Big Trails: Heart of Europe - Sample Pages by Vertebrate Publishing

DENMARK

LITHUANIA

RUSSIA

UNITED KINGDOM

features twenty-five inspirational long-distance trails in Western Eur

07 NETHERLANDS

GERMANY BELGIUM

04 12

A Big Trail may be the biggest adventure you’ll ever have. On a Big Trail, you will make friends, enjoy amazing panoramas, sit in silence under starry skies, and occasionally feel that reaching the end of the trail is impossible. Everyone has their own reasons for attempting a Big Trail, and everyone’s experience on the trail is unique.

CZECH REPUBLIC

13 18

03 22

25 08

FRANCE AUSTRIA SWITZERLAND

10 02

23 20 19 21 ITALY

For more Big Trails books and maps from Vertebrate Publishing, visit www.v-publishing.co.uk/big-trails PORTUGAL

MACEDONIA ALBANIA

SPAIN

UKRAINE

HEART OF EUROPE

We are passionate about Big Trails. We walk and run them; we read about them; we talk to the people who know them best. We decided to research the very best long-distance trails across Europe, and find out all the information that you might want to know before you head out on a Big Trail. This book is packed full of practical information to help you find your next adventure.

15 11

01 … Adlerweg 02 … Alta Via 1 POLAND 03 … Altmühltal-Panoramaweg 04 … Brabantse Heuvelroute 05 … Carnic Peace Trail 06 … Heidschnuckenweg 07 … Holland’s Coast Path 08 … King Ludwig’s Way 09 … Malerweg SLOVAKIA 10 … Meraner Höhenweg 11 … Mullerthal Trail 12 … Normandy’s Alabaster Coast ope and the Alps: 13 … Pfälzer Weinsteig 14 … Pieterpad HUNGARY 15 … Rhine Castles Trail 16 … Salzburger Almenweg ROMANIA 17 … Stelling van Amsterdam 18 …CROATIA Tour de Paris 19 … Tour du Matterhorn 20 … Tour du Mont Blanc BOSNIA & 21 … Tour of Monte Rosa HERZEGOVINIA SERBIA 22 … Traversée du Massif des Vosges 23 … Walker’s Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermatt 24 … WalserwegMONTENEGRO BULGARIA KOSOVO 25 … Westweg

BELARUS

BIG TRAILS

BIG TRAILS heart of europe

IRELAND

BIG TRAILS

HEART OF EUROPE

THE BEST LONG-DISTANCE TRAILS IN WESTERN EUROPE AND THE ALPS

BIG TRAILS HEART OF EUROPE

Big Trails: Heart of Europe is an indispensable guide to the most spectacular and popular long-distance trails in the Western European countries of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. The twenty-five featured routes cover the best that European trails have to offer, sweeping from the GR21 along Normandy’s Alabaster Coast to the GR1 Tour de Paris and King Ludwig’s Way in Germany. Culminating in trails such as the Tour du Mont Blanc and Chamonix–Zermatt Haute Route, the jewels of the Alps, this guidebook delves deep into Western Europe’s most iconic routes. The book will inspire big adventures. Rather than being carried along the route, this guide provides everything you need to plan and explore further, including a general overview of the trails, specific technical information, overview mapping, key information and stunning photography. As well as this, each route specifies approximate timings devised using the Jones–Ross formula, which allows for custom itineraries to be generated depending upon the speed of the user. Whether you’re walking, trekking, fastpacking or running, let Big Trails: Heart of Europe be your guide.

GREECE TURKEY

DESCENDING FROM RIFUGIO NUVOLAU WITH THE MITTENSHAPED CINQUE TORRI AND THE TOWERING TOFANA DI ROZES IN THE BACKGROUND. © SONJA SAXE

FRONT COVER:

LOOKING ACROSS TO THE AIGUILLE NOIRE DE PEUTEREY ON THE TOUR DU MONT BLANC. © STEPHEN ROSS

BACK COVER (LEFT):

EDITED BY

BACK COVER (RIGHT): BLOOMING

HEATH IN THE WACHOLDERWALD NEAR SCHMARBECK ON THE HEIDSCHNUCKENWEG. © LÜNEBURGER HEIDE GMBH VERTEBRATE PUBLISHING, SHEFFIELD www.v-publishing.co.uk

