Kilometres Walked : 14

Flights Climbed : 73

Tuesday 30th May, 2023

We started our walk along the Wayfarer’s path just outside our apartment heading up towards the Castle first. Talk about getting our elevations up straight away. The Wayfarer’s Path runs between Varenna and Bellano along an old mule track that is part of a longer trail that goes back to Roman times and used to be the only footpath connecting the villages on the eastern shore of Lake Como. Our section was about 10km long with quite a lot of elevation but very lush and beautiful. Winding our way up and down old stone pebbled paths and through a vibrant green canopy then opening up to an amazing view of the Lake in different spots. A few hours later we arrived at Bellano, another town on the shores of Lake Como and found another little local cafe (at the train station) and had another delicious lunch and a few laughs with the owner.

After lunch we visited the Orrido Di Bellano which is a natural gorge created 15 million years ago by the erosion of the Pioverna torrent and the Adda Glacier which over the centuries have shaped the rock into gigantic potholes, gloomy ravines and caverns. There has been a system of walkways anchored on the high walls allowing visitors to enjoy this phenomenon. As always Jason was in his element discovering more hydroelectric systems and seeing the natural environment and how water can shape the earth.

It was such a great day. Even though it was hazy and a little overcast the views were still beautiful and the gorge was quite amazing to see. After stocking up on groceries at the bigger supermarket we caught the little mini bus back to Varenna and headed straight to the terrace for a cold beer. 🍺