TRAILS for the MODERN WAYFARER Pathways Through History, from Lake Como Through Valle Mesolcina to the San Bernardino Pass
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
LE VIE DEL VIANDANTE TRAILS FOR THE MODERN WAYFARER Pathways through history, from Lake Como through Valle Mesolcina to the San Bernardino Pass www.leviedelviandante.it ANCIENT PATHWAYS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS BETWEEN ITALY AND SWITZERLAND Project co-funded by the Italy-Switzerland Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007/2013 Partners in the Project: Province of Lecco - Project leader for Italy Region of Mesolcina - Project leader for Switzerland Province of Como Comune of Gordona (in the Province of Sondrio) Mountain Community of Lario Intelvese Mountain Community of Lario Orientale e Valle San Martino Mountain Community of Valchiavenna Mountain Community of Valli del Lario e del Ceresio Mountain Community of Valsassina Valvarone Val D’Esino e Riviera Mountain Community of the Triangolo Lariano Editorial consultancy and texts: Ideas s.r.l. (IT) for the Italian Partners, Dr. Marco Marcacci for the Region of Mesolcina (CH) Map and Photographs: Sole di Vetro s.r.l. Graphics and Printer: Maggioli Editore, Maggioli Editore is a trademark of Maggioli S.p.A., Company with quality system certified ISO 9001:2008, Santarcangelo di Romagna (RN) The information presented in this Guide has been assembled with the maximum care. The Partners in the Projects “Ancient Pathways through the Mountains between Italy and Switzerland” are not however responsible for any type of change to the information provided, not for any possible inconvenience or injury suffered as a consequence of this information. © Copyright 2012 Provincia di Lecco, Regione Mesolcina, Provincia di Como, Comune di Gordona (SO), Comunità Montana Lario Intelvese, Comunità Montana Lario Orientale e Valle San Martino, Comunità Montana Valchiavenna, Comunità Montana Valli del Lario e del Ceresio, Comunità Montana Valsassina Valvarone Val D’Esino e Riviera, Comunità Montana Triangolo Lariano Copy for free distribution 2 The territory of the Provinces of Lecco and Como, of the district of Valchiavenna (in the Province of Sondrio) and of the adjacent Valle Mescolcina (in the Canton of Graubünden) has a rich history linked to the commercial interaction between northern and southern Europe. For centuries these access routes made it possible for people and goods to circulate, in spite of geographical and political frontiers. The Partners in the Project named “Ancient Pathways through the Mountains between Italy and Switzerland” (co-funded by the Italy-Switzerland Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007/2013), have developed an integrated, unbroken network of walking trails once trodden by the wayfarers, traders, smugglers, pilgrims and armies of the past. Through a range of practical measures combined with good communication strategies, the Project has succeeded in setting up two types of trails: – recreational tracks, which are easier, mostly along the side rather than over the top of the mountains or keeping to the valley floors, suitable also for families, groups of friends, couples or the over-60s. – adventure trails, which are more challenging, winding through the mountains mainly at high altitudes, and which have a medium-to-demanding rating, suitable for hikers who are experi- enced, fit, and well-prepared. This Guide provides the historical and cultural background to the trails, and information about the various tourist facilities along the way. The booklet gives a broad-ranging explanation of the history of the cross-border mountain pathways, while for all the trails the reader will find a pre- liminary table containing basic information, followed by a description of each stage that is the maximum recommended to be walked in a day. The basic information tables indicate time and level of difficulty. The travel times for each stage have been calculated principally in relation to the profile of as- cents/descents for those that are exclusively in the mountains, while distance has been the main factor in calculating travel times for recreational trails. In a number of cases, where a long walk is combined with significant changes in altitude, both length and difficulty have been taken into account in calculating the time for the stage. These calculations have been made based on a person completing an altitude change of about 300 metres in 1 hour, and taking 1 hour to cover 3 km across terrain with moderate ascents and descents. The level of difficulty is indicated using the CAI (Italian Alpine Club) classification. This is divided into 4 categories each indicated by letters of the alphabet in relation to the amount of effort re- quired to complete a trail. In rising order of difficulty, here is the code used: T → Touristic hike, on pedestrian streets, cart and mule tracks and very easy paths; E → Hikers path on mule tracks withouth technical difficulty; EE → Hikers path on impervious zones with difficult passages which required a good mountain knowledge; EEA → Mountain climbers path which leads on usually equipped walls and ridges. A proper equipment like helmet and cord is required. Optional detours from the main track are indicated in yellow in case a walker has the time and energy to explore further afield. The website www.leviedelviandante.it brings together all the information about the Project and about the recreational and adventure trails. It includes details of tourist services (information offic- es, accommodation, restaurants, etc), roadbooks (detailed directions which can be downloaded and printed off) and georeferencing files for the main trails (which users can download onto their own hiking navigator). And for those who want to leave their car at home, here is a stress-free way to enjoy the moun- tains, discovering the local histories and traditions stretching from Lake Como through Valle Mes- olcina to the San Bernardino Pass. Province of Lecco Region of Mesolcina Lead Partner for Italy Lead Partner for Switzerland 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Pathways between Valle Mesolcina and district of Lario: some history .......... 7 1.1 The Swiss side: history of Valle Mesolcina and the San Bernardino Pass ..... 8 An open valley ......................................................................................... 8 The Pass in prehistoric and Roman times ...................................................... 9 Revival of trade in Late Middle Ages ........................................................... 9 A system of linking pathways ...................................................................... 10 The San Bernardino commercial road in the 19th century .............................. 11 From railway tunnels to motorway tunnels .................................................... 12 1.2 The Italian side .................................................................................... 13 Golasecca culture in the prehistoric period ................................................... 13 Roads and commerce in Roman times .......................................................... 14 The medieval period: from small local roads to the rise of carrier corporations . 15 The modern age: from the struggles to control commercial roads to the opening up of new routes ....................................................................................... 16 1.3 Between Switzerland and Italy: historical importance of the “traverses” ..... 18 Interconnections ........................................................................................ 18 The two main traverses .............................................................................. 19 The Forcola Pass ....................................................................................... 20 The Gravedona traverse............................................................................. 20 The San Jorio Pass track ............................................................................. 22 The Bocchetta di Camedo .......................................................................... 23 Contraband: a form of cross-border collaboration ......................................... 24 2. Recreational Trails ................................................................................. 27 Recreational Trail A - Strada Regia .............................................................. 29 A.1 - Stage from Brunate to Nesso .............................................................. 31 A.2 - Stage from Nesso to Bellagio ............................................................. 37 4 Recreational Trail B - Via dei Monti Lariani ................................................... 43 B.1 - Stage from Como to Schignano ........................................................... 47 B.2 - Stage from Schignano to San Fedele d’Intelvi ........................................ 51 B.3 - Stage from San Fedele d’Intelvi to Lenno .............................................. 55 B.4 - Stage from Lenno to Plesio / Menaggio ............................................... 59 B.5 - Stage from Plesio / Menaggio to Garzeno ........................................... 63 B.6 - Stage from Garzeno to Peglio ............................................................. 67 B.7 - Stage from Peglio to Sorico................................................................. 71 Recreational Trail C - Sentiero del Viandante ................................................. 75 C.1 - Stage from Abbadia Lariana to Varenna .............................................. 79 C.2 - Stage from Varenna to Dorio .............................................................. 87 C.3 - Stage from Dorio to Sorico ................................................................