Cultural route of Saint Martin – third stage from Logatec to the state border with Italy

Main trail from Hrušica to Opatje Selo or the Italian border

St Martin's Way enters the Vipava Valley at the Hrušica Plateau, where the Stara Pošta Inn keeps the route stamp. From there, it winds across the wooded karst plateau to the vicinity of Podkraj, descending Bela River's valley to the village Sanabor. By the village Vrhpolje it enters the core of Vipava and heads on through Zemono and Dolga Poljana to Budanje. Through Kožmani it reaches Žapuže and its Church of St Martin. The stamp is found in nearby Ajdovščina, in Hotel Gold Club from where the route travels further along the River Hubelj to Dolenje, and onward to Planina, to the pass under Ostri Vrh peak and down to the village Gaberje where the Štanjel trail forks off, then along the Spacal Trail to Škrbina. The main trail continues through the settlements Potok and Jakulini to Šmarje. Across Vrtovče, it leads on to Brje to the Church of St Martin. From there it descends to Branik, where the route stamp is in the Branik Restaurant. Onward to the village Pedrovo, across the Železna Vrata pass to the peak of Mt Trstelj. Past the Stjenko Mountain Lodge it runs towards Cerje, then descends from Renška Vrata to Kostanjevica at Kras and the Church of St Martin there. Next, it heads by a karst grove past the Throne of Borojević to the village Lokvica, soon reaching the Opatje Selo village, where there is another stamp in the Štirna Restaurant. Past the chapel is the final part of the Slovenian route, to the state border with Italy and on through the settlements Hišarji and Brni to Doberdob.

Alternate trail from the village Gaberje to the crosrroads under St Katarina Hill

From the village Gaberje and its Church of St Martin, the way descends to the valley of the River Branica. It reaches the village of Štanjel, and follows the Spacal Trail through Kobjeglava and Mali Dol across the Kras. Near the Saint Martin Hill, once the site of a church, it meets Škrbina, above which it joins at the base of the St Katarina Hill the main trail of Saint Martin's Way, arriving from Branik and Pedrovo and continuing across the Železna Vrata pass to Mt Trstelj.

Walking times:

Hrušica, Stara Pošta – Vipava: 5 h 30 min
Vipava – Ajdovščina: 2 h
Ajdovščina – Branik: 6 h
Branik – Trstelj: 3 h
Trstelj – Opatje Selo: 4 h 15 min
Opatje Selo – Doberdob: 1 h 30 min
Highest point: 918 m (Mt Hrušica)
Lowest point: 81 m (Branik)

More: www.svetimartintourski.si