Hiking in the Bergamasque Alps

 

I took advantage of a cheap Ryanair flight from Cork to Bergamo on October 9th and went for a weeks exploration of an area I have never hiked in before....the Bergamo or Bergamasque Alps. It was all a bit last minute and it is fair to say that I didn't have much of a plan before I went. Where I decided to begin my trek was mainly decided by where I could get some gas for cooking on the mountains. After a little research Sondrio seemed a good bet. I emailed a mountaineering shop in the town to enquire if they had gas and I got a one word reply "fine". So that was decision made. I could also get there by train on Thursday morning and plenty of options for hikes were available from the town.

Thursday October 10th;

It had been raining steadily late on Wednesday night when I arrived in Bergamo. I didn't get into my accommodation until after midnight and I wasted no time crashing until my alarm roused me again before 7am. A brief breakfast and a final packing of my bag and I was off to the train station. It was pissing down and I got quite wet covering the relatively short distance. One of my biggest fears was the fact that I really hadn't a word of Italian and I hoped I would be able to order tickets etc. I went to a tobacconist in the station where tickets were advertised and I soon had my ticket to Sondrio. There were two changes with the first being a bus transfer to a train station. I must say I found it all a bit stressful but to be fair things went smoothly. The journey itself was lovely, even in this weather, as the train went alongside Lake Como before turning into a wide valley with mountains on either side. Things looked very grim weather wise as the cloud was low and all the rivers were in flood. I only hoped tat the forecast was right when it said that things would gradually improve in the afternoon and the following few days promised to be good.  

Things were looking up when I reached Sondrio at 11.40. The rain was now quite light and I hoped that it was the beginnings of the improvement. I found the outdoor shop easily enough and I entered the small little establishment.  I looked around briefly and couldn't see anything in the way of camping/cooking gear. I asked the man in the shop if they had gas (in English) and after a period of incomprehension he understood and said no. Oh Shit!!. He immediately got on the phone to someone and I presume it was his son who arrived from upstairs. He had a tiny bit of English and he told me to wait 10 minutes. He got on the phone and left immediately with a promise to return. He duly did with two small canisters  and I was sorted. I could have kissed him and I think they found my effusive thanks amusing. How wonderful was that service. They made my day. A huge thank you to Fiorelli Sport in Sondrio. Customer service that went above and beyond. So with my gas in the bag I bought a couple of bread rolls in the nearby shop and out came my phone so that I could find my way out of town to the trail. I was finally starting at 12.30.

Leaving Sondrio

The river Adda swollen with rain

I should say that I had decided to head to a mountain village called Valbondione over the next two or three days and when there I would decide on a plan for the next few. I also had no map. Instead I was using the Mapy.cz app to plan and route find. I must say at the outset that it was brilliant. It shows you your location with a directional arrow, so you can see exactly where you are and where you need to be. Exiting the town was very simple and soon I was on a walkway that headed to and crossed the swollen river Adda, which has its source up in the high Alps from the glaciers of Piz Bernina, the most easterly 4000 metre peak in the Alps. The rain had almost dried up and I fancied I could see a little blue sky off to the west. After walking near the river for a short while the trail rose gently to a small village before it joined a quiet road that entered an ever deepening wooded valley. This rose steadily towards a confluence of valleys at Vedello, where there was a hydro electric station. When I reached here I had covered 11 easy kilometres and still gained over 750 metres. Another plus was the weather was an ever improving picture. The blue skies had almost come overhead and the rain had stopped a good while ago. The tops that had been hidden were now starting to peek through the cloud and I was delighted to see that they seemed to be snow free. I had been following the exploits of an English guy called John Fleetwood who had been in the Julian Alps the previous week and had had to deal with copious amounts of snow. I had feared that this region might have been the same. 

