I was off on my travels again in early October and once again I headed north of Milan. Last year I flew to Bergamo and headed to Sondrio, from where I made my way south, through the delightful Bergamasque or Orobie Alps over a seven day period in the second week in October. This time I was once again going to Sondrio but it was the mountains to the north of the town I was going to explore.
Monday October 6th;
I had originally planned on flying out from Dublin on Tuesday afternoon but a warning about a three day French air traffic control strike, due to commence on Tuesday morning, prompted me to change my flight to Monday morning out of Cork. It was just as well as Cork suits me better and is a much nicer airport to fly from. All travels went very well until I was directed to the wrong train at Ponto di San Pietro near Bergamo which meant a two hour delay in arriving in Sondrio. It was no big problem but it was stress I could have done without and it also meant that I wasn't able to get gas for the trip until the following day. Still I had treated myself to a nice hotel and I enjoyed excellent pizza and a good night's rest.
Tuesday October 7th;
I was anxious to be off but I had no choice but to wait until the shops opened before I went in search of gas. I ate a copious breakfast and left the hotel at nine. There was a fishing store in the town centre that was open so I made for that. Alas they didn't have any gas but he gave me directions to a store he said would have some. I quickly managed to get lost so I returned to the shop and this time he dropped a pin on the map and I found it okay. I was a little dismayed to see it was a hardware store but they did indeed stock gas. Unfortunately the only screw on canisters they had was the large size. Still I was now good to go and ready to start my little adventure.
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| One of the impressive public spaces in Sondrio |
I had planned on getting the train as far as Tirano and following the Alta Via to Torre di Santa Maria over three days. The delay in getting gas meant that I wouldn't be able to actually start hiking until after 11am so I gave the map a quick perusal and saw that I could start from where I was and head towards Tirano. I decided to do that.
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| Leaving the town heading into Valmalenco |
The weather was glorious. It was warm but not hot, with blue skies and no wind and it promised to remain the same for the duration of the trip. I was regretting not bringing shorts and t-shirt, but I knew that it would be chilly higher up when it got dark. The store was at the upper end of the town so, after using the excellent Mapy.cz app I was soon exiting the town and following a trail that headed deeper into Valmalenco. The first target was Arquino about four kilometres away, and from there I could see that the trail climbed through the forest until it entered a glen that eventually became a long wide valley. Before Arquino the trail reached a road that was shut to traffic. As I neared the village I could see why. Some rockfall had occurred and some substantial gouges had been taken out of the road. Just after the village I entered the woods and began to leave the world behind.
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| Gaining good height in Val di Tongo |
I had feared that the slope would be steep but it was a vehicle track so it was quite straightforward and an easy 300mtrs of height was gained. The track continued for another five kilometres until it reached a small collection of houses and Refugio Val di Tongo. Here, I was at over 1300 metres, so a substantial height had already been gained. One curiosity was when a couple of guys in a big SUV stopped and demanded to know where I was going and where I was going to sleep. I explained as best I could that I was heading to Tirano over three days and I would bivi up high. One guy seemed to insist I go into Switzerland. I agreed and they drove on. It wasn't hostile exactly, but it left me wondering.
After the refuge the track became a trail and the valley became more open and the views got better. I passed through a several alpages and the valley widened and turned to the west. Eventually I could see the pass I wanted to cross tomorrow. I was taken aback by the amount of snow that was lying well below the pass. Passo Forame is quite high at 2830metres but from what I could see the snow lay down as low as 2500 metres. I began to reassess my options for the following days as most of the route I had planned was above 2500 metres and a lot substantially higher. Once I got above the tree line the wide valley offered stunning alpine views and I found myself surrounded by stunning snow capped alpine peaks.
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| Not too far from the refuge. Things looking very alpine |
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| My pass for the following day. |
My first target was the Refugio Bruno de Dosso which sits at just over 2100 metres. Thankfully I was still feeling pretty good but it's fair to say that the going was never too tough. Still when I reached the closed refuge I was glad to discover a delightful flat patch of grass alongside it which I immediately decided would be my home for the night. I had been on the move for five hours forty minutes so I felt it had been a decent first day out. The views were wonderful in all directions but the peaks on the western side of the valley that soared to over 3200 metres and with snow lying to 2500 metres looked majestic. It was wonderful to while away the remaining daylight admiring them.