645j VP Big Trails_Heart of Europe_OFC.indd All Pages

www.v-publishing.co.uk

KATHY ROGERS & STEPHEN ROSS

£17.99

18/08/2020 11:53

BIG TRAILS HEART OF EUROPE Vertebrate Publishing, Sheffield www.v-publishing.co.uk

BIG TRAILS HEART OF EUROPE

First published in 2020 by Vertebrate Publishing. Vertebrate Publishing Omega Court, 352 Cemetery Road, Sheffield S11 8FT, United Kingdom. www.v-publishing.co.uk Copyright © 2020 Vertebrate Publishing Ltd. Vertebrate Publishing have asserted their rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as author of this work. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-83981-002-2 (Paperback) ISBN 978-1-83981-003-9 (Ebook) All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or mechanised, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems – without the written permission of the publisher. Front cover: Descending from Rifugio Nuvolau with the mitten-shaped Cinque Torri and the towering Tofana di Rozes in the background. © Sonja Saxe Back cover (left): Looking across to the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey on the Tour du Mont Blanc. © Stephen Ross; back cover (right): Blooming heath in the Wacholderwald near Schmarbeck. © Lüneburger Heide GmbH Individual photography as credited. Mapping contains Openstreetmap.org data ©OpenStreetMap contributors, CC BY-SA and data licensed from ©EuroGeographics. Cartography by Richard Ross, Active Maps Ltd. – www.activemaps.co.uk GR® is a trademark registered by the FFRandonnée. It designates the routes identified under the name of GR® which are marked with white-red marks. These routes are creations of the FFRandonnée and are reproduced here under licence. For more information, please visit: www.monGR.fr Cover design by Jane Beagley, Vertebrate Publishing. Interior book design by Ryder Design – www.ryderdesign.studio Production by Rosie Edwards, Vertebrate Publishing. Printed and bound in Europe by Latitude Press. Vertebrate Publishing is committed to printing on paper from sustainable sources. FSC logo here

Every effort has been made to achieve accuracy of the information in this guidebook. The authors, publishers and copyright owners can take no responsibility for: loss or injury (including fatal) to persons; loss or damage to property or equipment; trespass, irresponsible behaviour or any other mishap that may be suffered as a result of following the advice offered in this guidebook. THE VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT OF KALMIT ON THE PFÄLZER WEINSTEIG. u © DOMINIK KETZ

DENMARK

Trent

North Sea Hamburg Groningen

07 Haarlem

Amsterdam

Meuse

Antwerp Brussels

eld

Charleroi

Sch

Rhe

12 Le Havre

nish

Rouen

sel

Prague

Mainz

13 22

Freiburg

FRANCE

Geneva

Ingolstadt Augsburg Munich

Ty r o l

Alps

Innsbruck Alps Eastern

Ticino

AUSTRIA 05

Milan

Ljubljana Udine

Verona

ITALY

SLOVENIA

Venice Po

iati

Villach

Adr

rn A lps

Trento

Turin

Weste

Salzburg

10 Dolomite Alps

Zermatt

Rosenheim

Meran Bolzano

Sion

Inn

Alps

Zurich

est

Danub

Bavarian

ral Cent

Chamonix

Modena

Rhône

ub Dan

SWITZERLAND

Bern

Regensburg

Belfort Mulhouse Basel

Mas s i f Cen t ral

Nornberg

Stuttgart

Strasbourg

Vosges Loire

Main

Karlsruhe Nancy

Seine

CZECH REPUBLIC or

Meuse

Koblenz

Luxembourg Paris

Pirna

nF aria Bav

y n d m a r o N

Chemnitz

Massif

Black Fore st

Dieppe

Bonn

Dresden

GERMANY

Cologne

Maastricht

BELGIUM

Leipzig

Rhine Pla in

Kassel

Essen

Rhin

Englis

el Chann

Magdeburg

Dortmund

Dover Calais

Berlin

Braunschweig

Weser

London

Ode

Plain

German Hanover

Elbe

The Hague

North

Ems

Tham

UNITED KINGDOM

Bremen

NETHERLANDS

Sea

Montpellier

Florence Nice Marseille

0 VI

BIG 100 TRAILS – HEART OF EUROPE Kilometres

Mediterranean Sea

Corsica Rome

CONTENTS Introduction �� IX Acknowledgements �� IX What is a Big Trail? � �� X About the routes �� XI

