Hiking in Valsassina: Maddie the Alpine westie?

If you look closely in the background to the left of Maddie, you'll see a rock formation with what appears to be a hole in the center. This is the Porta di Prada, the door of Prada even if it doesn't have anything to do with the elite label in italian fashion. This beautiful work of nature and many a lofty view is what makes the trek to Rifugio Bietti (and others further on) a popular itinerary for outdoor enthusiasts like us. The panorama is absolutely breathtaking at the height of 1719+ meters (5586+ feet), and although those figures may seem daunting to the unmotivated, the easy trail is acceptable for all ages and begins from an altitude of around 4715 feet. If I had to name one excursion for anyone planning a hiking vacation in the northern lakes region, this one is it. At a mere 3-3½ hours roundtrip, it's a piece of cake.

We completed this hike last Sunday after a month off due to Sicily & elsewhere and let me tell you, my body hurt like HECK the next morning. Feel the burn baby! So good to be back in contact with nature and we 3 plan on getting out more, weather permitting. For readers new or unfamiliar with any of my hiking posts, I can't say enough on how fantastic of an area Como/Lecco is in regards to the amount of itineraries. Couple that with a sagra or two and you're in for a memorable experience in this part of Italy.

Porta di Prada - taken in the morning coming from the starting end of the trail...

and on the way back in the afternoon.

Medieval castles but not a knight in sight

Counting castles...what we need now is a lively jousting event and fair maidens. Valle d'Aosta is the land of castelli (castles), and spotting them is almost like engaging in a game of punch bug. I felt that it wouldn't be right to leave out such historical detail, but the sharp contrasts...you'll see what I mean in the photos. Now I don't know if it's due to Walt setting the standard on what a castle should look like, but through the dozen or so times that I've been here, not once did I make any real effort to appreciate these medieval landmarks that have withstood the test of time - save one. That would be the Castle of Sarre (3rd image), where we had our wedding photos taken. I believe that most castles are open to the public, and further info can be found here at Valle d'Aosta Castles . The Disney ish -looking one is Castle Saint Pierre (at right). It's a small world after all. Parking sign [P] and picnic tables (not shown) in front of Cast

Good day for a hike: 2500 feet, 23 km and 7.5 hours

A hunk of bread, a wedge of aged sheep's cheese, a couple canteens of water and some fruit. I regret not being able to share a more thorough and detailed trail description but this was more for practice and not for the lofty views. Ever since the movie The Way , we both had to know what one 20 kilometer day (12+ miles) would feel like if we were to embark on, at most, the 40-day 800 kilometer Camino de Santiago in Spain. That's a lot of walking. I think I would get real skinny if I missed a meal. Lecco's mountains are covered in so many up-and-down trails that all you need do is get to any village above the lake. We started at an altitude of 670 meters and walked up another 762 to the top of Monte Tesoro in Valcava. That's a height difference of 2500 feet, 8 kilometers and 2.5 hours at a steady pace with Maddie and Mr B in tow. From there we made a loop trip back down, stopping often to munch on vittles and to take a look around. Altogether a total of 23 kilom

Hiking trail from Ornica to Val d'Inferno

Whatever special quality it is about Ornica - the remote location, the mountain backdrop, the rustic chalets dotting the hillside or a combination of everything - but everytime we've gone there I look forward to a return even before we leave. Just 50 km north of Bergamo, the area maintains a quiet charm that embraces life at a slower pace, an existence entirely in rhythm with the seasons. We did this hike 2 weeks ago during a period of great fall weather. The most direct route from Ornica to Val d'Inferno is a steep climb (trail 106) following along the stream that runs down the mountain. The easier option is the agricultural access road (vehicles of residents/farmers only) - it's longer, but the views open up wide as you go on. In the trail map above, the thicker line is the access road from the village. Parking available in a small lot after the chapel. There are a couple of tree-lined shortcuts from the parking, the first one being just after the water fountain

Rubber Slippers In Italy

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