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| Home sweet home |
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| Up to 3200 metres. Much more snow than I was expecting |
Day 1 19 kilometres, ascent- 1855metres in 5 hours 40 minutes. I was well pleased.
Wednesday October 8th;
I hadn't tried to stay up reading last evening and basically I settled down to sleep once it got dark. As expected it had gotten pretty chilly after the sun went down so the sleeping bag was the best place to be. I did my usual thing of dozing and laying awake but overall the night passed very well. There had also been a full moon and it was really bright and a delight to stand outside at 3am and enjoy the silvered landscape. Dawn arrived at 7am and I rose and enjoyed breakfast before packing everything up. I was on the move again before 8. There hadn't been a frost on the tent but before I had gone too far the grass was crispy. I was wondering what the snow on the shaded side of the pass would bring.
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| Up at the pass |
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| Pizzo Painale 3247 metres |
From the start I was struggling a bit. The going was fairly easy but I could feel the after effects of the hike in the legs. Once I had gone a couple of kilometres and gained just 150 metres things became considerably steeper. I lost the faint path in the rougher ground but I just picked what I thought was the easiest line. Once up over 2500 metres things eased a little but now I had reached the snow. I soon got my answer as to what it was like. The first few steps were good and I crunched along the surface of the frozen snow but then I would break through and "posthole" the next few and then repeat. It was horrible. There were ribs and outcrops of rock available and I resolved to use these instead. This provided snow free progress but I don't know if it was ultimately any easier. I was continually moving from one rock spur to the next in search of a continuation, as sometimes it would rear up and sometimes come to a sudden drop. It was engaging but tiring, especially with a heavy pack but I made slow but steady progress. Eventually I reached the snow basin that led to the pass. I was hoping that the other side would offer easier progress. It took me two hours and forty minutes to reach the pass. Wow, I was slow. Anyway, there was nothing for it but to go on.
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| Just after the pass. Steep snow to descend |
I reached the pass and looked somewhat apprehensively over the edge. After my experience last year in Passo Scaletta I was dreading having to descend anything too steep or icy. It was with some considerable relief that I saw relatively straightforward ground. An initial steep drop of around 10 metres on rock saw me reach a snow field that dropped for about 200 metres at about 40 degrees. It was doable. I set off carefully on the rock and soon reached the snow. Some old steps should have provided an easy descent, except for my quads being on fire and pain was my companion all the way until I left the snow. I reached a trail that headed to the nearby bivouac hut called Capanna Cederna Maffina at 2580 metres. One of the things I had hoped to do on this trip was to climb Pizzo Scalina which at 3323 metres would be a great highlight of the trip. The route began from the hut. If I was feeling better then I would have rested it the cabin for an hour or two and set off up with a small bag. I could then have stayed overnight in the hut. Now, even though the route looked from here to be snow free, looking up, I knew it was beyond me. I sat and looked at the map and formulated a new plan.
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| Cima di Forame 3053 metres. Snow a long way down on northern aspect |
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| Capanna Cererna Maffina |
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| Towards Val Martina |
I was disappointed, but only a little. It would be silly to dwell on the negatives when there was so much to enjoy. The trail down from the hut was easy and in the wonderful weather the views all about were a joy. The trail headed down into the deep Val Martina that ultimately led to the town of Churio a little east of Sondrio. In hindsight and having looked at the map I could probably have continued on the Alta Via to Tirano but as well as my fatigue I was spooked by the snow up high. Anyway, the decision was made and down I was going. Once down in the deep valley I was once again enveloped by the forest. I made slow but steady progress and once I reached a wide grassy area at Piana dei Cavalli my mind started to turn towards finding somewhere to stay for the night. It was still fairly early but I had been on the move for six hours. I decided to continue for another while and perhaps the next alpage would be just as good.