How to use this book �� XIII Walk, trek, fastpack, run �� XVII Planning for a Big Trail � �� XIX

THE TRAILS 1 .... 0 02 .... 03 .... 04 .... 05 .... 06 .... 07 .... 08 .... 09 .... 10 .... 11 .... 12 .... 13 .... 14 .... 15 .... 16 .... 17 ....

Adlerweg �� 3 Alta Via 1 �� 9 Altmühltal-Panoramaweg �� 15 Brabantse Heuvelroute � �� 21 Carnic Peace Trail �� 27 Heidschnuckenweg �� 33 Holland’s Coast Path �� 39 King Ludwig’s Way �� 45 Malerweg � �� 51 Meraner Höhenweg �� 57 Mullerthal Trail �� 63 Normandy’s Alabaster Coast � �� 69 Pfälzer Weinsteig �� 75 Pieterpad �� 81 Rhine Castles Trail �� 87 Salzburger Almenweg �� 93 Stelling van Amsterdam �� 99

8 .... 1 19 .... 20 .... 21 .... 22 .... 23 .... 24 .... 25 ....

Tour de Paris � �� Tour du Matterhorn �� Tour du Mont Blanc � �� Tour of Monte Rosa �� Traversée du Massif des Vosges �� Walker’s Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermatt � �� Walserweg �� Westweg � ��

105 111 117 123 129 135 141 147

Big Trails – at a glance � �� 154

ROATIA

CONTENTS

VII

INTRODUCTION A Big Trail may be the biggest adventure you’ll ever have. Paths have always connected us; paths take us to new places and show us the way home. They offer escape, adventure, an unimagined future. On a Big Trail, you will make friends, enjoy amazing panoramas, sit in silence under starry skies, and occasionally feel that reaching the end of the trail is impossible. Everyone has their own reasons for attempting a Big Trail, and everyone’s experience on the trail is unique. The idea for this book came about in the Refuge de Carrozzu, the second refuge on Corsica’s GR20. A dozen shattered walkers and runners huddled together; half had decided to abandon the trail. Waiting for the rain to stop, we had plenty of time to talk and it was very clear that most of those on the trail had no realistic view of what they were letting themselves in for and also no perception of the wide range of amazing alternatives that are available throughout Europe. A Big Trail may be the biggest adventure you’ll ever have. It may also be the worst trip you’ve ever taken – if you choose the wrong trail. We believe that there is a Big Trail for everyone; Europe offers some of the best long-distance routes in the world. There are the iconic trails that we have all heard of, the trails that are mentioned in hallowed tones in every bunkhouse and campsite across Europe. There are also the trails that you’ve never heard of; the trails that are just as beautiful, just as challenging, just as diverting as the famous ones. This book describes the trails that you’ve always wanted to know more about, and the ones that you’ve never heard of before. We are passionate about Big Trails. We walk and run them; we read about them; we talk to the people who know them best. We decided to research the very best long-distance trails across Europe, and find out all the information that you might want to know before you pick your next Big Trail. This book is packed full of practical information, beautiful photos, useful maps, facts and figures. There are trails in the

