The fantastic approach to the Nuvolau (Walk 21)

The Dolomites

      A traveller who has visited all the other mountain-regions of Europe, and remains ignorant of the scenery of the Dolomite Alps, has yet to make acquaintance with Nature in one of her loveliest and most fascinating aspects.

      John Ball, Guide to the Eastern Alps (1868)

      Like the Alps to which they belong, the astounding Dolomite mountains in northeast Italy were long regarded with awe and a good dose of fear by the populations of herders and woodcutters who clustered round their bases. It was not until the 1800s, and the advent of ‘travelling’, that the first leisure-seeking visitors, Britons for the most part, ventured through treacherous passes to marvel at the spectacular scenery and gape at the brilliant sunsets. Published accounts and guidebooks began to appear, and soon tourists and mountaineers from all over Europe flocked to explore the magnificent heights, which were untrodden until then except by the odd chamois hunter.

      Nowadays, the fantastic Dolomites are an exciting and prime holiday destination in both summer and winter. Superbly located resorts are connected by excellent public transport and well-maintained roads, while an ultra-modern system of cable-cars and lifts whisks visitors to dizzy heights in a matter of minutes. It is a memorable alpine playground. Nature lovers will be delighted by the fascinating wildlife to be found in the vast expanses of magnificent forest and high-altitude rockscapes, not to mention the sweet alpine meadows that are transformed in summer into oceans of wild flowers straight out of The Sound of Music. High above are breathtakingly sheer bastions and spires of delicately pale rock in an enthralling succession of bizarre sculpted shapes. This is all easily appreciated thanks to a great network of signed paths and welcoming refuges, where lunch and refreshments can be enjoyed with a beautiful alpine backdrop thrown in for free. By exploring the vast extent of the spectacular Dolomites, this guidebook offers a selection of exciting walks suitable for walkers of all ages, abilities and energy. Routes range from straightforward leisurely strolls to strenuous outings, and each can be completed in a single day.

      In addition to natural beauty, the valleys of the Dolomites offer attractions ranging from old-style farms – still run according to ancient traditions – to towns including Trento, Bolzano and Bressanone, which boast priceless medieval and Renaissance art treasures and make for a fascinating visit on any rainy days. Early peoples fleeing barbaric invaders in about the fifth century, many of whom spoke the ancient Rhaeto-Romanic language known as Ladin, made their homes in the protection of the remote mountain valleys. Incredibly, Ladin has survived to this day and is now the declared mother tongue of 4.3% of the inhabitants of the South Tyrol (Alto Adige in Italian), which accounts for a third of the Dolomites. However, the region is dominated by the German language (68.2% of the population), which is the legacy of sixth-century invaders and later Austro-Hungarian domination. Along with the adjoining Italian-speaking Trentino, it has been part of Italy since 1919. That was ratified in the wake of the First World War, which had seen the Dolomites transformed into a terrible war zone where the crumbling Hapsburg Empire fought the fledgling Italian Republic on mountain passes, crests and even glaciers. Many of the old military mule tracks are still walkable and many wartime trenches and fortifications are often encountered on the walks in this guidebook, all poignant reminders of man’s folly. The remaining southeastern chunk of the Dolomites is administered by the Veneto region, which is based in Venice. Centuries before, during the glorious era of the Serenissima Republic, which stretched from the sixth century until the late 1700s, immense rafts of timber were piloted downstream to the city for its foundations and ships.

      Fossilised dinosaur footprints on the Pelmo (Walk 18)

Valleys and Bases

      While the Dolomites are quite compact, their geography and countless valleys can make exploration pleasantly time-consuming. The overview that follows aims to help visitors understand the layout, find their way around and choose a handy base for walks.

      Val Sassovecchio with Cima Uno (Walk 8)

      Beginning on the northernmost edge of the Dolomites, in the primarily German-speaking South Tyrol, is broad Val Pusteria. Running east–west, it acts as a low-key thoroughfare for rail and road traffic between Italy’s main Isarco-Adige valley and Austria. Towards the eastern end, Valle di Braies branches off to enchanting Lago di Braies. Served by a summer bus, there is a glorious historic hotel, a café-restaurant and a plethora of memorable picnic spots. Walks 1 and 2 start out here.

      Val d’Arcia and the Pelmo from Passo Staulanza (Walk 18)

      A southern branch climbs to the marvellous uplands of Pratopiazza, where a hotel and refuges offer accommodation and meals. It is served by a summer bus and is perfect for Walk 3.

      In the east lie the spectacular Sesto Dolomites. The well-served picturesque towns of San Candido (trains and buses) and Sesto (buses) make good bases for forays into this group, and they have a good range of accommodation and shops. Walks 6 and 8 begin their exploration here, while Walk 7 starts out from Passo Monte Croce Comelico, a road pass (easily reached by bus) on the easternmost edge of the Sesto group, with a hotel and café.

      The southern realms of the Sesto group can be accessed from Misurina, a handy small-scale resort with summer bus services, a scattering of guesthouses and cafés, a grocery store and a camp site. It stands on the shores of an attractive much-photographed lake, and has plenty to keep walkers busy for a couple of days as Walks 9, 10, 11 and 12 begin close by. To the southwest, a short bus ride or drive away is Passo Tre Croci and the start of Walk 13 to the Sorapiss.

      Branching north from Misurina, you come to the Val di Landro at Carbonin. A short distance on is a small lake at Landro, with its café, bus stop and hotel, where Walk 5 begins. Reversing direction and heading southwest via the watershed at Cimabanche, the Walk 4 turn-off is reached. It is also accessible from Fiames, which is towards Cortina.

      In the Italian-speaking Veneto region and located at a strategic intersection of roads leading in from the Dolomite passes, the attractive and renowned jet-set resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo is an excellent base for walkers for a couple of nights, although it can get rather busy (not to mention pricey). It has shops galore, hotels and year-round long-distance bus links as well as local summertime runs to strategic Passo Falzarego and nearby Passo di Valparola, where there are also guesthouses and cafés. Accessible from Cortina are Walks 13 and 19–26, the latter group leading to the famous Cinque Torri, Nuvolau, Tofane, Lagazuoi and neighbours.

      At Forcella Col Negro the Civetta’s western wall comes into view (Walk 17)

      The scenic Val del Boite leads southeast to Pieve di Cadore, the birthplace of Renaissance artist Titian. A handy place for exploring the Cadore district, it has grocery shops, hotels and year-round bus services. Nearby, at the foot of the Marmarole, is the railhead of Calalzo (the start of Walk 14), while slightly further northeast is Domegge (Walk 15).

      From Pieve di Cadore, the Piave river valley heads south to Longarone, site of the 1963 Vajont dam tragedy – when entire villages were wiped out by a massive flooding caused by a landslide. The Val di Zoldo branches northwest here, climbing past a string of quiet, hospitable villages in the shadow of the magnificent Pelmo and the Civetta. Forno di Zoldo (hotels, groceries, bus) is the gateway for Walk 16 while Passo Staulanza (guesthouse, summer bus) at the valley head is the start of Walk 18.

      Running

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