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| Hard to remain disappointed on a day like this with views like this. |
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| Thought about camping here |
The next one came a couple of kilometres further on and initially it looked promising but I was disappointed to find that a large number of cattle were still there. I was beginning to think that I would have to continue all the way to the valley floor as the next clearing at Campello was served by a road and there seemed to be several houses there. There was a refuge there called Refugio Massimo Erler but I didn't hold out much hope of finding sanctuary there. It wasn't long before I reached Campello and as I entered it I saw what I thought was a chapel off the road to the left. I walked up to it and it turned out to be the deserted refuge and there was a grassy area alongside that was secluded from all eyes. I had my home for the night. While there were several houses around the refuge, they were all deserted. A couple of men were working on constructing a nearby house but once they left at five pm I had the place to myself. It was a great little spot and I enjoyed another excellent camping experience (even if it really wasn't in the wild).
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| Home for night two. |
It had taken me almost seven hours to cover the 16 kilometres. Just less than 800 metres ascent and nearly 1500 metres down. Hopefully tomorrow I would feel stronger.
Thursday October 9th;
It had been a quiet, uneventful night and I was on the move again just after 8am. I was feeling pretty good today and I wanted to do something longer than descend directly to the valley as this would only take around two hours. After looking at the map I decided to go to a place called San Bernardo, which was around eight kilometres away and I would reassess my options there. It was another beautiful morning and the going was easy. I followed the quiet lane down to a little village called Sant Antonio and here the route entered the woods and traversed the mountainside on a good track. There were several stags bellowing and I was reminded that the rut was in full swing. I was hoping that I wouldn't run into any of them on the trail. As I said the going was easy and the further on I went the more I wanted to add some climbing to my day. I had a look at the map again and saw that a trail climbed from San Bernardo to a place called Massarescia, which would give me a four hundred metre ascent, and would allow me to loop around back to the valley to a village called Ponte in Valtellina.
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| Leaving the refuge...still a long way down to the valley. |
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| After leaving Sant Antonio looking towards the Orobie Alps |
When I reached San Bernardo (a road head and just a few houses) I turned and began the climb. It followed the crest of a spur that rose up through the forest towards the high mountains above. I could see a cross atop an outcrop and I wondered if that was my destination. I was very pleased with how my body felt. Tired I certainly was, but also, I was much better than yesterday. I made very good progress up the sometimes steep trail and eventually reached Massarescia. My hoped for viewing point turned out to be a car park in the woods with nothing to see beyond. I could now see that the cross was still several hundred metres higher so I turned and began my descent. The trail dropped steeply through the forest and six hundred metres was lost pretty quickly. Finally it reached a tiny roadway and this led directly to the valley. Once below the trees I passed through some orchards and I helped myself to a couple of delicious apples.
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| Finally able to see the valley floor |
I reached the sleepy but delightful village with it's narrow cobbled lanes and after a couple of enquiries I found the piazza where I could catch a bus to Sondrio. It was just 13.30. I relaxed in the warm sunshine on the chairs provided at the bus stop (yes, actual chairs). I asked a guy walked past if he knew the bus times and a delightful tableau happened when he shouted to the patrons of a nearby cafe and after several back and forths, he said 15.15. That meant I had nearly an hour and a half to wait. I had opened my rucksack and pulled a few bits out while I searched for something or other when I heard a heavy engine. I turned and saw that a bus had arrived. I quickly tried to put stuff back in the bag and asked the driver if he was going to Sondrio. He replied something like quinto minute, which I assumed was fifty minutes. I was well pleased, as that was better than what I expected. I was even more pleased when he returned after about five minutes and I was once again on the way to Sondrio. I booked myself into an apartment with the superb Valtellina Sondrio Holidays and enjoyed another pleasant, luxurious evening.
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| They tasted as good as they looked |
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| Ponte in Valtellina |
I had been very pleased with the hike today. Nothing too taxing but I had covered 16 kilometres, climbed 750 metres, descended 1700 metres in just over five hours. Plus I felt stronger. I was looking forward to getting back on the trail again.
Friday October 10th;
After good pizza and beer and a comfy bed last night I left the apartment after 8am feeling good and made my way to the bus station, where I could get a bus to Torre di Sante Maria, from where the next adventure could begin. The plan for the next four days was to follow the Sentiero Italia as far as Novate Mezzola just north of Lake Como. All went well and I alighted in the village at 09.10.
