Trail nr. 17: Godovič – Paths into Prehistory
HIKING AND CYCLING TRAILS
Starting point
The parking lot behind the church (oppocite the Godovič Elementary School)
Godovič, which lies in the northwestern part of the region of Notranjsko podolje, is a diverse landscape nestled between Okroglica and Jelenšek.
The village was built at the natural junction between the Slovenian Littoral and the Upper Carniola regions. It was a stop for traders transporting goods from the west to the east. To this day, the importance of the role of a junction between two regions has not yet been lost to the village – it lies at the crossroads of roads connecting the municipalities of Ajdovščina, Gorica, Tolmin, and Idrija. It is home to peaceful people and is suitable for a relaxed lifestyle, rest, recreation, and enjoying nature.
Along the trail, you can observe incredible natural formations and monuments – for instance, the serpentine fir tree, the old forest railroad, the archaeological site at Jelenšek, and even the footprints of a precursor to the dinosaurs!
This trail is an absolute must-see!
Attractions
- St Urban Church
- Šebalk Pond
An artificial lake suitable for swimming in the summer; occasionally also the scene of summer festivals and events. - Ruins of Fortifications of the Alpine Wall
- Unfinished Railroad Tunnel from 1917
- Feldban Railroad
- Snake pine
- Yew Glade at Cestnik
An incredibly large and ancient yew tree (Taxus baccata), and one of the four protected wood plants in Slovenia. - Archaeological Site at Jelenšek
The Jelenšek hill (817 m) above Godovič was settled as early as the Iron Age – the archeological finds from this area date to 2,500 years ago. The hill’s strategic position offers an overview of all sides. The excavated graves contained 270 iron and bronze objects, mostly pieces of various weapons. - Dinosaur Footprints
Local services
Trail map
Trail description
Reaching the starting point: If you are arriving from the direction of Ljubljana, at the crossing in the center of Godovič, take a right turn toward the church. If you are arriving from Idrija, take a left turn. After 50 m, on the right side (opposite the elementary school and the kindergarten) park your car in the free-of-charge parking lot.
Trail description: From the parking lot in the center of Godovič, head back toward the main road and cross it. Continue along the road toward Idrija. On the left side of the road, you will pass the Mercator grocery store and an ATM. Take a left turn after the next building. The road will lead you to a crossing where you take another left turn at the stop sign. Keep to the asphalt road until you reach the chapel, where you take a left turn uphill, past the houses, until you reach another crossing. Take a right turn downhill. On the left side of the road, you can see a hayrack with a sign “Star bar”. At the next crossing, take a right turn between the houses, go downhill – on your left, you will see a building with the sign “Farma Kavčič” (with two silos on the left). Continue along the road until you reach a gravel road after several meters. From here, you can already see the Šebalk Pond. The pond is a suitable location for recreation and, in the summer, for swimming. It is also used for organizing events in the summer. Stick to the path leading past the pond.
Next to the road leading uphill, on the left side, you can see ruins of multiple buildings built by the Italian army in the 1920s as part of the Alpine Wall defense system. Continue along the road past the quarry to the main road. At the main road, there are two signs. To see the ruins of the unfinished railroad tunnel from 1917, take a left turn to a forest path parallel to the main road. After 100 m, you can see the excavation for the railroad. If you turn left, toward the excavation, you will see the entrance to a tunnel at a distance of about 50 m. The 400-meter unfinished tunnel is a technical marvel and is worth seeing – it is, however, somewhat hard to spot. Take the same trail back to the main road and take a right turn along the main road.
When you reach a sharp turn, there is a gravel road on the left side. Take it if you want to walk the Feldban trail. To continue on this trail, head straight ahead along the main road. Ahead, you will see the tunnel from 1917, which is still used to this day. Several hundred meters before the tunnel, take a left turn to an asphalt sideroad. When you reach the first houses, you can see the ancient yew tree between the houses on the left.
Continue along the asphalt road to the crossing, where you take a left turn. Soon, you will reach another crossing. Turn left as directed by the signpost. Another sign (on the right) will lead you to the serpentine fir tree. Today, next to the board describing the fir tree as a natural monument, you can see the descendant of the mighty serpentine fir tree. The locals managed to raise saplings before the original fir tree was damaged by a storm. Return to the crossing where you took the turn toward the serpentine fir tree, and take a left turn along the road. Eventually, on the right side of the road, you will see the ruins of a fortification. There are many other similar ruins in the vicinity, all dating to the 1920s.
Follow the road to the village of Log and cross the main Idrija–Godovič road.
If you decide to finish your hike at this point, you can take a right turn parallel with the main road and take the separate hiking/cycling trail to the village of Godovič, where you started your hike.
If you decide to continue, we recommend you visit the Jelenšek hill (817 m) – a prehistoric site with archaeological finds dating to more 2,500 years ago. Follow the trail uphill, along the slopes with the houses of the village of Log.
The gravel road will lead you past meadows and woods. After about 3 km, you will reach a large clearing on the right side of the road, and a crossing. Take a right turn along the path leading along the edge of the clearing. After about 100 m, take a right turn across the meadow toward the forest leading to the top of Jelenšek. There is a signpost along the road. After you reach the top, you can take a break on the benches.
From the top of Jelenšek, descend back to the point where the road started going uphill, and take a right turn toward the gravel road.
Soon, you will see the Pesek farmstead (with a large antenna). If you take a right turn at the farm across the meadow, you will reach the footprints of the dinosaur precursor.
Continue along the gravel road and cross the forest, past another farm. When you reach another fork in the road, keep to the right until you reach the main road, where you take a sharp right turn and return to Godovič along the main road through Ivanje Doline. This will add an additional 1.5 hours to your hike, but you will be able to see everything there is to see in Godovič.
Optional trail:
The trail can be shortened by simply taking the Godovič–Log cycling trail.
Hiking trail: The Church of St. Urban – Jelenšek – Dinosaur footprints
VISIT IDRIJA