Approaching Vedello

After Vedello the road continued more steeply for another couple of kilometres before finally entering a lovely open valley called Valle di Caronno, at whose head stood the little hamlet of Agneda and at the back a lovely waterfall thundered and above that a collection of rocky peaks rose to over 2700 metres. It was a lovely sight. Another plus was that I was feeling good and thoroughly enjoying being somewhere new. As I had now been on the go for nearly four hours and it being almost four thirty I was conscious that I would like to find somewhere to camp before too long. The valley is quite short and soon I was climbing up the trail through the woods that eventually reached the rather impressive dam at Lago di Scais. The lake itself was a dirty grey colour after all the rain and a fair bit of detritus floated on top. The trail continued up through the woods until I reached a lovely open pasture with a fine mountain cabin. The whole place was deserted of people and animals so I had found my home for the night.

Valle di Caranno

As it was after five thirty when I arrived there I wasted no time in setting up my tent. It was a pretty idyllic place to camp with a good water supply, flat dry ground, calm weather and wonderful views. The only downside was that the sun had already gone down behind the mountains and the temperature dropped quickly under the now clear skies. I ate my dinner and retreated to the tent and my sleeping bag soon after. Before long I was warm and snug and I decided to just try and catch up on some sleep. 

Not a bad spot for night one.

It had been a good day. 18 kilometres covered, 1350 metres climbed in just over five hours.

Friday October 11th;

If how cold my nose felt was anything to go by then it had gotten pretty chilly last night. It therefore came as no surprise to exit the tent and see that there had been a hard frost overnight. I exited the tent in the gloomy dawn and after a brief wipe of my face I wasted no time in returning to the warmth of the sleeping bag where I ate my breakfast. I was packed up and on the move by eight twenty. As I have already said, my initial goal was to reach Valbondione. The route was a total of just 34 kilometres so I reckoned that there was a reasonable chance of reaching it today. Mind you, the app suggested that the route would take 17 hours to complete and since yesterday had only taken 5 hours that suggested that to reach Valbondione would take up to twelve hours. That said, I was really in no rush and I wasn't going to push too hard. It was a stunning morning to be out and about. Crystal clear air allowed me to enjoy the spectacular sights all around. Initially the peaks of Pisso Gro (2653mtrs) and Cima Soliva  (2704mtrs) that soared across the valley were the stars of the show but when I got clear of the woods the snow dusted 3000 metre plus peaks Punta di Scais and Pisso di Redorta looked wonderful. It felt great to be back in the high mountains. Soon the trail became wilder and rougher and by the time it crossed the substantial torrent that descended from the higher peaks it was simply following the markings on the boulders and scree. It came as no surprise to come across a group of male Ibex who took little notice of me as I passed by.

A hard frost overnight.

Entering the high mountains

I crossed the torrent without much difficulty but I couldn't help but think it would have been a different proposition yesterday morning. Now the trail began to contour around the rough slopes of Pisso Brunone Nord. It was up here as the trail crossed damp rock slabs that ice started to become a problem. Sometimes the ice was obvious but other times it was unseen and rocks were simply coated in frost. I had to proceed with some care on several sections. One spot where the trail crossed a gully of rock was particularly tricky. Under normal conditions it was a simple walk across but now there was a sheet of verglas on the rock and a steep little drop on the right. I made it across but it all ate up time. Finally I reached the steep scree slope  that rose towards Passo Scaletta (2530 metres). I had had no idea what to expect of the pass but I guess I was expecting a normal wide straightforward pass. Passo Scaletta isn't like that. The pass is a steep rocky cleft that is equipped with chains and some iron steps all the way to the exit from the end of the scree. In normal conditions this would offer an entertaining scramble and offer swift height gain. Alas today the rock was in places covered in a thick film of ice and at times the chains were welded to the rock. It was engaging and required some care to make progress. 

Innocuous ground but when ice abounds... 

