Italian Lakes in Northern Italy -Lake Como Menaggio

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"TREKKING - IL SENTIERO DELLE 4 VALLI"

"IL SENTIERO DELLE QUATTRO VALLI"

IL SENTIERO DELLE QUATTRO VALLI - the 4 Valley Trail, - is a beautiful hiking trail about 50 km long. It starts at Breglia, a small mountain village, 7 km above Menaggio and leads through 4 different valleys: the Val Sanagra, Val Cavargna, Val Rezzo and Valsolda ending at Dasio, a little town situated above S. Mamete on Lake Lugano. The trail is divided into 3 sections. The first one leads from Breglia to Malé and is 13 km. long, the second section starts at Malé and ends at Cavargna and is about 19 km. long, and the third leads from Cavargna to Dasio (13 km). You can hike each of these sections as a day-excursion, or you can hike for three days, spending the night at one of the “locandas" you find at the end of each section, make reservations before starting the walk. The trail follows a mean height of about 1000 m and reaches its highest point of 1400 m at Alpe Coloné in Val Cavargna; it is marked by red-white-red signs with a number 3 crossed with a red stripe. The times indicated in the description are for experienced hikers. The ideal time of the year for this hike is from May till the end of October.

Available maps:
Carta Topografica Escursionistica
by the Comunità Montana Alpi Lepontine scale 1:25.000
or the Kompass map n° 91" scale 1:50.000, and a bus time-table.

"Il Sentiero delle 4 Valli"

FIRST SECTION : BREGLIA - MALE'
Time ore 5,30
Ascent: 519 m
This part of the trail will lead you through the wild and not well known Val Sanagra once full of alpine pastures and farms now abandoned.

BREGLIA (749 m.) can be reached by bus (line C13) from Menaggio (7 km). From the bus stop at Breglia turn left and pass in front of the hotel Albergo Breglia. During the first part of the hike you will also find the signs of the Via dei Monti Lariani, (red, white, red 3, the 3 without the stripe) , a 125 km long hiking trail leading from Cernobbio to Sorico, as the two hiking routes follow the same itinerary for a small stretch. You leave the hamlet Breglia behind you and enter the woods. You cross a small wooden bridge near the spring of Troi and then continue uphill through the woods. You reach the area called Ponte, where there are many summer houses and a holiday camp. You reach a small road which you follow downhill to the pastures of La Piazza. At the intersection where there is a little chapel, turn right. Pay attention, the two trails split here. The 4 Valley Trail leads immediately again to the right, the Via dei Monti Lariani continues straight on, so turn right. The cart track leads through the pasture field and then enters the woods. You pass the area called Ferée and will then reach MONTI DOSSO (850 m 1.00 hour) with a beautiful view of Lake Como and Val Sanagra. Here you pick up a cart track leading down to the right. You enter the Val Sanagra on a trail half way up the steep south west slope of Monte Grona. The even trail crosses some streams and soon brings you to MONTI STANGA (872 m.) with farmhouses in the shade of big chestnut trees. You reach a fork above MONTI TAMPIGLIA (864 m. 0.40 ; 1.40 hours) where you take to the right. Going uphill and crossing some streams, at a height of about 1000 m., the path passes through an area of the mountainside covered by lime stones. Then it goes over to the other side of Monte Grona. The contrast between the two sides is enormous. You now enter a wooded area called BOSCO DI VARÒO. You walk among tall trees with thick undergrowth and after crossing the stream Varòo, the path leads on to a vast meadow, just below the restored mountain hut of the ancient ALPINE PASTURE VARÒO (1141 m. 1.10 ; 2.50 hours). A wide trail used as a fire barrier leads uphill to a wooded area. The path continues through thick woods with lots of high conifers and beech trees and will then lead down to the river SANAGRA (1200 m.) which you can easily cross when the water is at a normal level. Then the trail goes up steeply till you get to the cart track coming up from Naggio. You follow this track downhill about 1.5 km. to the ALPINE PASTURE ERBA (1190 m. 1.10 ; 4.00 hours) (picnic area). Continue downhill on the cart track for another kilometre, then leave it by turning right and picking up a cart-track closed by a bar at the beginning. Follow this track uphill and you arrive at the beautiful pasture of ALPE LOGONE (1184 m. 1.00 ; 5.00 hours) which is the border area between Val Sanagra and Val Cavargna. You cross the pasture in a straight line. The farm house, recently restored, is up on the right and produces excellent cheese. At the end of Alpe Logone you pick up the cart-track leading up to the right (read N.B. below) and after about 100 m. you reach a small parking place. The ones continuing the walk turn right and continue per second section below. Those spending the night at MALE' (1144 m. 0.30 ; 5.30 hours) must turn left. Here finishes the first section and at Locanda Maria at the far end of the town you can find food and lodging. N.B. For those walking this section as a day excursion: at the end of ALPE LOGONE pick up the cart track leading down to the left to CUSINO (40 min.) When you arrive on the main road at Cusino, turn right and after 100 m. you see the bus stop (line C14.)

