue slightly right in the direction of Čaven and Sekulak on a somewhat narrower path, which first through a few smaller clearings brings us to a steeper section. The path ahead climbs more steeply and only a little higher brings us to the next junction, where we continue right towards the vantage point (left Kopitnik). We continue the ascent on a gentle path, which in 5 minutes of further walking brings us to the Sekulak vantage point, from which a view opens onto much of the Vipava valley.
From Sekulak we continue left on the marked path, which proceeds along an initially very panoramic ridge. Higher, the path enters the forest and shortly afterwards brings us to a small clearing, where the junction is somewhat less well marked.
The path left continues towards Kopitnik, while we continue right, where after a few metres we notice the signs for Veliki Rob. We continue the ascent towards Veliki Rob on an initially somewhat less visible trail. Higher, the path becomes clearer and after a while brings us to a vantage point, from which a view opens onto the Vipava valley, Trstelj, the Gulf of Trieste and the Dolomites.
We continue on the marked path, which starts to climb more steeply, bringing us to the steeper section below the summit of Čaven (1185 m). When the path levels out, we leave it and after a few steps of pathless terrain climb to the summit of Čaven.

Along the route: Vitovski hrib (604m), Sekulak (888m)

We recommend: trips from the same starting point, similar trips, summit register