Korada - Kolovrat MTB

Korada and Kolovrat are a couple of WW I battlegrounds along the Italian-Slovenian border.  I've visited them on the road bike before but I'd heard with a mountain bike you can make them into a loop.  I parked at a pretty vineyard village called Mernicco and crossed into Slovenian via a new (to me) entry point.  It's a bridge across Torrente Judrio leading to the village of Golo Brdo.  From here I began ascending a paved road toward Senjk, which I skirted past in route to the dirt road for Korada.  This dirt road has a decent surface (but not road-bikeable), climbing continuously up to 660 meters where it joins the paved road coming up from Drnovk.  At Korada I rode on a paved then dirt road to a meadowy area at 740 meters.  Great views from here, though it was beginning to get hazy.

Next I headed toward Lig.  For some reason I thought this was only partially paved, but it's a gorgeous well-paved road.  From Lig I continued on the winding forested route to Kambresko.  Now I headed toward Srednje on an older but decent surface.  The pavement finally runs out about 3 km from Kolovrat, though it's still a very good gravel surface.  In fact a road biker was headed downhill on it as I ascended.  I think I could climb it on a road bike but would need low gears to ascend while seated.  Maybe I'll try it with the 34-30.

At Kolovrat you rejoin pavement and many tourists visiting the Pot Miru Outdoor Museum, a collection of rebuilt trenches and outdoor exhibits.  I rode the MTB through a little dip in the ridge on a trail leading to Bivacco Zanuso road along the western Italian side.  From here I coasted down through Passa Solarie to the Drenchia road, where I turned left then soon turned off for Clabuzzaro.  I'd read a MTB trail started there, but saw no signs so I guessed where to go.  I headed down a freshly paved road marked Casa Erdiel.  There was a huge Prepotto sign pointing down a rough steep hiking trail.   After a group of a couple dozen hikers climbed out I headed down.  One of the hikers said she'd ridden it before and after the steep beginning it was fun.  It was crazy steep at the beginning but I managed not to crash.  Then it turned into the most fun I've had on a bike in years: rock formations, vegetation, mud bogs, crazy steep counter ascents followed by long fast downhills.  Every time another surprise popped up I started laughing, it was just too much at once.

Eventually it settled down some, still hugging the steep edge of Torrente Judrio's beautiful gorge but becoming less unpredictable.  After a few kilometers I reached Ponte Clinaz, where the trail/road appears to have been paved decades ago but almost all of it is washed away now.  Then finally at Mulino Vecchio it becomes a regular dirt road you could drive your car on.  Further still it becomes paved and continues down the wider valley of the Judrio, covered in vineyards.  Wonderful ride.

Beautiful stone house at Mernicco

Chiesa di Sant'Elena, Mernicco

Looking back from Golo Brdo at Mernicco

SV Marija na Jezeru, Golo Brdo

View west from dirt road climbing Korada

Forested hills rising from the meadowy slope

From Korada looking northwest

The view south, Soča River and Banjsice mountains 

Hazy view of Santuario Castelmont

From Srednje tall mountains to north

Kolovrat trenches and WW 1 artifacts

Torrente Judrio cascading over exposed sedimentary strata 

Clabuzzaro MTB trail becomes dirt road at Ponte Clinaz

Lower Judrio, flowing like a river, to the sea

Kolovrat da Volče

Drove to Ponte San Quirino just past Cividale and warmed up on the bike through Val di Natisone.  This is an easy gradient over the border to Slovenia, with scarce traffic and great scenery to get you into a Slovenian state of mind.  In Slovenia the valley widens out into wide meadows, where farmers were turning their drying hay by hand with pitchforks.  This area feels like 70 years ago, except a newish casino in the middle of nowhere, which seems as out of place as a bear in a glass factory.  

At Kobarid I turned right along the Soča River, and followed a luscious green valley through the surrounding forested mountains.  At Tolmin, I turned right through the little village of Volče, and began to climb.  This is a great road, wide and well-paved,  engulfed in shade for the first few kilometers.  The shade felt great today, with the sun already warm at 0930.  After around 3 km of average 10%, you get a break for a kilometer or so, then it tilts upwards again at 570m.  The big shade trees thin out now, and the heat from climbing exposed to the sun adds to the challenge.  I was lucky today- partly cloudy skies rolled in, keeping me out of vapor-lock.  I'd recommend climbing this hill very early in the morning in summer.

Eventually at 975m you reach the ridge road of Kolovrat, a World War I fortress the Italians tunneled into the mountain's cliff face.  The ridge road continues climbing up to 1165m, with spectacular views of Soča River valley and mountains in all directions.

Sadly the great pavement degenerates here, and you must death-grip your brakes down the pot-holed slope to Livek 675m.  Back over the border into Italy, a steep descent and then brief climb up to Cepletischis.  Don't take the left turn marked Drenchia- it's the wrong road and is hard to climb back up when your legs are already rubbery (don't ask).  From Cepletischis the road becomes wonderful again: well-paved, steep and curvy.  Very fun.  Before long I was back in Ponte San Quirino and began the leisurely drive home. 