About half way up there was a short narrow vertical section where there were four iron rebar steps in the right hand side and above this the chains continued. The problem was that the steps, the rock, and chains were thick with ice. Dam! I looked down and what I had come up just was no bargain and I didn't fancy going back. I found a loose stone at my feet and by hitting the iron I managed to get the ice off the two lower steps. The third step I could only reach the underside and the one above that would have to stay as it was. I grabbed the second step and hauled myself up. I got a fright when the step slid out of the rock a couple of inches towards me as I pulled up but thankfully it held. I grabbed the top one and stood on steps two and three and then I was able to reach the chain. A few good tugs freed it from the ice and I stepped very carefully on the last step. My oh my it all felt very precarious. I literally now had a long stretch to reach a knob of ice free rock and I hauled myself up the chain for all I was worth. One more strenuous pull and I was on easier ground. It had been a very tough haul with the heavy bag. I stood at the top and looked down what I had just come up and I knew for certain I could not now go back. Thankfully the remainder was, while still icy, not as steep and eventually I reached the safety of the pass. I had been trying to figure out how there had been water coming down the pass right to the crest but when I reached the crest there was a wide fairly shallow slope that rose towards Cime di Brunone Sud which held a small lake which fed right into the pass. I spent some time here recovering and getting over a dose of the "hot aches" before setting off on the steep downward section of thankfully normal trail.

Starting up into the meat of the climb

Finally up at the pass.

The view south from the pass.

Heading down to the refuge then around left-down-over the spur then away to the left 

It had taken me almost four hours to reach the pass. I was looking forward to a nice easy downhill stretch ahead. I was to be disappointed. It was a short distance to reach the refuge Brunone which lay at 2295mtrs. There are a multitude of trails that radiate from the hut but mine was number 330. It contoured around the slopes gently for almost a kilometre before dropping steeply and losing nearly 200 metres in height. Another easy traverse follows and then the trail climbs over 150 metres to cross the crest of a narrow spur. Christ I was struggling. Another traverse that crossed several gullies (some equipped with chains and steps) followed before another near 200 metre climb made me realise that I would definitely need to find somewhere to camp before Valbondione. I should say that the mountainsides were really quite steep and a slip or fall almost anywhere would have been ill advised. In my fatigued state, good concentration was always required. Thankfully ahead I could see the trail cross over another spur at a flat grassy patch and I hoped that I could pitch my tent there. A couple of hundred metres before the crest I was able to fill my water bottles and it was with much relief that I saw I could indeed get the tent up on the crest. It was just 16.20 but it was eight hours since I had set off. I could see Valbondione in the valley far below but there was no thought in my head of continuing. I watched as some rain developed over the mountains to the west but it never reached me and a very pleasant few hours followed as I recovered and soaked in my rather excellent viewpoint. Again once darkness came I retreated into my sleeping bag and settled in for the long night. I expected that it would get quite chilly up here at over 2100 metres but it didn't get as cold as last night.

Some weather following me..never quite got me

Home for night two.

Evening light

It had taken eight hours to cover just over 13 kilometres with 1400 metres ascent and 1000 metres descent.

Saturday October 12th;

Looking ominous this morning...cleared up very quickly

Leaving behind last nights home..typical steep ground.

I had expected to have had to endure a long long night of broken sleep since I had retired to bed very early. It came as something of a nice surprise when I opened my eyes to see that the dawn was arriving. I had clearly slept better than expected. It was also noticeably warmer than the morning before and when eventually I exited the tent there was just a hint of frost on the grass. The skies above me were mostly clear but away to the south things looked dark and gloomy. It seemed to be heading my way while I was breakfasting and when packing I left the waterproofs on top. Despite being in no rush and having only a short way to go I was on the move by 08.30. I wanted to be packed up before any advent of rain. As it happened I needn't have worried. Almost as quickly as the threat appeared it disappeared and the sun once again dominated the sky.  The first kilometre dropped steeply and traversed into a deep recess before I reached easier ground. After that my biggest issue was trying to get past a herd of goats who weren't keen in moving off the trail. Once past the goats I soon reached a delightful forest trail and it felt so good to just trundle along on easy ground. Before too long I reached the edge of the village and I headed immediately to the campsite where I checked in and settled in. It had taken a leisurely two and a half hours to reach here and I must say I felt a little guilty about finishing so early. I whiled away a very pleasant afternoon enjoying my day off.

Reaching the woods

Just 5 kilometres in 2 hours 25 minutes.

Sunday October 13th;

It was a beautiful crisp autumn morning and I was looking forward to getting back to the mountains. I had decided that the next objective for the hike would be Schilpario which the app said was almost 32 kilometres away so it would be very doable in two days.

