Skip to main content

Hiking the Anello Monte Muggio: the colors of fall


Long hikes at what is probably the best time of year are sadly lacking as we busy ourselves with preparing the garden for winter, but sometimes the actual reason is that weekends are often entirely rained out. In current weather events, the peninsula has been hit with heavy rainfall, bringing much difficulty and terribly tragic circumstances in certain areas around the country. So far we've had no problems or warnings in the chestnut forest, and it's insane to think that just a week ago we were hiking under serene italian skies on our first fall outing.

From Alpe Giumello (Casargo, LC): this is a relatively easy 2.5 hour loop trail that rambles around the base of Monte Muggio. There are a few tracts that need to be scrambled up or down carefully so I wouldn't suggest attempting this in winter or early spring when ice or snowmelt makes the trail extremely dangerous. We've gone sledding here in winter when everything was covered in deep snow, but now that we've seen the fall foliage, a repeat in late spring is possible if conditions are safe. Lake and mountain views from all angles are gorgeous, and the well-used path is not hard to follow even when going through a stretch of forest on Muggio's northside. Beginning from the parking lot (pink x on the map) continue on the access road to the left and through località Alpe Giumello; a small chapel comes into view on the right. Trail signs say Anello Monte Muggio until near the end where Alpe Giumello points the way home. Lunch at Ristoro Genio has always been fantastic!



Anello Monte Muggio

Comments

LindyLouMac said…
Ciao Rowena, I am back from my travels and trying to catch up with all my favourite bloggers. What a lot of interesting posts to welcome me back to your blog this evening.
Laruchka said…
This walk sounds fantastic - and just the right length. I googled Monte muggio but it thinks it is in Switzerland? could you give me some directions?!

Also please more of this sort of thing, I often go walking in Brianza area and would love to know more about the walks round Lecco.

Compliments on the blog x
K and S said…
I would do the hike just for the lunch :) great post!
Rowena said…
LindyLou - I imagine that you'll also be occupied with getting the house in order for winter! I hope there wasn't too much trouble from the rains.

Laruchka - thank you for the compliments! Try this short link on google maps: http://g.co/maps/qw3jc

It should take you to Giumello, Casargo, LC, and marks the parking lot at the beginning of the trail. It's just under 8 miles in total, with the occasional paint splotch on trees to mark the way. At first it seemed a little deceiving because we seemed to descend a bit more than keeping a steady altitude, but it all evened out. We would love to get more hikes in before the snow arrives so I'm crossing fingers for the next few weeks.

Kat - I don't know why but I didn't have a huge appetite even after that walk. Could be that I was still adjusting to the time zone from Hawaii...it usually takes me a couple weeks or more!
Murissa said…
Holy that looks so good - the ravioli especially!
Feels like I need to go on a hike lately because I know how uncontrollable I get in December with the baking and hosting.

The Wanderfull Traveler

Popular posts from this blog

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

A Campari moment

So...the lawn is done. The shower (and a double-sized one at that) scrubbed down. The floors mopped. The "kids" bathed, dried, and nails clipped. The monstrous old fennel cut down and ready to cart away. The kumquat fertilized, dinner done (oxtail soup), and the terrace swept for the 10th time because the "kids" think it's perfectly okay to leave the chestnut peels after devouring those that fall in the yard. The best part? Having my lardo d'Arnad photo featured in an italian restaurant and hospitality magazine, Italia A Tavola . I'm pretty stoked, and was sent a pdf copy of which I've snipped a part here.

Hi-Yo, Silver, away!

Slowly, but surely, Miss Maddie the alpine westie is gaining back her strength and stamina on these brief walks that we take around the mountainside. The hot summer temps are fading away, maybe too fast for my liking, but in the coolness of digits less than 70°F, the dogs handle it much better outdoors. We came across an old hotel over the weekend, its exterior still in good shape even if the property was no longer in operation. Along the outside wall, iron rings were firmly attached for way back in the days when people traveled by horse. An iron boot remover/puller was firmly embedded right next to the entrance. I've never taken riding lessons, but now I'm thinking, wouldn't it be fun to go on a vacation through the italian countryside only on horseback? I believe there are already these types of eco-tourism here, and I've read about one where you travel by donkey instead. The dogs would probably prefer to walk it themselves, as long as the pace was kept to a t