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ALLEGHE |
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Without your own vehicle, it can be difficult to reach the most
interesting mountains in these parts. One place you can get to by bus is
the small village of ALLEGHE . The lake here was created after a huge
rock avalanche in the eighteenth century - a common occurrence in the
area. Now a peaceful summer and winter resort, Alleghe borders the
northeastern edge of the lake, its aquamarine waters reflecting the pine
forests around. Towering above is Monte Civetta, essentially Alleghe's
main attraction, and the village makes a good base in between walks or
climbs. The best of several two-star hotels in Alleghe is the Alpenrose
, a five-minute walk up from the village centre at Via Coldai 85 (tel
0437.723.929; L120,000-150,000/61.98-77.47); otherwise the Garni La Nava
, Corso Italia 43 (tel 0437.523.340; L90,000-120,000/46.48-61.98) is in
a good position right beside the lake, near the town centre. Camping
Alleghe , 2km away at Masarè (tel 0437.723.737), is open for the summer
and skiing seasons. Places to eat in town include the enoteca in Piazza
Kennedy (closed Tues); don't miss the cakes in the pasticceria on the
same square. Also on Piazza Kennedy is the tourist office (Mon-Sat
8.30am-noon & 3.30-6.30pm, Sun 9am-noon; tel 0437.523.333), geared up to
provide information on cable cars and difficulty of footpaths; it also
sometimes has English-language guides to the alta via routes.
For trips around the lake, the Hotel Alleghe , at the bottom of town,
rents mountain bikes at L40,000/20.66 per day. But the classic trip from
Alleghe is the walk up to Monte Civetta : from Fontanive just above the
village take footpath 564 all the way up through steep meadows and
summer pastures until you join Alta Via 1 at the Pian dei Sech. From
there it's a last haul (about an hour) to Rifugio Sonino at Coldai (also
signposted as Rifugio Coldai ; 2132m; tel 0437.789.160; late June to
Sept). If avoiding the three- or four-hour slog up the mountain appeals,
then take the cable car from the village to Piani di Pezze and the chair
lift from there to Col dei Baldi (July-Aug daily 8.30am-5.30pm;
L9000/4.65 return). If you're lucky enough to be at the Col on a clear
evening, head for Lago Coldai just beyond the refuge for views of the
great rock wall of Civetta, rippling with rock chimneys and pipes,
glowing red in the sunset.
Hardened hikers can continue on Alta Via 1, the next day of which takes
you across small snowfields and past windows in the rock which offer
dizzying glimpses of the valley and the Dolomite groups. A couple of
hours from Coldai, Rifugio Tissi is perched improbably on an incline, on
a vast slab of rock, and is cheerfully shambolic, with accommodation
available (tel 0437.721.644; late June to mid-Sept). From here you can
continue on Alta Via 1, past Rifugio Vazzoler down to Listolade in the
valley (5hr; hourly buses to Alleghe), or head straight down the steep
trail 563 for three hours to Masare (20min walk from Alleghe), dipping
your feet in a waterfall on the way.
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