Once again the weather was glorious. It was a nice easy start, as the first couple of kilometres were on a quiet road that rose gently as far as Bianchi. Valmalenco looked wonderful and it stretches up to the north until it abruptly reaches giant mountains that almost reach 4000 metres on the Swiss Italian border. Some beautiful autumn colours adorned the steep forested sides of the valley and I paused to enjoy the views wherever I got the chance. Torre sits at about 800 metres and Bianchi is at just over 900 metres. Now I was faced with a near 700 metre climb up through the woods. I was delighted with how the climb went, and also delighted with the knowledge that my fitness was returning. Eventually I reached a forest road that led to Alp Bracia, where I was once again able to enjoy expansive and wonderful views.
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| Alp Bracia. A beautiful place. |
It had taken me just two hours twenty minutes to reach here, and as I had already done nearly 900 metres of climbing, I decided to rest here a while and soak in the sun and the views. I sat on a bench beside a little chapel and looked across at the mountains that had formed the backdrop to the first couple of days. I planned to go as far as Refugio Bossio-Galli which was only about 400 metres higher up. Once again when I reached there, I would assess my options. The trail continued in a more undulating fashion and there were no more big climbs. Eventually the enclosed woodland gave way to a delightful open valley and here, the closed refuge guarded the entrance. I took another break here and decided to carry on another while. I had looked at satellite images last night and there appeared to be some suitable options for camping ahead. Before long I reached an abandoned cattle shed and some rather boggy pastures lay beyond. After a little exploring I found a nice dry level spot so once again home for the night was sorted.
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| Not too far below the refuge |
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| Up above the hut |
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| Not a bad spot to pitch |
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| Looking west from the tent |
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| Looking east |
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| Monte Disgrazia (3678mtrs) looms above |
It hadn't been too taxing and I'd covered just 12 kilometres, climbed 1500 metres in just four and a half hours.
Saturday October 11th;
It was another beautiful weather morning. Once again there had been no frost at the tent but it was chilly. I enjoyed breakfast and I was on the move just after 8am. Passo Caldenno was the first of two passes this morning and there was an easy bike trail, which seemed newly constructed, that led easily to the pass. I t wasn't long before I reached it and I could see Passo di Scermondone (2595 metres) not too far ahead. I had to drop just 200 metres before the climb to the pass began, but that climb looked a little steeper than what I had just done. The descent was easy on the continuing track and before long I was heading to the pass. It was indeed steeper but never difficult and I was standing at the pass just after 10am. Once again the descent was easy and I was glad that I had decided to forego the higher passes for this route. I was now entering Val Terzana which headed due west towards Val Masino in which sat Cataeggio which was the target for today. The going was easy and before long I was down in the valley and sauntering along and enjoying the views. To my right, the skyline looked to be a mountaineering dream and I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to try it. Not long after passing a shaded little lake the train contoured along the left side of the valley until it eased onto the broad crest at Bivacco Scermendone.
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| Leave no trace, leaving my campsite |
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| Another beautiful weather day |
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| Passo di Scermondone in centre with some snow |
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| Back to the pass |
Now I could see down to the wide, busy, Valtellina valley that stretched from Lake Como to Tirano once again. The views were a bit hazy but everywhere I looked was a delight, There were some men working at the bivouac and on a track that led to it and just after I passed them I saw a sign for a refuge that continued on that track, but my map was showing that my route stuck to the crest of the ridge. For a while things were delightful and easy as the trail undulated along the broad grassy ground, but after a while the trail grew fainter and the ground grew steeper and it became clear that this was a way seldom travelled. While walking along one easy section through some pine trees, I got an awful bang to the head when I walked into a thick stump of a branch that was sticking out from above. It brought me to my knees and I roared in pain and surprise and I was sure that I had done damage. I was waiting for the blood to start to flow but thankfully the skin wasn't broken and after a minute or two I was able to continue, tenderly feeling the growing lump on my head. The most awkward section was when I reached a spot called Pizzo Mercantelli where the ground was steep and I had to do some delicate traversing before I found myself on a better path that descended steeply through the woods. Before too much longer I emerged to a clearing at Refugio Alpe Grande which I guess would have been easier to reach via the other path. The lump in my head was only one reason why I regretted not taking it.