Busy trail

I knew that there was a fiesta in the village today but it came as a bit of a surprise to see bumper to bumper traffic coming into the village before 9am. I walked up through the village and reached the trailhead. There was a few people about but when I was on the trail I was surprised by how many people there were. It was like the miners track on Snowdon but on a particularly busy day. There was a constant stream of people ahead and more behind and for someone who revels in solitude then it was less than ideal. I was heading up to Lago del Barbellino Artificiale initially and from there I wanted to reach refugio Barbellino, near which I hoped to camp. One thing I was looking forward to today was getting a look at the Cascate de Serio which at 315 metres is the highest waterfall in Italy. As I got higher and deeper into the valley I could see the falls at the back of the valley and it is fair to say, as supposedly one of the grand sights of Italy, I was unimpressed. The volume of water was small and the fall was broken into three separate sections. The valley itself was wonderful, though the effect was spoiled somewhat by the presence of pylons and powerlines, that always seemed to be in just the wrong spot when a possible photo opportunity presented itself whenever a gap in the trees occurred. Finally after about an hour and a half we reached a large clearing in the forest and here most people decided to stop for a rest. 

I've seen more spectacular waterfalls

It felt good to lose the crowds and when the trail split soon after and my route climbed steeply up the side a recess that rose to the crest it felt more like a normal outing. While climbing the sound of a siren resounded around the whole valley and I reckoned that a dam was going to release some water. It quietened again and nothing happened. A few minutes passed and the siren sounded again. This time after it finished I stopped at a rocky perch and watched in wonder as the Cascate del Serio came to life. Thousands of tons of water suddenly thundered down the falls and what was an nice but unspectacular sight became a mighty spectacle. I could now see far below me the clearing where people stopped and hundreds sat and enjoyed the spectacle. I was to learn that this release of water only happens about four times in the year and people come from far and wide to see it. That explained the crowds and I felt very privileged to to have been there at the right time. I stood a fair while and watched as the river below the falls very gradually became a white torrent as the flood made its way down towards Valbondione. It was a lovely bonus to the day. Shortly after I resumed the trek I could see a refuge perched on the crest above and thankfully not too far away. I soon reached the top and enjoyed a nice coffee and rest at the busy and beautifully situated Refuge Antonio Curo which was surrounded by spectacular peaks and overlooked the large turquois reservoir. 

A bit more spectacular now.

Beautiful up at the lake.

As I was now up at over 1900 metres I had climbed over 1000 metres to reach here so most of the climbing was now over for the day. It was still very early (just about midday) and the Refuge Barbellino was not far away. I had loads of time. The next couple of kilometres were a delight as the trail contoured around the reservoir until it reached a gap that led deeper into more remote territory. The trail climbed gently up by the river until after a short while the refuge came into view not too far away. I could see some people milling about outside and I was surprised to find the refuge open for business. On a whim I went in and enquired if I might stay the night but I was told that they were closing that afternoon for the season. As it was still only lunchtime I knew I had plenty of time to continue on and find a camping spot but I had climbed 1300 metres by now so I didn't want to take too long. There were plenty of spots by the nearby lake but there were too many people so I continued on the trail. I looked at the app and there was a small lake nestled not too far below Passo Grasso di Pila where there seemed to be a nice flat area. I decided to head for it. It wasn't a long distance, just a couple of kilometres in total, and it involved just 250 metres extra ascent and took just thirty minutes to reach here from the refuge but I was delighted to find a little piece of camping heaven when I arrived at the little lake. An expanse of damp but smooth grassy ground lay alongside the lake (pond really) and I soon had my home up for the night. It was a delightful spot. Sheltered from the elements as it nestled in a bowl, surrounded by peaks that reached over 2900 metres. It was a delightful high mountain hideaway. Mind you, when the occasional breeze found me it was quite chilly and reminded me that I was standing at over 2300 metres in the middle of October. There was a water source just metres from the tent and after I made a seat for myself using some nearby rocks I relaxed into the night. If I started the day pining for solitude, now I most certainly had found it. The only company I had for the rest of the day was some Ibex grazing on the upper slopes of Monte Torena some 600 metres higher up. I was also able to see one of the best sunsets I have seen in years.

