A beautiful scenic circular walk with some scrambling above Lake Como that takes in the upper reaches of Mount Resegone (1,875m)
How to get there: Take the No.5 bus from Lecco town centre to the terminus at Piani d'Erna (start of the cable car up to Pizzo d'Erna)
When to get there: Morning
What to take: Plenty of water, snacks, packed lunch, small change for the cable car
Length: 10 kilometres
Duration: 7 hours, allowing for an hour stop for lunch
This is a fantastic walk in the pre Alps, with a few challenges, and views of lake and mountain to make your heart happy.
Lecco lies at the southernmost end of Lake Como, from which the lake branches out in two directions. The area has a long history in the annals of Italian climbing, the Ragni di Lecco being the most famous one of many that have sprung up in the area. A visit to the (free) little trove of an exhibition at the Osservatorio Alpinistico Lecchese in the town centre gives you a flavour of the mountaineering innovations that have come out of this place. And you can also give the mini climbing wall a go - I must admit that this was not my finest moment.
Climbing surpassed hillwalking in the nineteenth century, and it was workers from Milan that were its initial pioneers, before the people of Lecco joined in with the new sport, taking it to new heights.
I went to Lecco in late July at the beginning of peak holiday season - temperatures were high (upper 20s celsius in the mountains, lower 30s near the lake) but as long as I set off early enough in the day and took lots of water it was manageable. It's a popular walk and there were a lot of people about but I chose to do it clockwise, where most people to it anti-clockwise. This meant that there were periods of an hour or more where I had the mountain path to myself.
Pilgrims of hiking and climbing in Lombardy come here, and the area thrills with a range of trails. Although they're signposted, it can be easy to wander off down a path unintentionally so I found it helpful to have a GPS map on my phone for when I was in doubt. A wrong turn may take you to one of the many via ferrata, not to be attempted without the right equipment and experience.
Turning back on myself, I returned to the cable car and continued down the tarmac road to where the various paths cross. I took path no.10 and headed to the left (north-easterly direction), heading into the woods.
I've seen it written that some people consider this woody part of the route to be boring, but if you come from flat London, it really is anything but!
After a fairly steep and stony incline I came out above the treeline among rather larger and more copious rocks, but helpful spots of red paint marked the way.
I could see as I descended how it must be much harder to climb up, as there was a fair bit of scrambling over large rocks in places - it was slow going and a little tough on the knees but afforded some beautiful vistas.
How to get there: Take the No.5 bus from Lecco town centre to the terminus at Piani d'Erna (start of the cable car up to Pizzo d'Erna)
When to get there: Morning
What to take: Plenty of water, snacks, packed lunch, small change for the cable car
Length: 10 kilometres
Duration: 7 hours, allowing for an hour stop for lunch
This is a fantastic walk in the pre Alps, with a few challenges, and views of lake and mountain to make your heart happy.
Lecco lies at the southernmost end of Lake Como, from which the lake branches out in two directions. The area has a long history in the annals of Italian climbing, the Ragni di Lecco being the most famous one of many that have sprung up in the area. A visit to the (free) little trove of an exhibition at the Osservatorio Alpinistico Lecchese in the town centre gives you a flavour of the mountaineering innovations that have come out of this place. And you can also give the mini climbing wall a go - I must admit that this was not my finest moment.
 |
| A pair of early hobnail climbing boots, 1930s |
Climbing surpassed hillwalking in the nineteenth century, and it was workers from Milan that were its initial pioneers, before the people of Lecco joined in with the new sport, taking it to new heights.
I went to Lecco in late July at the beginning of peak holiday season - temperatures were high (upper 20s celsius in the mountains, lower 30s near the lake) but as long as I set off early enough in the day and took lots of water it was manageable. It's a popular walk and there were a lot of people about but I chose to do it clockwise, where most people to it anti-clockwise. This meant that there were periods of an hour or more where I had the mountain path to myself.