I entered the forest once again and the trail eventually reached a roadway that chicaned its way down Valle di Sasso Bisolo until it reached the stunningly beautiful Val Masino. This spectacular narrow valley ran from north to south and a few villages nestled in it. I hadn't sorted out anywhere to stay yet so I stopped and got on the internet to have a look. I was disappointed to see that there was only a couple of places online and these were extremely expensive. I saw that there was a campsite up in San Martino but this would have meant a six kilometre diversion off route to reach it. I would do it if I had to, but I hoped that there would be a bed and breakfast or two in Cataeggio where I could stay. As it happened, the first thing I saw as I was entering the village was a small hotel called Rustichella, which had a room, and was reasonably priced for dinner and breakfast. I was sorted. Later on, while looking at the map again I saw that there was a campsite only about a kilometre above the village which would have been ideal, but I didn't complain when sleeping in the comfy bed.
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| Towards Val Masino with Cataeggio below |
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| Towards San Martino |
It hadn't been too taxing a day, 18 kilometres covered, just 730 metres ascent (despite crossing two passes), over 2000 metres descending in just over 6 hours.
Sunday October 12th;
I was another beautiful weather morning and I emerged into the sleepy Sunday morning just after 8am. The target over the next couple of days was to reach Novate Mezzola, just north of Lake Como. The route went up to Lago di Spluga, passed over Passo di Primalpia (2477mtrs) before descending to Novate. Depending on how I felt, I had plenty of options as to how big a day I needed to do today. As for how I felt, well I felt strong, but I had developed a sore throat and cold, and I was concerned that I would develop a chest infection. The last time I had one it nearly floored me and I was in fairly severe respiratory distress. If that happened while in the wild I would have been in trouble. With that in mind I was mindful of my body as I set off.
The trail left Cataeggio and headed south through the woods above the valley floor. I had thought that it would have gained height gradually but it descended instead, and eventually, after about five kilometres, it reached Torrent Splugo near Cevo. Now I was down at 700 metres. As the lake was up at nearly 2200 metres it meant I had a fair old climb ahead of me. It's fair to say that despite the sore throat etc I was moving well and I made good steady progress. As is often the case, when you are starting off up a climb then the high ground above looks impossibly far away. Whenever there was a break in the trees the open ground above the treeline looked so far away. Still, I just kept plodding away and gradually, what had seemed so far above me, came nearer. After climbing over 300 metres I came to a clearing in the woods where there was a curious collection of stone and wooden chalets whose only inhabitants at the moment was a few donkeys. From what I could see there is no other way to reach here except by foot and I wondered how the buildings were built and who stays here now.
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| A hazy Valtellina with the Orobie Alps peeking through |
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| Still a long way up. Beautiful autumn colours |
For the next little while the trail climbed up through more open scrubby ground and I was able to enjoy and admire the delightful autumn colours on display. Another section of forest came and went and I emerged into the sunshine at an alpage at Corte di Cevo where I took a breather and had a bite to eat. I was delighted by how good the legs felt and I was breathing deep and strong. I was now up at over 1750 metres and I had done over 1000 metres ascent already. I reset my target for today and decided that I would go as far as Bivacco Primalpia. Before long I reached open ground that reached a crest at 2100 metres and here I was finally able to see Lago di Spluga and the pass above. I also found out I had climbed a little too high and I had to drop to my left to regain the trail. At the lake there was a sign for a pass that it said was over two hours away. I did a quick check of the name of my pass and I was much relieved to find it wasn't the one named on the sign. I used the app to get my bearings and I could see Passo Primalpia (2477 metres) directly beyond the rather small lake. The route went directly up a bouldery gully that looked steeper than I hoped it actually was. As there was still over 300 metres of climbing left to do I wasted no time in setting off. As I suspected, when I got nearer the gully it did indeed lay back and it wasn't too bad at all. It offered some gentle scrambling in places and I made good steady progress. The actual pass was a couple of hundred metres beyond the end of the gully and I looked forward to seeing what lay beyond it.
