Upper Vipava Valley

The route starts in the center of Ajdovščina, where you can see the well-preserved remains of the Roman fortress Castra. We continue west, through the town center to the Church of St. John the Baptist, where we turn right towards the north. Soon we reach the town swimming pool, where we turn left from the asphalt road onto a well-maintained gravel path. We follow this path along the Lokavšček stream all the way to the village of Lokavec. Along the way, we will have a beautiful view to the right of the Otliško window on the slope of the mountain. When we arrive at Lokavec, we turn left and descend to the main road Ajdovščina – Predmeja. We ride west towards Ajdovščina. Lokavec, one of the largest villages in the Vipava Valley, is known for cherry production, the first spring fruit in this area. When we arrive at a larger intersection, we follow the signs for the village Cesta, where a nice and quiet asphalt road leads. At Cesta, we cross the main road Ajdovščina – Nova Gorica and then turn left towards the east. Soon we reach a railway crossing which we cross. From here we ascend to the picturesque village of Vipavski Križ, a former town, where there is a Franciscan monastery with a rich library. Vipavski Križ is one of the most beautiful historical cultural monuments in Slovenia. After visiting the town, we keep right and descend to Male Žablje. When we leave the village, we turn right towards Velike Žablje. Soon after, we cross the Vipava River. Beyond the bridge, on the left side, there is a nice access to the river for those who want to dip their feet in the water for a moment. In the village Velike Žablje, opposite the chapel and to the right of the tourist information board, we turn left off the road. The path will lead us along a narrow street to a nicely maintained gravel path. Along the Vipava River, through orchards and vineyards, past an old mill, the path leads us all the way to the village Dolenje. Here we turn left and continue on an asphalt road towards the village Planina. Before the ascent, we turn left, from where we descend to a gravel road, which begins at the Napoleon Bridge over the Vipava River. We follow the gravel path through vineyards. Shortly before the village Slap, the road changes from gravel to asphalt. We ride through the village Slap to the village Lože, where we turn towards Vipava. In Vipava, you can see all 7 permanent springs of the Vipava River, the only river in Europe that has a delta-shaped source. From Vipava, we ride towards Ajdovščina and immediately after the military barracks turn right onto a gravel path that leads us through vineyards to the village Vrhpolje. There we rejoin the road and turn west towards Ajdovščina. We ride through the village Duplje and then cross the main road Ajdovščina – Vipava and after passing under the highway, we turn right. We ride on a country road all the way to Ajdovščina.