362 363 IN THE STEPS OF TAKE IN LANDSCAPES THAT LESLIE STEPHEN INSPIRED ALBRECHT DÜRER Trentino, Italy Trentino, Italy Father of English novelist Virginia Woolf and painter In 1494, German painter Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) Vanessa Bell, Leslie Stephen (1832–1904) was an made his !rst trip to Italy, travelling through the Val author and pioneering mountaineer, dedicating many di Cembra to reach Venice. "e Adige River, Italy’s of his summers to climbing the Alps. He would walk 30 second-longest river, had over$own its banks, forcing to 40 miles (48–64km) a day, establishing new walking Dürer to make his way to Venice along a path from routes and climbing up peaks. Leslie was the !rst to Egna to Segonzano, today known as the Dürer Way. climb the Cima di Ball, or Ball Peak, in Trentino, in "e walk meanders through shaded forest and areas 1869. Ideal for beginners, the !rst section of the Nico of inspiring natural beauty, many of which became the Gusella walk includes a via ferrata, a mountain route subject of Dürer’s works. Having overnighted at the with ladders, ropes, steel cables and walkways in place to Klösterle, a travellers’ inn in San Floriano, Dürer hiked aid climbers. "e pathway leads on to the Stephen Pass, to the village of Pochi, past the Lauco River, up to the named after the mountaineer, from where it’s possible Passo Sauch and on to Lago Santo. From here, the path to climb up to the panoramic summit of Val di Roda, descends to Cembra and on to the earth pyramids of which o#ers impressive views of the jagged peaks of Segonzano, passing the striking Castello di Segonzano, the Dolomites. depicted in a number of his watercolours. 364 365 THE LOCATIONS DISCOVER ANTONIA POZZI’S THAT INSPIRED ANDREA VITALI BELOVED VALSASSINA Bellano, Lake Como Pasturo, Italy Born in Bellano on the eastern shore of Lake Como, Born in Milan in the early twentieth century, poet Andrea Vitali (1956–) is a proli!c medic-turned-writer Antonia Pozzi (1912–1938) escaped from the hustle who has written over forty novels. He often sits on a and bustle of city life, seeking refuge in the mountainous bench in the Piazza Tommaso Grossi, inspired by the region of Valsassina. Sprinkled around the town of lake scenery, jotting down notes and penning stories. Pasturo are a series of panels with photographs, poetry From the piazza it’s a pleasant stroll to the town’s passages and extracts from the poet’s personal diary. former cotton factory, which has served as the setting At Via Manzoni 1 is the poet’s family home, and a for many of his novels. Tucked away behind the short stroll along the Cariola River leads to a large building is the Bellano canyon, a natural gorge garden from where Pozzi would head out to explore characterised by caves and gushing waterfalls, while the mountains – recurring subjects of her poetry. Head perched on the adjacent hillside is the cemetery, both north on Via Manzoni, past the village primary school of which feature in a number of Vitali’s works. named after Pozzi, before reaching her grave in the Pasturo Cemetery, a quiet spot where she rests. TOP RIGHT: The Dürer Way takes the walker through many areas of inspiring natural beauty. RIGHT: Albrecht Dürer featured the Castello di Segonzano in many of his watercolours. 280 EUROPE EUROPE 281.