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| Lago di Spluga. Passo Primalpia is the one on the left up the gully |
I reached the pass and stopped and marvelled at the stunning scene that lay before me. The valley descended until it became lost in a sea of cloud, above which, alpine peaks and ridges soared. It was one of the best temperature inversions I had seen in many years. Just ahead there was a sort of hanging coum in which lay a couple of small lakes that were surrounded by steep ground that only allowed a narrow gap beyond the second lake. The trail skirted around the slope until it reached the lower lakes edge and I could see some decent sized fish swimming in the margins. I had now entered Valle dei Laghi. After the lake the trail traversed steep ground until it reached the shoulder of the ridge. Easy ground followed as the trail went, first south before turning southwest and heading directly for the hut. It was just as well that the goin was easy as it was hard not to keep looking out at the stunning scene ahead. As I neared the hut I could see a group of five arriving before me. I was a little disappointed to see them stop and enter the hut so I decided that I would camp instead of stay. I had been on the lookout for a suitable spot of several hundred metres before the hut and there rally wasn't anywhere to be seen. Once at the hut I spotted a platform of sorts above the hut and I made for it. Much to my relief it was flat and stone free. I had my home for the night once again.
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| View from Passo Primalpia |
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| Wow |
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| I've had worse views when camping |
And what a home it was. On my little platform, it was like having my own personal viewing terrace from where I could relax and enjoy my world class view. It still wasn't half three and the sun was really warm. There as just the hint of a breeze and I was able to strip to my shorts and bask in the heat. Not bad for the middle of October and up at 2000 metres. I was also delighted with how I felt. Despite the sore throat and head cold I was by no means spent when I dopped the bag, even though I had been on the go for over seven hours. After a little while I retired to my tent and dozed for a while Later as the sun lowered towards the horizon it got chilly but it was a wonder and a joy to sit and enjoy my dinner as the sea of cloud was set afire by the setting sun. Definitely one of my best camping experiences ever. As I was just out of sight of the hut and at half six I decided to go down for a look. The group that had entered had been very quiet and when I looked in t was deserted. They must have left while I dozed. The hut looked great, with a sleeping platform with mattresses and a gas cooker, a fire and even lights. I decided to pack up my stuff and stay there instead. As I was walking up to my tent I saw a woman approach the hut and sure enough she went in and stayed. I decided to stick to my tent as it wouldn't have been fair to subject her to my snuffling and sneezing in the night. I sat and watched the scene until long after the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon and saw the sky become a delight of pinks and purple.
It had been a good day. 16 kilometres covered in 7 hours 15 mins but almost 2100 metres ascent and 1000 of descent.
Monday October 13th;
It was another wonderful weather day and the layer of cloud still lay below me when I exited the tent. Again it was chilly but there was no frost, but I didn't tarry over breakfast or packing up and I was on the move by 08.20. While the cloud still lay over the valley floor I could see that it had thinned a little and retreated lower, chances were good that the sun would burn it off later on. Today promised not to be too taxing as the route was nearly all downhill. I was in a strange way a bit disappointed by this as I was feeling strong and thankfully the cold and sore throat symptoms had eased a bit this morning. After coping so well with the ascent of yesterday I wouldn't have minded another shot at a big day. That said, I guess I had to remain mindful of my health and an exhausting day might have led to a worsening of the cold.
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| Finally hazy views down to the lake |
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| Looking back up to where I camped last night |
The trail descended easily and before too long I once again entered the forest. Down here where I guess the air would have remained still overnight there had been a frost. Once down below 1450 metres I reached a clearing and the trail crossed the torrent and continued easily all the way to settlement at Frasnedo. I had indeed been correct about the sun burning off the cloud and once again it was warm and sunny. I could now get misty views down to the valley floor and see the towns by the lakeshore. The trail entered the woods again and descended until suddenly I reached a narrow gauge railway (disused) and now the trail followed that. This section is known as the Tracciolino trail. As a signalman in the railway I found it quaint and delightful, especially in the little passing loops where the points were still there and in working order. For the next two kilometres the little line traversed spectacularly around the cliffs of the rocky mountainside and it was a joy. I arrived at the point where my route left the line and entered a near 400 metre long tunnel, just big enough for a shortish person to stand up straight. Out came the head torch and I ventured in. It passed quickly and if anything the trail became even more spectacular as it cut through and around rock ribs with some spectacular drops in places. It lasted for a kilometre and a half like this and I loved it.