Pilgrims of hiking and climbing in Lombardy come here, and the area thrills with a range of trails. Although they're signposted, it can be easy to wander off down a path unintentionally so I found it helpful to have a GPS map on my phone for when I was in doubt. A wrong turn may take you to one of the many via ferrata, not to be attempted without the right equipment and experience.
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| Sign posted by the Gamma walking club warning that equipment is needed |
Nature has fashioned Mt Resegone from limestone in such a way that its upper reaches look like jagged teeth rising up to bite the sky. Woodland clusters around the base of the mountain but the higher you go the rockier it becomes until you must scramble your way over exposed rocks to reach Rifugio Luigi Azzoni at 1,865m.
I took the cable car from the car park at Piani d'Erna, although it's possible to walk from here if you have the time. At the top I wandered off to the right and followed the path upward to the cross, where I had a look to see if anyone was coming up the via ferrata.
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| Via ferrata, with the start of the cable car below |
Turning back on myself, I returned to the cable car and continued down the tarmac road to where the various paths cross. I took path no.10 and headed to the left (north-easterly direction), heading into the woods.
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| Choose your route |
The path is soft and gently slopes upward. It's a pleasant, shady walk through the woods and I can see why people choose to do this walk the other way, so that they may come be protected from the intensity of the afternoon sun.
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| The path is well marked |
I've seen it written that some people consider this woody part of the route to be boring, but if you come from flat London, it really is anything but!
Out of sight beyond these smaller mountains with summits of around 2,000m, are the Alps, which rise to a height of 4,000m plus.
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| A resident of the woodland |
After a fairly steep and stony incline I came out above the treeline among rather larger and more copious rocks, but helpful spots of red paint marked the way.
Preoccupied with finding a certain route through the rockfall, I almost miss seeing this resident of the mountain with its wonderfully distinct markings.
I did lose the path for a bit and started up the rocks but when I realised I was climbing much more than scrambling, decided that something was wrong and backtracked. I'm no expert but what I've learned in the time that I've been walking is to take your time, and you will inevitably find a solution. So preparing myself to go back and forth a bit and using my GPS I eventually found the path again.
This path took me around to the right and out into open grassy slopes, from which it wasn't too long to reach Rifugio Azzoni.
By this time of day, just about midday, there was not a cloud in sight and the sun was at its zenith, with little shade in sight, other than in the hut itself which was full of walkers. Most people had shed their clothes down to their shorts and bras, and I gratefully did the same, as my sweat-sodden vest had long been clinging to my skin.
I was happy to see some Himalayan prayer flags wrapped around the cross at the summit, reminding me of last year's adventures.
After a good walk there's nothing quite like settling down in front of a spectacular view with a packed lunch that you've carried all the way from home.
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| The Alps are just about visible on the horizon in the far right hand side of the photo |
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| Rifugiu Azzoni serves food and drink |
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| Loo with a view |
After a brief stop, I started out on path no.1 down the Lecco side of the mountain - and this is where the path started to get interesting and the views more stunning.
I could see as I descended how it must be much harder to climb up, as there was a fair bit of scrambling over large rocks in places - it was slow going and a little tough on the knees but afforded some beautiful vistas.
Shade was sparse and wherever there was a tree I thankfully paused and rested. And just when I was beginning to run out of water I came across what must usually be a waterfall, where I filled up.
I had been on the path alone for about two hours when a group of three Italian fellows passed by, older gents with knees of iron going at twice my pace, who kindly asked if I would like to come along with them. But I declined, not wanting to hold them back. One of them was talking very loudly and if it hadn't been for him I wouldn't have realised that the rockfall alcoves that I was passing through made a fantastic echo.
At last I descended again below the treeline, route no.1 joined no.5, and I followed it all the way back to the cable car at Pizzo d'Erna. If you have the time you could walk all the way to the bottom of the cable car - but I'd felt I'd earned the trip back down.
This is just one of many superb walks in the area, and I can only dream about what the rest of the Italian lakes have to offer. And when the sun is too hot and your limbs are weary, you can take a meditative sojourn beside the lake.
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