"Il Sentiero delle 4 Valli"

SECOND SECTION : MALE' - CAVARGNA
Time: ore 8,00
Ascent: 460 m.
The second section of the walk is the longest and leads completely through the wide catchment basin of the Val Cavargna valley, rich in water and vegetation and with ancient settlements surrounded by mountains more than 2000 m. high.

MALE' (1144 m.) can be reached by foot (40 min) or by car from Cusino by following the sign for Alpe Logone (see N.B. at the end of the first section). From the parking place just before the hamlet Malè you pick up the wide track that leads up to Alpe Rozzo. Leave it almost at once and pick up the trail to the left that leads through the woods (note the signs on the trees). The trail runs downhill across numerous streams, and then reaches the bridge over the river CUCCIO DI SAN BARTOLOMEO which you cross. The trail then leads uphill through the woods to the green meadow land of the hamlet COSTA (925 m. 1.00 hour). The hamlet is connected with a road leading up from San Bartolomeo. Keep to the upper part of the hamlet and follow the path that leads slightly uphill and eventually reaches the road. Cross it and pick up the continuation of the path which passes the house of Selva. Just past the house pick up the path to the right that leads through chestnut woods and beech woods. You meet the mule track coming up from San Bartolomeone and follow it to the left to the settlement of Vraccia. At the beginning of the hamlet go up to the right in order to reach the church. Just above the little church you once again reach the road which ends here at the neighbouring hamlet OGGIA (1118 m. 0.30 ; 1.45 hours). You cross the road and walk through this charming hamlet paying attention to the signs on the houses. From Oggia the path leads over steeply sloping meadows, to PIAZZA MEZZANA in Val dei Molini. When you get close to the stream, it goes down to the left and soon you arrive at a concrete footbridge which crosses the stream CUCCIO DI SEBOL in the VAL DEI MOLINI (1134 m. 0.30 ; 2.15 hours). Here you'll notice the entrance of an old abandoned iron mine used till the end of the 19th century. The path then follows the right side of the Val dei Molini, continues uphill and passes through the upper part of DARNI (1135 m.) Here the trail ends onto the road leading up from San Bartolomeo, which you follow uphill for about 300 m. Then you take the path to the left that leads into the hamlet RUS DI VORA INFERIORE (1224 m. 0.45 ; 3.00 hours). From here it's possible to make a detour to PIZZO DI GINO (2245 m. 3.30 hours) or to CIMA PIANCHETTA (2158 m. 3.00 hours). We recommend a small detour to the little church 'La Regina dei Monti' up on the right with a marvellous view in every direction. Back on the trail, which is not very evident here, the path goes slightly downhill over a wide pasture. The trail enters the Val di Lana and without any difficulty you cross the stream. After a stretch of about 300m, at a fork, pick up the path to the right, which leads steeply uphill to a beautiful view point. You then soon reach TECCHIO (1280 m. 0.40 ; 3.40 hours). where there are some wooden bungalows and a fountain. The path leads on to a rural road which leads up from the town San Nazzaro (it is possible to reach the town in 40 min where there is a bus stop line C14) to the pastures of Piazza Vacchera passing by the mountain shelter Rifugio Croce di Campo 1.741 m. reachable in 1 hr from Tecchio - from the rifugio it's possible to ascend PIZZO DI GINO 2245 m. Cross the rural road and pick up the trail that leads into a pinewood. The path reaches a waterworks cabin, where there is a fountain. Here you pick up the trail on the left, which runs around the Val Ruina half way up the slope. Just out of the conifer woods near another waterworks cabin you pick up the trail to the left and follow it to slightly downhill CASDO DI BURENA (1275 m. 0.40 ; 4.20 hours) a picturesque group of mountain cabins. The original rye straw roof coverings have been replaced by rusted corrugated iron. Go right and keep to the upper part of the settlement; direct yourself to an isolated white house on the ridge; keep to the left of the house, and pick up the trail near a birch tree. The path then goes off in the direction of VAL PIAZZA, an area plagued by disastrous floods. At MONTI BEZZACO (1259 m. 0.30 ; 4.40 hours) keep to the left and follow the trail down through a meadow at the edge of a landslide. At the edge of the meadow a small steep trail leads down across a few small streams before reaching the larger stream below and after crossing it a nice trail goes up to the farmhouses of PIAZZA (1179 m.) just above the settlement FOUS. From there a path leads to the farmhouses of MONTI GROMIA (1298 m. 0.25 ; 5.20 hours). From here, at first a not very evident trail, leads along the mountain side, through steeply sloping meadows to the scattered farmhouses of MONTI CARAVA (1275 m. 0.30 ; 5.50 hours) in the shade of beech and maple trees. Going slightly downhill you descend to the river CUCCIO DI CAVARGNA at a height of 1200 m, dominated by the impressive peaks of Mount Cima Verta. A bridge makes it possible to cross the river. The trail then ascends, through a thick state forest plantation. Then going downhill and crossing another stream you get on to the mule track leading up from CAVARGNA near the hamlet of MONTE COLLO (1200 m. 1.10 ; 7.00 hours) inhabited all year round. From here it's possible to make a detour to Cima Verta (2078 m. 2.30 hours) and to Vetta del Vallone. Monti Collo is part of the area called VEGNA DI CAVARGNA. Follow the road to MONTI DOSSO but just before the town you pick up the descending track to the left which passes just below the hamlet; you skirt the little cemetery of FINSUE and pick up at first a not very well defined path which leads in bends down the into the VAL SEGUR which you cross over an iron bridge. After a stretch through beautiful woods you arrive at CAVARGNA (1071 m 1.00 ; 8.00 hours) near the parish church. Here ends this second section of the 4 Valley Trail. The “locandas" are in the centre of the town and the holiday camp is above the town which you can reach by continuing 500 m. on the 4-Valley trail. The bus stop is 50 m past the church. At Cavargna we recommend a visit of the ethnographic “Museo della Valle” open on Saturday and Sunday from 14.00 till 17.00, other days on request tel. 0344 63162.