Val di Natisone near the border crossing

 Kobarid's Chiesa San Antonio atop ossario
where 7,000 Italian soldiers are entombed

Eastward view of Soča River

Southeast: mountains surrounding Most in Soči 

From 1160m: northward up Soča River 

Meadows to the south at Livske Ravne 1045m

Mulino di Cepletischis

Clockwise ride

The ascent

Descent

17%, 19% early in the climb

Kolovrat da Kobarid

Drove to Ponte San Quirino east of Cividale, and rode up beautiful Valli del Natisone to Slovenia.  Wide smooth road through the forested hills along the river, completely deserted at 7 AM today.  Maybe later in the day it's more crowded.   Very easy rolling warm-up- I think it gained only about 100 meters in 20 km.  Once in Slovenia the valley opens into wide green meadows, morning mist rising, foals following their grazing mothers.  I stopped to take a picture and heard some scurrying in the brush- a pair of yearling deer appeared.  This area of Slovenia is really gorgeous.

You leave the Natisone River behind and now approach the Soča River (Isonzo in Italian) at Kobarid.  This town was the site of a big turning point in World War I.  The Germans (and Austro-Hungarians) found a weak spot in the Italian defenses and broke through.  The entire Italian army then had to fall all the way back to the Piave River (in Veneto) to establish a new defensive line.  I skirted the west side of Kobarid and arrived in Idrsko.  Here the climb to Kolovrat begins.   

From Idrsko (210m) up through Livek to Kolovrat the road gains 930 meters of elevation in just over 10 km.  The first 4 km to Livek (690m) are the worst, with numerous stretches above 14%.  I stood on these steep sections, panting and gasping.  Luckily it was quite overcast so I didn't overheat.  On a bright summer morning this sun-exposed slope could be tough.

At Livek the road actually gets flat for a few moments.  Beautiful houses with wooden balconies covered in geraniums here.  Now the road turns upward again, but for the most part stays between 10-13%.  Still hard, but I could remain seated and breathe.  Near Monte Kuk the road tops out at 1148m.  Now it continues rolling up and down along the ridge of Kolovrat.  A small cadre of cows grazing along the narrow road were blocking the way, so I tried to gently encourage them to gather on one side or the other.  They got spooked and started trotting along the road.  I tried to reassure them of my harmless intentions ("I don't even eat hamburgers!") but couldn't sway them.  Eventually a gap opened and I accelerated through.  Felt bad about making them move several hundred meters down the road, but hopefully they found some good forage there as well.

Now the road curves west and climbs up into Italy at Solarie.  I began a wonderful counter-clockwise circuit along the side of Drenchia's bowl-shaped valley, then through Cras and steeply down the smooth, steep switchbacks to Clodig.  From here a gentle downhill ride to Ponte San Quirino.   Great climb and a fun ride.


Sorry for lack of fotos- camera battery died before Kobarid.

Misty cliffs above meadows in Slovenia

Little deer in woods near the meadow's edge 

Broad meadows stretching west from Kobarid toward Italy

Little farm below hillside

 4 km of 11% average gradient Idrsko to Livek

3 km of 10% average grade Livek to Kolovrat

14% stretches up to Livek / 12-13% bits up to Kolovrat

Map of climb from Walks of Peace in Soča Region

Map of the ride

Kolovrat - Livek

Last month I visited the Italian side of the World War I battlefield Kolovrat.  Today I decided to check out the Slovenian side of the ridge, as well as the valleys far below.

It was quite windy and cool when I started riding at Ponte San Quirino, just east of Cividale.  I warmed up on the flatish road to Clodig, but instead of heading up the climb to Drenchia like before, I turned right at Clodig toward Lombai.  This route climbs the opposite side of the Cossiza gorge, and is somewhat less steep but still a good workout.  After reaching the gorge rim around 630m, this route follows the rolling topography to 795m.  Here you turn right toward Kolovrat and Rifugio Solarie, ascending steeply until Passo Solarie (960m).  

After crossing the Slovenian boundary, you make a left turn marked Livek (going straight takes you to Kambresco).  Moments later, another junction, where you turn left for Kolovrat (going straight takes you to Tolmin).  The road for Kolovrat ascends, somewhat steeply but not bad.  Soon you reach the rolling ridgeline and follow it along the frontline fortifications of a century ago.  There are occasional tunnel/trench entrances marked with signs.  At the midpoint is a flat path across Passo Zanuso to the Italian side of the ridge.  There are beautiful views of the Soča River valley and surrounding mountains all along the route.

I continued to a highpoint of 1140m, and then began descending, first gradually and then more rapidly.  The road is quite rough, so I held onto my brakes (plus it was cold and I didn't want to freeze).  There were some steep pitches here (maybe 18%), so climbing it will be a challenge (especially from Idrsko in the valley, at 209m)  Eventually I reached Livek at 693m and turned toward Italy.  This is a nice rolling pass which then descends steeply to Cepletischis (550m).  Here begins the wonderful descent through the Alberone gorge, which I previously rode after climbing Matajur.  Great fun!

Monte Matajur from south rim of Cossiza gorge 

Slovenia hills to the south of Passo Solarie

Soča River valley to southeast

Soča River to the north

Slovenian mountains to northeast of Kolovrat

The mountain range continues toward the east

Goats cavorting in pasture above Livek

Livek with Monte Matajur looming above

The taller Julian Alps farther north; Kobarid in foreground,
site of pivotal Battle of Caporetto

Looking back toward Livek from Italian border

Profile of elevation

Note the steep gradients descending toward Livek

Map of the ride