Basic information
Location
Črni Kal (Koper) Coast and Karst
Difficulty
Duration
4 h
Distance
30 km
Start point elevation
389 m
Highest point
890 m
Total vertical climb
830 m
Type of trail
asphalt, dirt road, trail

Starting point:
The tour starts and finishes in Črnotiče village above Črni Kal (389 m). Leave the motorway 'Ljubljana – Koper' on exit Kastelec (just after the tunnel if you are coming from Ljubljana) and follow the signposts for Podgorje and afterwards Črnotiče. Park somewhere in the village and be careful not to hinder local traffic.

Description:
After the lovely Črnotiče village turn right onto a dirt road in the direction of Podpeč. After about 1.5 km (on a crossroad) you will notice a marked footpath that branches off to the left and goes into a forest. At this spot turn rectangularly to the left onto an alluring grassy dirt road and follow it in the direction of Praproče village. When you spot Praproče village from the edge of the forest, turn right onto a rather uncomfortable forest road that will be 'shaking' you for about 1 km. Behind an underpass beneath the railway keep to the right and go left towards Podgorje on the next crossroad (a signpost). Ride towards south-west and at about 680 meters of altitude (on a split of two of equivalent dirt roads) turn left. The road passes a hunting lodge (it looks like a bivouac) and keep left until you reach the barren ridge. Kojnik is the 'flat' summit on our left. An interesting 'rocky' singletrack leads on top of it.

The panoramic part of the tour begins here. Return from the summit of Kojnik on a singletrack and proceed straight forwards on the grassy ridge in the direction of a steeper summit in front of us – Golič. Follow the ridge throughout and ride on a fantastic dirt road or singletrack (where the grass has grown over the abandoned dirt road). The path gets quite steep before the summit of Golič, so you might even need to get off the bike for a short while. Continue on the ridge for about 500 m after Golič to the next summit (Nadglavinjak); then you have several options to carry on since the vast meadows are scattered with more or less overgrown dirt roads. Kavčič summit (on your right) should serve for orientation. You have to descend towards the east (left) side of Kavčič just by the Croatien border and find a good dirt road right at the foot of Kavčič. Descend on this road for about a kilometer past the rocks of Karst Edge, and then pay attention to a dirt road that branches off sharply to the right. A delightful ride on a fantastic cart road, which crosses panoramic meadows, follows; later you will descend on a forest path to an old railway stop at Zazid.

Cross the railway and carry on to the charming Zazid village with a great hostel! Go in the direction of Podpeč from there. It is easiest to simply follow the main asphalt road, but the following option is more in a MTB spirit: On a curve in front of the church in Zazid go straight onto a cart road, which descends slightly through some sort of 'valley'. The road gradually turns into a pretty singletrail but later again into a rough cart road. On the first crossroad of cart roads turn right, ascend past a water reservoir and come to the main asphalt road just before Podpeč village. Proceed on it to Podpeč. In Podpeč pay attention to signposts for Črnotiče, which will direct you up to the right (before a railway underpass!). On a cart road keep left, ascend above the Karst edge and come back to the starting point.

Highest point:
Kojnik: 802 m
Golič: 890 m

Length (duration, km):
Črnotiče - Kojnik: 1.15 h (9.5 km)
Kojnik - Zazid: 1.45 h (13 km)
Zazid - Črnotiče: 1 h (7.5 km)
Total: 4 h, 30 km

Type of trail:
5% asphalt (1.5 km)
38% dirt road(11.5 km)
57% singletrail/cart road (17 km)

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