THE VIANDANTE TRAIL

The Wanderer’s Trail

BY VALERIA MARGHERITA MOSCA PHOTOS ISACCO EMILIANI

A walk in early spring can turn into an exciting journey for those who love to observe and enjoy changing seasons and natural environments.

The first signs of plant life are clear and the immobility typical of winter gives way to the green tones of the first leaves and flowers of the early species. For those wishing to grasp these first symptoms of rebirth, I recommend in this period not to go too high in altitude but to prefer trails or areas not above 500m on the sea level.

A few days ago, I discovered a trail that I had never seen before, despite being very close to the area where I live. It is called “Sentiero del Viandante”, The Wanderer’s Trail, and it is a trail that winds along the eastern shore of Lecco lake. For some stretches it remains almost on the water's edge and then climbs up the mountain and descends again many, many times, from Abbadia to Lierna, to Varenna, Bellano, Dervio and Colico. It was once called Via Ducale, Via Regia or Napoleona and is about 45km long. Depending on the level of training, the route can be easily divided into 1, 2, 3 or 4 stages because the railway serves the numerous villages that you’re going to cross, allowing you to quickly return to the starting point. It is well signposted and can be followed in all seasons due to the sunny exposure of the trail and its low altitudes. These characteristics make it a perfect place to observe the looming spring to capture the beauty of a very special moment in the cycle of nature, when the Lario mountains are punctuated by the colorful blooms of herbs and plants.

Walking along it, you get catapulted into the ancient life of Lecco lake ambivalent between water and mountains and its historical and cultural characteristics among stone buildings, mule tracks, docks and breathtaking landscapes. It gives you a sense of truly fulfilling exploration and discovery without feeling the need to reach particular points of interest but simply enjoying the walk. Along the way you will encounter numerous villages with their sinuous and enchanted streets that suddenly offer an unforgettable glimpse of the lake, where you can find refreshment points and enjoy a simple dish, a sandwich, a pizza or a more traditional meal made of lake fish, fried fish and risotto or "pulenta e missultin" accompanied by a good glass of red wine from nearby Valtellina. The trail also allows you to have a clear view of the Larian flora and consequently of the edible landscape of the area, helped by the spring period and by the delicacies and first fruits that the season brings with it.

One of the species I would like to talk about here is certainly the Reynoutria Japonica, an exogenous and invasive plant whose col-