mountains, trails around cities, trails along the coast, trails to walk in the summer, trails to run on the shortest days of the year. We hope that this book will help you find your next Big Trail. Be careful – you may find yourself yearning to complete them all.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to the following photographers who have generously allowed us to reproduce their stunning images: Steph Abegg, Kate Butler, James Clapham, John Coefield, Will Copestake, Stella Dekker, Dietmar Denger, Friedrich Gier, Franck Godard, Ellen Gromann, Klaus Hansen, Valérie Joannon, Dominik Ketz, Bas Meelker, David Parry, Alex Roddie, Stephen Ross, Vincent Rustuel, Sonja Saxe, Sebastian Schels, Hedy Talens, Eva Tessier, Jörg Thamer, Courtney Trost Mulheren and Oliver Zwahlen. Thanks go to the following organisations who have helped us source the photography for the book and provided information – many are tireless advocates for, and caretakers of, Europe’s Big Trails; the FFRandonnée (www.ffrandonnee.fr), Grote Routepaden (www.groteroutepaden.be), Hike in Holland (www.hike-in-holland.com), Lüneburger Heide GMBH (www.lueneburger-heide.de), Marketing Groningen (www.merkgroningen.nl), Naturpark Altmühltal (www.naturpark-altmuehltal.de), Normandy Tourism (www.normandie-tourisme.fr), Patotra (www. patotra.com), Sherpa Expeditions (www.sherpaexpeditions. com) and Tirol Werbung (www.tirolwerbung.at). We are also indebted to Kingsley Jones and Stephen Ross for allowing us to reproduce the Jones–Ross formula which has been used to calculate the trail timings in this book. Stephen thanks his father, Peter, and brother, Richard, for sharing his first Big Trail adventure on the West Highland Way. More recently to Amy, Magnus and Oscar for joining in exploring new routes and to Sarah for her support and dot-watching over the years.

t APPROACHING LA FLÉGÈRE WITH THE AIGUILLE DU MIDI AHEAD

ON THE TOUR DU MONT BLANC. © STEPHEN ROSS

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS A BIG TRAIL? A Big Trail is an adventure to be had on foot. It is a long-distance trail, suitable for walkers and runners, that requires several days or weeks to complete. This book presents the very best Big Trails in the heart of Europe. The routes we have chosen for the Big Trails series are generally between 100 and 1,000 kilometres in length – although there are a few shorter trails that are simply too good not to mention, and some trails that form part of longer European routes. None of these trails require climbing or winter mountain skills (unless tackled out of season) and most are waymarked although you may still need to navigate, particularly in bad weather. Although some of these trails are more challenging than others, most are suitable for any walker or runner, with sufficient preparation, training and planning.

Every Big Trail is a unique adventure. Some climb mountains, and some follow the path of a river. Some offer sandy beaches, and some heathered moorland. You might enjoy the best regional food and wine, or discover castles on high wooded hills. Some traverse entire countries, criss-cross borders or encircle a single mountain. Some are best completed with a tent on your back, dining al-fresco each evening, and some end each day in a comfy bed and breakfast. You’ll also encounter accommodation unique to the trail, such as the mountain huts of the Alps or the homestays in the Netherlands. Some of these trails won’t appeal to you. They will be too hilly, too flat, too forested, too remote or just the wrong length. But whether you’re a speedy runner, a mountain goat, a keen landscape photographer or a long luncher, this book has Big Trails to delight you.

THE STEINSEE LAKE ON THE LECHTAL HIGH TRAIL, PART OF THE ADLERWEG. © TIROL WERBUNG. PHOTO: SEBASTIAN SCHELS

BIG TRAILS – HEART OF EUROPE

ABOUT THE ROUTES Big Trails: Heart of Europe provides descriptions of Big Trails in Belgium, the Netherlands, northern France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Alpine regions of Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. The most westerly route is Normandy’s Alabaster Coast, the trail voted France’s best Grande Randonnée (GR) route of 2020, and the most easterly is Germany’s Malerweg, a trail through the sandstone landscape that inspired nineteenth-century painters. The routes stretch from the heathered moors of Heidschnuckenweg in northern Germany to the iconic Alpine Tour du Mont Blanc in the south. The 540-kilometre Tour de Paris, one of France’s first GR routes, is the longest route featured in this volume. The shortest route – the picturesque Meraner Höhenweg – is the perfect introduction to Alpine walking. The Adlerweg, which climbs over 20,000 metres in its northern Tyrol section alone, is the route

with most ascent, although there are shorter, steeper trails, such as the Italian Dolomites ridge route Alta Via 1. The Stelling van Amsterdam, which travels between the forts that encircle Amsterdam, is the flattest route and the only route to dip below sea level. Ten of these routes are to be found in the breathtaking mountains of the Alps, but you should not underestimate the beauty of the other Big Trails. The Big Trails in this book pass through some of Europe’s most beautiful national parks and nature reserves, including the Black Forest (Westweg), the Lüneburger Heide (Heidschnuckenweg), the Ballons des Vosges and the Northern Vosges (Traversée du Massif des Vosges), Forêt de Fontainebleau (Tour de Paris), and Germany’s Palatinate or Pfalz region (Pfälzer Weinsteig).