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| What a beautiful trail |
A conventional trail followed and before long I was entering the hilltop settlement of San Giorgio. My route turned and headed towards Cola and should have traversed around the Codera valley before descending to Novate Mezzola. This would have included nearly 400 metres of climbing and covered nine kilometres. Unfortunately the trail was all barred up and the route was closed so I had to make my way from San Giorgio directly down to the town via another route. This meant my easy day just got a fair bit easier as the remaining four kilometres were all downhill. The route wound its way down quite steeply through quite steep ground and it didn't take too long before I was entering the edge of the town. I made my way directly to the train station and arrived at just 13.15. I caught a train to Colico which lay on the northern shore of Lake Como. I booked into another hotel and relaxed for the afternoon and explored the town a little. Not that the town charmed me, I found it a bit dreary, but the lake shore was nice.
It hadn't been a taxing day and I had covered just over 16 kilometres, just 100 metres ascent and 1900 down in just less than 5 hours.
Tuesday October 14th;
The reason that I decided to go to Colico was that there wasn't really a suitable hike I could do in Novate Mezzola on the one remaining day I had left. I had seen a route that started from the centre of Colico and climbed to Cima Scoggioni at 1700 metres. That seemed to fit the bill nicely. I checked out of the hootel but I was able to leave my rucksack at reception and I was wonderfully unencumbered when I set off as I only carried a bottle of water and a few protein bars. I was soon leaving the busier centre behind and as I gained height above the town there were more in the way of gated villas, some of whom has stunning views over Lake Como and to the mountains beyond. Not that the views were that good today as there was a layer of cloud above and a hazy mist obscured any distant views. Still it was dry and I couldn't complain at the lack of blue sky as I had bee so so fortunate with the weather. After crossing over the motorway things became more rural and then before long I was walking up a quiet lane through the woods until I reached Fontanedo. Now the trail climbed up through a delightful beech forest and the world once again slipped away. After some time I reached the pine woods and it climbed up a spur quite steeply until it eventually reached a clearing and refugio Scoggioni.
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| Hazy views this morning |
I was really pleased with how I was moving. I should say that I had a train to Milan booked for 14.15 so I had at most five hours to complete the return trip. I had set a cut off time when I would turn around and I really didn't expect to reach Cima. Cima is something of a misnomer as there is no peak or mountain top. It is simply a small plateau on the mountainside where a good view down to the lakes can normally be enjoyed. Alas not today as cloud veiled the views down and across the the mountains. I reached Baita del Lago and as I was now up at 1700 metres I was well happy with my effort and started back down without regret. The return was swift and straightforward and I was back at the hotel to collect my bag with plenty of time to spare.
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| The astonishing Central train station |
I caught my train to Milan and enjoyed an evening sightseeing near the hugely impressive central rail station. The following morning I got the train to Malpensa Airport for my flight to Dublin and a crazy stressful few hours ensued. Massive queues and delays at security and passport control, meant that, despite being in the airport three hours before departure, I had to run the entire way to the gate just to make boarding. If I thought all the stress was done for the day then I was mistaken. Is there a worse feeling than waiting at the baggage carousel and seeing all the people around you disappear one by one and you begin to realise that your bag isn't going to come. Ryanair staff were very good to be fair and their professionalism and calm helped a lot. My bag had never left Milan. Thankfully it was found and arrived at my door by courier a couple of days later.
It had taken just less than 5 hours to complete the 17 kilometre round trip and the 1500 metres of ascent.
Thoughts;
And so it was done. I was really pleased that I had decided to explore the mountains north of Sondrio. The area has so much to offer and I loved the fact that, depending on snow conditions etc, there was a variety of route that could be taken so as to ensure progress. I was a little disappointed that I had had to forego the Sentiero Roma trail. Perhaps it would have been possible but I would only have been worried about each high pass on the way. Those passes were all up nearer to 3000 metres so I was content to stay lower at 2500 metres. It was still hugely spectacular and everywhere had a true alpine feel. Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that there was none of the paraphernalia of the ski industry to be seen. No lifts, pistes or pylons could be seen anywhere to spoil the wonderful views. Of course the weather helped as well. Wall to wall sunshine each day made for very pleasant days. It was a pity I was so wrecked on the second day but overall I was very pleased with how I dealt with each day and the fact that I quickly got stronger and stronger was heartening. The new tent I had bought, the Durston XMid 1 solid was wonderful. The space, simplicity of pitching and the complete user friendly experience made it a joy to use. I look forward to spending many more days and nights in it.
