“Hitting the spot on trails less trodden”
The Trips - Most recent first, Click on images to enlarge
Ardnamurchan - Coll - Tiree - Muck - Canna - Rum - Eigg
Clare - Wicklow - Mourne Mts. - North Donegal - Antrim Coast - Rathlin Island
Snaefellsnes - Hornstrandir - Fimmvorduhals - Skaftafell - Seydisfjordur
Gjogv - Famjin - Tjornuvik - Vidareidi - Saksun - Sandoy - Trollanes
Jotunheimen - Innerdalen - Kystriksveien - Lofoten - Vesteralen
Muncaster Fell - Blind Tarn - Eel Tarn - Stony Tarn - Lingcove - Scar Lathing - Green Crag - Hardknott - Devoke Water - Boat How
Summer Isles - Lochinver - Drumbeg - Scourie - Sandwood Bay - Reef - Uig - Rhenigidale - Luskentyre - Hushinish - Trotternish - Glendale
Hope Bowdler Hill - Caer Caradoc - The Long Mynd - The Stiperstones
Kerlingarfjoll - Myvatn - Borgarfjorthur eystri - Lonsaraefi - Jokulsarlon - Skaftafell - Landmannalaugar - Vik
Crag Fell - Floutern - Angler's Crag - Bowness Knott
Gower Peninsula - Purbeck Coast - Upper Teesdale - Brecon Beacons - Vale of Ewyas - Rhinns of Galloway - Lee Valley Walk - Gun Hill, Norfolk - Isle of Portland - Audley End - My Most Heavenly Hikes - Book Reviews
Holy Vale - Bryher - Bant's Carn - Tresco - St.Agnes - St.Martin's - Toll's Hill - Peninnis Head
Bec de Roces - Monte Averau - Lago di Misurina - Valparola - Marmolada - Alpe di Siusi - Alta Badia - Viel del Pan
Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes - Gerber - Les-Bausen - Morrano - Ratera - Monestero - Montanheta - Colomers - Baciver
Ponta de Sao Lourenco - Boca do Risco - Pico Ruivo - Boca da Corrida - Balcoes
Valtournenche - Valnontey - Valsavarenche - Valsesia
Suldental - Trafoiertal - Valfurva - Valle dei Forni
Around Aldeburgh - Around Snape Maltings - Around Orford - Orford Village
Low Fell - Down by Crummock Water - High Nook - Mosedale - Around Mellbreak - Low Ling Crag
Parata - Spelunca - Calanches - Girolata - Tavignano - Cap Corse
Belvedere Glacier - Pecetto - Lago delle Fate - Staffa - Campagneda and Prabello - Lago di Gera - Fellaria - Campo Moro - Musella - Forbici - Marinelli
Around Rifugio Savoia - Lakes Rossett and Leita - Gran Collet - Basei - Ferauda - Alpe Comba
Pian del Re - Lakes Superiore, Lausetto and Fiorenza - Via del Sale - Lake Chiaretto - Lake Grande di Viso - Lake Alpetto - Costa del Vallone - Crissolo
Glen Affric - Glen Strathfarrar - Glen Cannich
Imada - Garajonay - Chipude - Vallehermoso - Epina - Alojera - Agulo - Hermigua - Caldera de Taburiente - Barranco de las Angustias - Ruta de los Volcanes
Llanddwyn - Rhosneigr - Trearddur - Holyhead Mountain - Carmel Head - Cemaes - Amlwch - Moelfre
Slap Savica - Ukanc - Mostnice - Vogel - Jezero Jasna - Zelenci - Slap Martuljek - Vrsic - Zadnja Trenta - Sleme - Kriski Podi - Izvir Glijun and Slap Virje
Cirque de Gavarnie - Saugué - Vallée de Pouey Aspé - Bayssellance - Petit Vignemale - Espuguettes - Col du Pimené
Tonbridge - Penshurst - Ashurst - Forest Row - Turners Hill - source
Barley - Pendle Hill - Black Moss - Wycoller - Pendle Way
Kermorvan - Porz Doun - Pern - Corn Here - Veilgoz - Baie des Trepasses - Raz - Van - Pen Hir
Zelene plese - Mala Studena dolina - Velka Studena dolina - Popradske pleso - Velke Hincovo pleso - Strbske pleso
Stelvio National Park, Italy
The Stelvio National Park doesn’t get much publicity in the UK – I’d heard of the Stelvio Pass but not of the Park. It stretches from near Livigno and the Swiss border in the west to St Gertraud in the east and from near Mals in the north to near Ponte di Legno in the south. The nearest large town is Bormio. I decided to go there because I like National Parks, because it’s mostly high, because there are accessible valleys with lots of trails and because there’s a handy guide-book describing the various trails to choose from. My choice of valleys was Suldental and Trafoiertal in the north and Valfurva in the centre of the Park.
I expected this trip to be my ‘last hurrah’ to steep mountain trails but I’ve discovered I can still do them – it’s just a question of fitness (after 3 mountain trips this year, I’m fitter than when I said in June that this would be my last such trip) and allowing enough time. It also helps to get high (in terms of metres) before the trail starts, either by using a summer cable-car or chair-lift or by staying in a high place – in Italy, that means choosing a suitably-placed rifugio. I used this expedient for 9 out of the 11 trails trodden on this trip.
As it turned out – I did not foresee this – this trip is my first featuring some snowy trails since it took place in September (2017) when rain falls as snow above about 2,500m in the Alps. Here is a map showing the location of my trails:
Click to enlarge the map.