THE TRAILS AT A GLANCE • Nine trails are circular, or near circular; fifteen are linear; and one, Austria’s Adlerweg, comprises distinct northern and eastern sections. • Two trails are coastal (Holland’s Coast Path and Normandy’s Alabaster Coast). • Three trails are classic Alpine tour routes, encircling famous mountains or massifs (Tour du Matterhorn, Tour du Mont Blanc and Tour of Monte Rosa). • Three trails focus on the history of the area (the Carnic Peace Trail tracks the World War I frontline between Austria and Hungary; the Stelling van Amsterdam

links the city’s fortified defence line; and the Walserweg follows the path of the great Walser migration). • Two trails (Tour de Paris and Stelling van Amsterdam) loop around the capital city of their country; a third trail, Brabantse Heuvelroute, skirts around Belgium’s capital, Brussels. • One trail (the 499-kilometre Pieterpad in the Netherlands) traverses a whole country. • Two trails take rivers as their guide (AltmühltalPanoramaweg and Rhine Castles Trail).

ABOUT THE ROUTES

AUSTRIA

SWITZERLAND Bolzano

Trento Pordenone

02 ALTA VIA 1 – 111km

ITALY

The 111-kilometre Alta Via 1 winds high amongst the moon-silvered spires of the Italian Dolomites, past mirror lakes and through verdant forests. While the rifiguios, perched high amongst the clouds, often offer only basic dormitory accommodation, you’ll be delighted with the food – pasta drenched in ragu, cheesy gnocchi, salads, tagliata of steak, hearty polenta with goulash, the ubiquitous schnitzel and generous slices of torta. And after dinner, you can relax on the terrace with a cold beer, watching the rose blush of the enrosadira sunset blooming over the peaks. During World War I, this was a fiercely contested frontline and the trail follows many of the jeep tracks and stony paths laid down for the troops so, despite the challenging ascent and descent, this is an ideal route for the Alpine novice. However, there are extra summits to be claimed and alternate routes along via ferratas (one of which takes you through dark tunnels into the mountain itself) for the more experienced. You may find it hard to leave the Lago di Braies, one of the most beautiful of Alpine lakes, and you should certainly hire a rowing boat, if only to search for the secret gateway to the underworld. Once every hundred years, under the silver glow of a full moon, you might glimpse the princess sailing through the gateway. These are the legends of the Ladin people, who live in the Southern Tyrol – the culture (and food) that you’ll encounter along the Alta Via 1 is unique, not quite Italian, touched by a German influence, with a dialect of its own. From the lake, you’ll face a steep ascent of 1,000 metres in the first six kilometres, along chalky paths and grassy trails.

SLOVENIA

VENICE

CROATIA

The Dolomites were front lines in World War I, and the Alta Via 1 takes you past many remnants of this troubled history, but also makes use of the jeep tracks laid down for soldiers. The climb up to Forcella del Lago, a notch in the mountains, rewards you with views of the Lago Lagazuoi, a tiny sapphire sparkling far below. The switchback descent takes you past the crumbling tunnel entrances and rotting wooden huts of the war, before you climb again to the Rifugio Lagazuoi, perched on top of a hill with panoramic views – this is the highest point on the main route at 2,752 metres. The refuge offers something more than most mountain huts, being home to the highest Finnish sauna in the Dolomites. After the Rifugio Lagazuoi, the route descends to the Falzarego pass, a descent that can be made via cable car or on good trails. However, an alternative route is the (Grade 1A, or beginner-friendly) via ferrata route which descends into the mountains themselves through World War I tunnels. You’ll need a headtorch to attempt this variation and, given the low ceilings, a helmet is advisable, but most people complete it without any other equipment. From the pass, it’s another ascent, past the jagged teeth of the Cinque Torri (a very popular climbing spot) to a cloudswirled mountain top rifugio. The Rifugio Nuvolau was the first Dolomite refuge, built in 1883 (although it was destroyed during World War I and subsequently rebuilt). Like many other Alpine refuges, it has to bring everything up by cable car, including water,

t HEADING SOUTH FROM RIFUGIO LAVARELLA.