After the refuge heading to the pass...hopefully find somewhere  to camp higher up

Doesn't get a lot better

Just 12 kilometres but 1550 metres ascent made it a good day. 5 hours in total.

Monday October 14th;

 

Nice morning for it. looking down to last nights camp and beyond

Wow, just a couple of more days left in the trip. I had expected it to get pretty cold up so high but while it did freeze and the ground was rock hard, the tent was completely dry and clear of ice this morning. I hadn't slept very well as for some reason I had got it into my head that I would be visited by a bear in the night. Try as I might to banish this irrational fear, it persisted and I found myself starting at every strange sound (both real and imagined). Anyway, I emerged into a bear free environment and enjoyed a quiet breakfast. Camping up so high meant that there was less that 150 metres to climb to reach Passo Grasso di Pila  (2509mtrs). It was another beautiful weather morning and I was really looking forward to discovering somewhere new. Standing on the pass in the crisp morning sun and looking back to where I'd come from and ahead to places new was special. It felt great to be lost in the mountains again. I lingered a little while before starting the descent into Val Belviso.

Val Belviso

Some six hundred metres are lost during the descent and, while it is steep in places, it is never difficult. As you get lower the dark lake in the base leads the eye north where the white giants of the range that include the Piz Bernina (the easternmost 4000mtr peak in the Alps) can be seen. Before I travelled I had considered going north from Sondrio, but I was glad to have chosen the option I did. That area is however, definitely on the list for the future. Anyway, back to the present. Once down at the 1950 metre contour I joined the trail that headed towards Passo di Venano (2328 metres). This was lovely easy walking all the way to the back of the valley. The route then climbs gently and contours across the slope towards the pass. I had the added bonus of getting a great look at an eagle that glided over the crest of the rocky ridge above. I soon reached the pass where a fine refuge. It was surrounded by an eccentric mix of stuff, from a large gun, a cross and alter, a big bell in a wooden tower and (most apt) an impressive sculpture of an eagle.

The back of the valley. The pass is the lowest point of the ridgeline.. left of centre

Schilpario was in the valley below the peaks ahead.

After a delightful easy traverse of the slopes Pisso Tornello the trail then dropped down and into a verdant plateau at around the 1850mtr contour that was directly under the pass and refuge. I stopped for a bite to eat here and basked in quite warm sun. The route then dropped gradually through some deserted alpages before it once again entered the woods. Up at around the 1600 metre contour I got a good look at an adder that had been basking in the sunshine. I was able to move quite swiftly down the slope when it saw me. If I had carved solitude yesterday morning I now had it in spades. I hadn't seen another soul since I passed the refuge yesterday afternoon. When I was able to get a phone signal I did a search for somewhere to stay in Schilpario. I was pleased to find a couple of options and I booked myself into the Olympic Hostel in the village. Now all I had to do was get there. I reached what looked like a popular place for locals with lots of picnic areas and parking at a road-head. Not far now. My route climbed up a forest road for a while before once again contouring around a spur before finally I could see civilisation below. 

Mind you the trail wasn't without it's quirks. From easy strolling, suddenly the trail cut across some rock faces with twenty or thirty metres of a drop in places. Add to this the odd section where the rock overhung the trail and care was needed not to be pushed off.  Another interesting spot was a short tunnel through the rock face. This was about twenty metres long, twisted and only about four foot high. Given my fears during the night I wasted no time in getting out my head torch and checking that there wasn't anything hidden inside. It was also a bugger to shuffle through as it was so low. Shortly after that I reached the quite pretty village. I found my accommodation and checked in. It was a delight, with a large well equipped room that boasted a balcony with great views. A kitchen where coffee and tea was free and a great sitting room. I would highly recommend it. I whiled away a very pleasant evening and treated myself to a most excellent pizza.

With the headtorch on you could see it was bear free.

Sitting on the balcony enjoying the view.

17 kilometres today, 750 meters ascent, 2000 descent in 7 hours 15 minutes.