"Il Sentiero delle 4 Valli"

THIRD SECTION : CAVARGNA - DASIO
Time: 0re 5,00
Ascent: 430 m.
During this section of the walk the trail leaves the Val Cavargna just below the mountain pass S. Lucio (on the Swiss/Italian border) and enters the green and wooded Val Rezzo passing through the village Seghebbia. From there the trail leads through the rocky Valsolda.

CAVARGNA (1071 m.) can be reached by bus line C14. You leave Cavargna through the upper part of the town by taking the trail on the left side of the church, which ascends steeply to the Colonia (holiday camp); the path then skirts a beech wood called 'BOSCO SACRO' which forms a natural barrier against avalanches and land slides before leading into the narrow and steep VAL MARDA. Having crossed the bridge over the stream MARDA, the trail ascends to some ruins of farmbuildings. Continue 50 m and then turn right and follow the track through the pastures to the top of the slope to the settlement MONTI COLONE' (1400 m. 1.20 hours from Cavargna) from where you have a wonderful view which embraces the whole valley. At the fountain in the middle of the settlement it's possible to make a detour to the XIV century church San Lucio (0.20 min.) situated on the Swiss- Italian border; close by stands the refuge 'Rifugio San Lucio'. From Monti Coloné you keep to the cart track which enters the woods and leads to ROCCOLI situated on the watershed between VAL CAVARGNA and VAL REZZO. The trail meets the cart track leading up from Buggiolo to Passo San Lucio. You follow it downhill to the left, to the fountain near the chapel called MADONNA DEL CEPP (picnic area). You leave the cart track and pick up the path to the right which descends through a beautiful beech wood (pay attention to the signs on the trees). You then cross a stream just before getting to some farmhouses situated above the village of SEGHEBBIA (1100 m. 0.55 ; 2.15 hours). You pass through the town (pay attention to the signs on the houses) and then you follow the road for about 50 m. Just past the cemetery you leave the road and descend to the right through green meadows passing some farmhouses to a stream. Cross the stream and follow the ascending trail through the woods which ends in a beautiful clearing with an antique farmhouse called PRAMARZIO (1061 m. 0.25 ; 2.40 hours) which used to be an important resting point for the local smugglers called _contrabbandieri", who smuggled goods like cigarettes from Switzerland into Italy. The path then enters a beautiful little valley that connects VAL REZZO with VALSOLDA. It leads through a beech wood to end up at PRALUNGO (1116 m.), a very green meadow with a stream running through it. The trail enters another beech wood, running slightly downhill and then crosses a stream. You arrive at ALPE RICCOLA (1037 m. 0.25 ; 3.05 hours) recently restored. The landscape here is reminiscent of the Dolomites; rocky limestone mountains, pine and larch trees, lots of water. The path follows the stream of the VAL RICCOLA and leads to PASSO STRETTO (1102 m. 0.40 ; 3.45 hours) a narrow passage where you leave VAL REZZO and enter VALSOLDA. The trail then descends and after a few minutes you're able to look down on the Lake Lugano basin. The trail now goes down steeply, closed in by the valley, and passes some cabins with picnic area. It becomes a comfortable cart track passing along the gorges of the valley and then reaches the green slopes of RANCO' (760 m. 0.45 ; 4.30 hours) where you find a camping site. From here a winding track leads down to the bottom of the valley and after crossing the stream SOLDO at a height of 617 m. you arrive at the village DASIO (580 m. 0.30 ; 5.00 hours). The Sentiero delle 4 Valli finishes here. From Dasio there is a bus connection to Porlezza. Mind that the last bus leaves quite early. There is a track leading down to S. Mamete on the shore of lake Lugano (0.45 min by foot — near the bus stop at Dasio pick up Via Marisem) where the bus line C12 to Lugano or to Menaggio passes.