02 ALTA VIA 1

BO HERZ

LAGO DI BRAIES. © COURTNEY TROST MULHEREN

so there are no showers and only bottled water (for sale). The Ra Gusela route is another easy via ferrata that can be attempted as a variation on the main route (although it should not be embarked upon without equipment). The second half of the Alta Via 1 leaves behind the stoniest paths and drops into green meadows and lush valleys, although there is still plenty of ascent and descent. This also means you’re likely to encounter lots of cows en route. As you contour around Monte Civetta, past the beautiful Lago di Coldai and heading towards the Rifugio Vazzoler, the route coincides with the Transcivetta, a pairs race, run since 1975. At the beautiful Forcella del Moschesin, you can see the tumbledown barracks, another World War I reminder. The Alta Via 1 leaves the mountains at the Pian de Fontana and it’s a straightforward forest and valley hike down to the road at La Pissa, where you can catch a bus to Belluno. If you would prefer a hair-raising end to your Alta Via 1, you can attempt a more challenging (Grade 3B) via ferrata, Marmol – this route is much longer, but does deliver you far closer to Belluno. It is easy to travel on to Venice from Belluno, for international travel connections.

BIG TRAILS – HEART OF EUROPE

There are six Alta Via routes that traverse the Dolomites from north to south, so should you wish to avoid the increasingly popular Alta Via 1, you might want to consider one of the alternative routes. Although the Alta Via 1 is waymarked, there are many variations and the mountains are criss-crossed with paths, some of which should not be tackled without equipment and experience, so you will need a good map or guidebook. The Alta Via 1 presents a similar challenge to the Tour du Mont Blanc, and is suitable for any walker. It has no technical sections, although the Dolomites were where via ferrata were first installed, and there are several opportunities en route to tackle one. However, it is a very different experience to the Tour du Mont Blanc – it goes from hut to hut, and does not drop down into villages or towns. Many of the huts en route do not have drinking water available (although bottled water can always be purchased from them). While growing in popularity, it is still significantly quieter than the Tour du Mont Blanc. The route can be walked from June to September and, while July and August may be the best time to tackle it,

TREKKING FROM RIFUGIO CRODA DA LAGO TO FORCELLA AMBRIZZÒLA. © COURTNEY TROST MULHEREN

there is an increased risk of thunderstorms in the afternoon during these months. Wild camping is not permitted en route (and is frowned upon), so you will have to stay in rifugios. The rifugios in the Italian Dolomites are renowned for offering some of the best food in the Alps and, dormitories aside, some of the rifugios offer an experience that is more hotel than hostel. The Alta Via 1 stays high in the Dolomites, ascending to each pass, with each col opening up new vistas, revealing new mountains. Because you spend each evening in rifugios, you’ll find yourself in the company of fellow hikers, their adventures becoming a part of your own experience. The spiky Dolomites stand like cathedral spires, and nowhere else in the Alps will you experience such sunrises and sunsets, from the terrace of a mountain hut. The Alta Via 1 is perhaps the most photogenic of Alpine routes, with jagged mountains, high waterfalls, meadows full of butterflies and picnic-perfect lakes.

DESCENDING THE STEEP TRAIL FROM FORCELLA DEL LAGO TOWARD LAGO LAGAZUOI. © SONJA SAXE

02 ALTA VIA 1

02 ALTA VIA 1: ESSENTIAL INFORMATION TRAIL ESSENTIALS Start: End: Distance: Ascent/descent:

• L ago di Braies – this beautiful lake, the largest natural lake in the Dolomites, is a mirror for the peaks that surround it. The Ladin people tell legends about the lake, reputedly the gateway to the underworld.

Lago di Braies, Italy La Pissa, near Belluno, Italy 111km 6,160m/7,180m

CONS •A ccessibility – neither Lago di Braies or La Pissa are close to international airports or rail connections; it will take several hours to reach the start or end of the route from a city or airport. You may well find that you will require an overnight stay at both Lago di Braies and Belluno.

