Matajur Hiking Trail

Reaching the starting point

We drove by car from our vacation home in Slovenia to the starting point in Italy, which is just on the other side of the boarder between the two countries. In general, it is most convenient to come by car, but it is not impossible to come to Matajur by public transport. You can plan your trip through the travel planner for the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (in Italian, but Google Translate is available) – the destination should be the village Montemaggiore di Savogna. You come to the village by taking bus 312 from the small town Cividale del Friuli (connected to the larger cities Udine and Gorizia by train and bus respectively) to the village bus stop called Montemaggiore di Savogna at the foot of Matajur. From there you follow the foot path up to the top of the mountain described here. This path shares several stretches with our trail, but you can of course combine the two trails to your liking.

Trail

From our parking place on the side of the road (the parking lot was completely full), we started walking up the road to the mountain hut Rifugio Pelizzo. Usually you can enjoy a meal or refreshments there, but perhaps due to covid it was closed that day. After passing the mountain hut, the trail turns towards northwest and splits into two after about 200 meters. The left fork leads westward around the top, while the right fork leads more directly and steeply to the top. This seems to be the path that most people take, but we took the path on the left and followed it towards west while ascending slowly. After having walked 1.5 kilometers from the mountain hut, the path turns relatively abruptly towards north and splits into two. The terrain is mostly grassy, with occasional low shrubbery and trees, although you do see exposed cliff a few places.

As the (slightly broken) direction sign here will tell you, the right one will lead you up to the mountain hut Dom na Matajur (altitude 1545 m) from which you can reach the peak staying on the southern side of the mountain. You can also enjoy a meal in the mountain hut. We took the left path, however, to make the hike longer and approach the peak from the northern side. The left path goes directly north for about 500 meters and then curves towards northeast, still ascending slowly. We also passed by some buildings, which are allegedly used for shepherds. Around here you can see the church on the top of the mountain. After having walked 3 kilometers altogether, you are at the most northern point of this trail and the path now takes an abrupt turn towards southeast, and starts to ascend rapidly. You ascend for about 100 meters over the next 400 meters, and a few places you have to scramble a bit.

When we reached the top, it was pretty packed with other hikers – although we didn’t meet that many on our way up. There is a monument and a small church called Chiesetta di Cristo Redentore. Our daughter MK had fallen asleep, and as the groups of hikers were pretty noisy, we merely admired the view and snapped a few photos before making our way down on the southwestern side of the mountain. We did make a stop on the way down to have a sandwich, while enjoying the view in peace. Otherwise, it is very straightforward to get down as the path runs southwest all the time, and there are signposts every now and then leading you the right way down to the mountain hut Rifugio Pelizzo.

Wearing Patagonia Capilene Zip Base Layer under a fleece jacket

Previously I have mostly worn Merino wool base layers, but I must say that I’m very happy with the Patagonia Midweight Capilene zip-neck. It should be noted that it is meant for sports activities in cold weather, and on this cold day I was also particularly grateful for the high collar and the soft napped fabric, where the warm air from the skin is efficiently trapped inside each “diamond. In addition, it is breathable, moisture-wicking, odor-resistant and quick-drying. Read more in the review of the Patagonia Midweight Capilene Zip base layer here.

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The Houdini Daybreak Soft Shell was perfect for the chill of the top

I first put on the Houdini Daybreak softshell jacket as we approached the top when it got colder due to the wind coming through the fleece jacket I wore. The softshell fabric is thin and stretchy for great freedom of movement but doesn’t offer much insulation. However, it was great for blocking the wind more efficiently and at the same time very breathable to wear, so my body temperature was kept at a comfortable level. Read more about the Houdini Daybreak softshell jacket in the review here.