In centuries past no one ever used to venture into the mountains in winter. There was a lot of superstition about bad spirits and malevolent fairy creatures lurking up there in the ice and snow. Instead, the first visitors to the mountains were summer tourists, often young Brits looking for adventure.
Some destinations have always been more popular in summer than winter, but for many the lure of white gold – snow sports – led to winter becoming the dominant season when most people visited throughout the 20th century and in most cases right up to the present day.
But after decades of talking about a more balanced year with equal summer and winter business helping to keep mountain communities more stable, there are signs of a change. The number of people heading to the mountains in summer is on the rise, in part as people look for a change from the inevitable beach holiday, in part as they seek out the fresher air of the mountains if they live most of their life in a hot city and in part because mountain areas themselves are offering ever more to entertain and engage their summer guests – often at a very low cost, or even free of charge when you stay in local accommodation and receive the free “guest card” – a ticket to free public transport in the region and free or discounted admission to dozens of attractions.
Trentino In Summer
Italy’s Trentino region is typical of the trend. Its ski regions have been dramatically expanding their summer offer so that ski lifts don’t just give hikers and downhill bikers access to summer trails but also access summer-only attractions.
Credit – Trentino and Ronny Kiaulehn Val di Fiemme
At the Ski Center Latemar, for example, in Val di Fiemme, there are a variety of family-friendly interpretive trails with lots for children to investigate, effortlessly learning and exercising as they go. Multi-lingual child-oriented booklets are handed out so kids know what to look for too, and there’s the option to ride a mountain coaster, a kind of downhill roller-coaster course, back to the base at the end. All these initiatives have been a huge hit, and customer numbers are up dramatically.
At the same time there’s much more organisation of traditional summer mountain activities like hiking and biking – routes are interlinked to create flexible multi-day itineraries with a whole range of support services in place too.
The Long Walk
But whatever great new ideas there are, the best way to explore a fascinating natural environment like the Dolomites is probably still the simplest one there is. Walking. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you go, or how high you climb, all that counts is the intimacy you develop with your surroundings when you set out on a footpath.
And now you can get to know the Brenta Dolomites and eastern Trentino, the wild Lagorai chain and the Fassa and Fiemme Dolomites through two huge circuits that can each be undertaken in stages.
Credit – Trentino and Giovanni Cavulli at Bellamonte
The two networks of well-maintained footpaths (part of an amazing 5,000km of signposted footpaths in Trentino) pass by no less than 143 mountain huts, and there is a small army of mountain guides ready to provide all the support you need.
The Dolomiti di Brenta Trek Country is an easy 90km circular route divided into 17 stages that winds its way through the imposing Brenta Dolomites with a total height gain of 8,200m (there is also the Expert version for fitter walkers with 11 stages of paths and via ferratas – climbing routes with ropes to hold on to).
Or the Dolomiti Panorama Trek is a classic 200km route at high altitude through San Martino, Val di Fassa and Val di Fiemme. If you want to walk part of it accompanied by a mountain guide, you can choose one of the “certified routes”, graded blue, red or black according to the level of difficulty you prefer.
One of the most spectacular routes of the Dolomiti Panorama trek is the Palaronda Trek, which has a five-stage “hard” circuit and a four-stage “soft” circuit, both of which start and finish in San Martino di Castrozza.
Credit – Trentino and Giovanni Cavulli at Bellamonte
The Dolomiti Trek King is a six-day trek along the paths of Val di Fassa, from refuge to refuge with two overnight stays in the Dolomiti Walking Hotels (hotels that offer specific facilities for hikers).
There is also the possibility of spending two nights in Rifugio Torre di Pisa while trying the Latemar Trekking, in Val di Fiemme, with its 360° Grand Panorama view.
400km of Cycle Paths
Trentino offers over 400km of cycle paths as well as three exciting mountain-biking networks through scenery that ranges from Alpine lakes to the peaks and spires of the Dolomites.
All routes are properly graded, with some “family trails” suitable for children under 12. Most routes can be tackled as individual stages or mini-circuits and, if you wish, tied into hotel packages with luggage transfer services and routes which can be downloaded from the relevant website. There are also reliable bike shops en route which can deal with any repairs required, and there are also bike-taxis, bike-shuttles and bike-buses to take the strain when needed. Electric bikes are also available to rent at an ever-increasing number of locations.
The Dolomiti di Brenta Bike is a network of trails winding through the wild expanses of the Adamello Brenta park. The hard-core circuit suits expert bikers, travelling along dirt tracks with adrenalin-fuelled steep descents and views of peaks, waterfalls and glaciers.
Credit -Trentino and Ronny Kiaulehn Val di Fiemme
Alternatively, the family-friendly “country trail” is far gentler, taking in hamlets, vineyards, apple orchards and easy riding on cycle paths. Sections can even be done by bus or rail to sidestep the steepest climbs.
Other options include the Dolomiti Lagorai Bike network in eastern Trentino, which explores over 1,000km of off-road trails past Alpine lakes and meadows in the Val di Fassa and Val di Fiemme and it even runs into the Pale di San Martino Dolomites. Apart from lapping up the wild beauty of the Lagorai chain, you can cool down with a swim in Lake Levico or Caldonazzo.
Thirdly, the Mountain and Garda Bike network covers Trentino’s part of Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, as well as Lake Ledro, Monte Baldo, Monte Bondone and the Valle dei Laghi. This eye-catching and exhilarating route takes you from rocky peaks to sightings of sparkling lakes.
Info
Visit Trentino: visittrentino.it/en
Trentino mountain guides: guidealpinetrentino.it
Trentino mountain huts: trentinorifugi.com
Dolomiti Brenta Bike: dolomitibrentabike.it
Dolomiti Lagorai Bike: www.dolomitilagoraibike.it
Mountain & Garda Bike: mountaingardabike.it