St. Ivan and Šebrelje: Basic data

When you've been driving between Idrija or Cerkno and Tolmin, you've perhaps noticed St John's church (sv. Ivan) gleaming on top of the high steep faces above the Idrijca valley. Seeing it and the steep slopes and gullies that surround it on all sides, scarcely anyone can imagine that behind the church stretches the practically unknown sunny and hilly plateau Šebreljska planota. You can climb up to sv. Ivan by a waymarked path from Reka, and another path leads to it past Divje babe (now famous caves where even in prehistoric times they played on bone flutes), and after a short rest there, you can set off on a leisurely walk through this sunlit, hilly region.

Basic data

Difficulty	A waymarked, occasionally fairly steep path.
Access	The route begins in Reka, a hamlet on the road between Idrija and Tolmin
Distance	Reka–cerkev sv. Ivana (St John's church): 1hour Walk across Šebreljska planota: 1 hour Descent to the valley: 45 minutes Total: 3 hours
Altitude	Sv. Ivan: 575 m Gorenja vas v Šebreljah: 630 m
Height difference	Reka – cerkev sv. Ivana: 340 m Together with the walk around Šebrelje: 420 m
Season	You can make this trip at all seasons of the year, I would only advise against it after heavy rain or in mid-winter (the icy rocks below Šebreljska planota can be dangerous). Of course you'll enjoy the view of the Cerkljansko hills and the Lower Bohinj mountains only in clear, fine weather.
Recommended equipment	The path is steep in some places – good footwear and trekking sticks are appropriate. In the lower part the path is overgrown, so in summer insect repellent is virtually obligatory.
Map	Škofjeloško in Cerkljansko hribovje, 1 : 50 000

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