HOW TO GET THERE Lago di Braies can be reached by bus from Villabassa railway station from June to September. The nearest international airport is Venice, although Munich and Innsbruck are also good options for travelling to Villabassa. La Pissa has bus connections to Belluno, where rail connections can be made to Venice and other northern Italian cities.

•W ater – on some of the ridges water is scarce, and some rifugios do not provide potable tap water but only sell bottled water.

TIME TO COMPLETE

GOOD TO KNOW

7 days/53 hours 5 days/42 hours 4 days/31 hours 3 days/21 hours

Walking: Trekking: Fastpacking: Trail running:

The Rifugio Nuvolau was the first refuge to be built in the Dolomites; it was opened in 1883, when the region was still part of the Austro–Hungarian Empire. It was erected by the local Alpine Club, thanks to a donation by Colonel Richard von Meerheimb, a soldier and poet, who recuperated from lung disease in the region.

PROS • F ood – the rifugios of the Dolomites are renowned for offering some of the best food of any of the Alpine mountain huts, a hearty blend of the very best of Italian and German cuisine.

FURTHER INFORMATION Trekking in the Dolomites: Alta Via 1 and Alta Via 2 with Alta Via routes 3–6 in outline (Cicerone, 2016); Trekking the Dolomites AV1 (Knife Edge, 2020).

•V ia ferratas – there are more than 700 via ferratas in the Dolomites; the Alta Via 1 passes several, and is close to many more. This route offers the opportunity to incorporate via ferratas along the way whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced mountaineer.

| JAN

| FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

3000 m 2500 m 2000 m 1500 m 1000 m 500 m 0m 0 km

10 km

20 km

BIG TRAILS – HEART OF EUROPE

30 km

40 km

50 km

60 km

70 km

80 km

90 km

100 km

110 km

Piz da Peres

St. Vigil San Vigilio

St. Martin in Thurn San Martino in Badia Peitlerkofel - Sass de Pütia Sass de Puta

LS/SP47

Col Alt

Naturpark Fanes-Sennes-Prags Parco Naturale Fanes-Sennes-Braies

SS49 SS52

Sexten - Sesto

Pragser Wildsee Lago di Braies Haunold - Rocca dei Baranci

Seekofel

Monte Sella di Sennes

SS244

Innichen San Candido

Toblach Dobbiaco

Niederdorf Villabassa Schmieden - Ferrara

Forcella Sora Forno

Dürrenstein - Picco di Vallandro

Punta tre scarperi - Dreischusterspitze Schusterplatte

Piza dales Diesc

Badia - Abtei Piz Duleda

Hohe Gaisl Croda Rossa

Jú de Limo

SS51

Bechei di Sopra

Piz de Lavarela

St. Kassian San Cassiano

Forcella del Lago

Monte Cristallo

Tofana di Dentro

Cima Scotoni

Cima Eotvos

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Tofana di Rozes

SR48

SS244

Cinque Torri

Setsas

Piz Boé

Arabba

Nuvolau

Pieve Sass Ciapel

SP641

Sottoguda

Forcella di Col Duro

Rocca Pietore

Croda Granda

La Valle Agordina

SP347

Don di Gosaldo 10 Kilometres Tonadico

Dont Forno di Zoldo Sasso di Bosconero Tamer Grande

SS51 SP251

Forcella del Moschesin Forcella De Zita Sud

Piz di Mezzodi

Perarolo di Cadore

Agordo

Lastei d'Agner

Pieve di Cadore Valle di Cadore

Pecol

Forcella Dagarei

Taibon Agordino

Cima della Vezzana Cima La Fradusta

Forcella Coldai

Forcella del Camp

Monte San Lucano

Calalzo di Cadore

Monte Pelmo

Moiazza Sud

Cima Pape

San Vito di Cadore

Passo Staulanza

Monte Civetta Cima della Busazza

Cencenighe Agordino

Canale d'Agordo

Cima Belprà

La Rocheta

Antelao

SR203

Lago di Alleghe

Falcade

Pala di Meduce

Santa Fosca Alleghe

SP346

Punta Teresa

SS51

Ponta Lastoi de Formin

Padón Gran Vernel Punta Rocca

Punta Nera Punta Sorapiss

Longarone

Schiara SR203

Castellavazzo

Monte Zita