Tuesday October 15th;

The weather was due to break tomorrow but once again I emerged to a beautiful crisp sunny morning. The stars of the show since yesterday afternoon had been the limestone peaks Monte Susino 2399mtrs and Pisso Camino 2491mtrs which soared above Schilpario. Today I would get up close to them as I headed for Passo di Ezendola just on the northern side of Susino. I should say that today the plan was to get to a town called Breno from where I could get a train to Bergamo for my return home the following night. I would have time for a hike on Wednesday but with the forecast being rain all day I would just do something local. Anyway, today was beautiful and I was feeling strong. It was just as well because when the trail entered the woods it rose steeply up the slope until, after gaining nearly five hundred metres, it reached open pastures and the spectacular cliffs of the mountains could be fully appreciated. I plodded away and soon reached the pass. The wide valley ahead was lovely and I could see several little villages on the wooded slopes. I wondered if the trail visited some of them.

Heading up to the pass

Always a joy to see vistas new

The trail drops through the lush grass and crossed several farm tracks before it entered the most delightful beech forest. I was feeling good and it was a joy to make such easy progress on the descent. After a while I reached the first chalets and soon after that I reached the delightfully named village called Villa di la. The trail once again entered the woods as it very gradually lost height. I reached a road and after walking on for a short while the route crossed some farm land and climbed up to the first of three quaint little villages, one above the other. Finally, when I reached Laveno the trail once again entered the woods and contoured around the mountainside until the final pass of the day was reached near Monte Madene. One delightful thing on the trail was the "Big Bench" that was at a clearing overlooking the valley. It was a delight and I couldn't resist climbing up on it. I believe that they are dotted throughout the area. Indeed I saw another one above Breno. After the pass it as all downhill until I reached the busy town . It was quite warm in the sunshine as I crossed the quite large river Oglio which flowed just below the town. It wasn't long before I reached my hotel and I relaxed for the rest of the day.

Some beautiful Autumn colours

I laughed out loud. What a delight

Overlooking Breno

The penultimate day was 24 kilometres long, 1300 metres ascent, 2150 metres descent in 7 hours 20 minutes.

Wednesday October 16th;

The weather forecast was true to its word and this was overcast and full of the promise of rain. My flight home wasn't until 23.30 from Bergamo and as I could get a train in the afternoon, I had a full day at my disposal. Another plus was that by paying a little extra I didn't have to check out of my room until 3pm so I could make the most of the morning and travel light. Now all I had to do was figure out what to do. Climbing a peak was out of the question as they were all up over 2000 metres and would require a six to seven hour round trip (at least) and I didn't want to go back up the same side I descended yesterday so I settled on a knoll on the hillside called Dosso del Cerreto, which at 880mtrs would give a 600 metre climb.

I left the hotel at 08.20 and true to form the rain arrived before I had gone 200 metres. I didn't mind as I had the waterproofs on and I quite like walking in the rain. It didn't take long before the trail entered the woods and the already limited views were left behind. One problem that was almost immediately evident was the profusion of walking routes and trails that were to be found. It made following the correct one difficult and almost inevitably I frequently set off on the wrong ones. The Mapy.cz app proved invaluable as it pinpoints your exact location in relation to the trail. I must confess that I was finding it hard to motivate myself today. I guess it felt a bit like a hike without a purpose, especially since I had no views. I did get some misty valley views when I was higher up but mostly I was enveloped in a confined world. It took three and a half hours to complete the 13 kilometres and as there was 700 metres ascent it was sufficient for the final day. I was back in the hotel at midday and I relaxed and dried some stuff before leaving at three on the dot. The return was uneventful but one thing of note was the beautiful journey from Breno to Brescia which passed along the shores of Lake Iseo. Even on a wet dull day it was stunning.

I was overall very pleased with the trip. I have covered more ground on other outings but it was lovely to discover somewhere new. I had feared my lack of Italian would be a problem (and its fair to say that communication was at times difficult) but the people were lovely and curious and helpful at all times. It is an area that I hope to explore some more. Maybe next time I will venture north of Sondrio.