If you love the mountains and want to experience something alternative to downhill disciplines, why not try cross-country skiing?

An ideal destination for holidays, Campodolcino offers tourists an oasis of peace immersed in the beauty of the Alpine landscape.

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The Fabiolo Valley is a small and enchanting valley that leads from the village of Forcola, on the banks of the Adda River, to Campo Tartano, in the province of Sondrio. This valley, is known as the valley of mysteries, there are in fact several legends that inhabit it. It is said that, after sunset, passing outside some of the huts, one can hear the mysterious tinkling of a "zampugnìi," the bell that is tied around the goats' necks to locate their position, and one can see mysterious figures dancing while holding a torch. The explanation for these events is traced back to an ancient landslide that, in the Sponda locality, buried a group of people intent on gobbling, without restraint or fear of God. It seems that their souls still wander and meet, sometimes, to renew the thrill of unrestrained dancing: many say they have seen and heard them, passing on the mule track, on the clearest nights. The proposed route, starting from Somvalle, a small hamlet of Forcola, descends the Fabiolo valley to the Scalòcc junction and then climbs the east bank reaching Ca' Redunda at Pramusìi. A walk suitable for everyone, including children, at any time of year. The Round House, the destination of the itinerary, is a small building, which, as its name implies, has the particular characteristic of being round. This particular hut was designed after World War II by Giuseppe Toccalli, an original type, who, finding no reason to build it with the four classic sides, decided to make it round. From the meadows of Pramusìi, where the hut stands, the view runs along the lower Valtellina, first crossing the opposite side of the Fabiolo valley with the group of huts of Sostila, and the peaks of Culmine and Crap del Mezzodì. Going further we cross the Costiera dei Cech and Mount Legnone and, further in the distance, the peaks of the upper Lario surrounded by the Lepontine. The path, always evident and well marked, crosses the broadleaf forests, typical of the Orobie at low altitudes, which, in autumn, give shades from the bright red of chestnut trees to the light yellow of birch trees. From Somvalle we descend, on a wide, often damp path, to a first group of huts, Sponda, which, thanks to its meadows, allows us to enjoy the granite giants of Val Masino. Past the mountain pasture, we continue downhill to an anonymous junction, called Scalòcc. Here the ascent begins, following the signs for Ca' Redunda; we climb the slope that, with several hairpin bends, leads to Motta, a group of houses facing west. The path bends right immediately after the last house and resumes the ascent. After a short while it comes out in a clearing surrounded by dry stone walls: the Pramusìi and the unmistakable Ca' Redunda, this last passage seems to have been, in times long past, manned by a fearsome basalèsk, an indefinite being, part lizard, part dragon, part rooster, who paralyzed wayfarers with his terrible whistle but has long since gone unheard, seeming not to have survived the disenchantment of the contemporary world. - Ph: Mattia Bedetti

The botanic garden of Pietra Corva is located in the village of Romagnese (in the province of Pavia, Italy). Its setting is at the foot of Monte Pietra di Corvo, at 930 m, in the mountain region of Oltrepò Pavese ("Land beyond the Po River") which belongs to the Northern Apennines. It was founded by Dr. Antonio Ridella and it covers 3 hectare of land. The flora of this garden belongs mostly to the montane, subalpine and alpine zones of the Alps. Nevertheless it is also possible to see numerous species belonging to the Apennines, the Pyrenees and other mountain ranges worldwide. Here you may find some outstanding communities of particular genuses (Primula, Saxifraga, Gentiana, Iris, etc.). 

Especially in autumn, getting on a bike to explore a beautiful corner of Lombardy without resorting to our car is pleasant and possible.The destination to arrive at, and then set off pedaling, is Chiavenna, in the province of Sondrio, which can be reached by train. Valtelbike is a service made available precisely for those who want to move freely, with only the strength of their legs, a circuit that allows you to rent bikes in different locations in Valtellina, in our case Chiavenna, with the possibility of returning them to another location, for us Colico (Lecco), at the end of the excursion. We begin the ride through the streets of Chiavenna's center, among soapstone fountains, porphyry paving and typical locales; we cross the Mera River twice to find ourselves in front of Palazzo Balbiani, locally called the Castle; we pass under the Paradiso Botanical Park, an ancient and scenic stone quarry; and we climb northward arriving in the area of the crotti, small buildings exploited as natural refrigerators thanks to the Sorel, a wind that comes out of the mountain at 8ºC all year round. Today many have been converted back into restaurants. You reach the double drop of the Acquafraggia Waterfalls, able to fascinate Leonardo da Vinci so much that he cited them in the Atlantic Codex, you are in Borgonuovo di Piuro and it is here that you reverse course, heading south, returning to Chiavenna where you can admire two other noble historical-artistic testimonies: the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo and the Monolithic Baptistery of 1100. Passing the Bridges over the Mera and Liro rivers, you pedal for 14 km slightly downhill on a paved path dedicated to bicycles. The peaks of the Chiavenna Valley provide the backdrop. At Novate Mezzola the environment changes abruptly: first the lake with its wide horizons, then the narrow mountainside passages. Verceia instead presents us with an extraordinary work of military engineering: the San Fedele mine tunnel. A charming lakeside passage introduces us to the Piani di Spagna Nature Reserve. From here to the Adda a few kilometers on the road require a minimum of attention, but the last stretch along the river puts us back in touch with nature; we pass by Fort Fuentes, of Spanish origin, and Fort Montecchio, dating back to the Great War; finally, we skirt the Lario and from the Molo di Colico we end the ride at the Lecco town's train station, in the shadow of Mount Legnone. - Cover image: @klaus dell'orto

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