“Summer is ending”, the Righeira brothers sang, and a nice polenta in an alpine refuge, with a bottle of red, to be savored after an equally beautiful uphill walk, are pleasures that are very suitable for the period, since still so hot as to sweat in the mountain ascent nor so cold as to already have to wrap up as if we were in the middle of winter. In search of such an experience we reached the Gattascosa Refuge in the municipality of Bognanco, which has less than 200 inhabitants and is located on the hills of the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province; the area is so close to the Canton of Ticino that as we walked up into the woods, the mobile phones received text messages from which we learned that we had hooked up the Swiss cellular network.
But before reaching the ascent on foot you have to do one by car, which is already quite challenging. Once in Bognanco, take a steep and winding road with sharp bends, then park at the San Bernardo Refuge and only from here (finally) can you start on foot. Actually there would also be an unpaved road, suitable for off-road vehicles and passable – with some discomfort – even by normal cars, and the laziest can use this to reach the Gattascosa Refuge, but to do so is to cheat with themselves; in our case we took the more difficult route on the way out, between rocks and trees, using the easier one for the return, so you can see both.
Attention: if you choose the more difficult route, the climb is very demanding; no problem if you are young and fit, otherwise the theoretical hour and a half expands a lot. But three quarters of the way up the road you can make a pleasant surprise stop on the banks of a beautiful alpine lake.
The final reward for all this effort is a nice lunch at 2000 meters above sea level in a beautiful cabin with a fireplace and solid dark wood tables; the season also allows you to eat outside, but we found more atmosphere inside. The menu tastes very mountain, and is deliberately essential, reduced to only two choices: polenta with various types of meat (minced, sausages, stew) and a side of peppers, or a platter of cold cuts and cheeses. You will hear obvious comments among the tables that all the calories consumed in the climb are replenished quickly. The choice of desserts is also rustic: pies, strudels and the like. The proposal (typical local, they tell us) of sugar cubes to be dipped in various flavored liqueurs is curious.
Prices are moderate but remember to bring some cash, as you cannot pay with an ATM.
If on the way back you choose (as we did) the other way, the easier one, at a certain point you will see, a little distant, a mountain pasture where you can buy typical cheeses. We forgot: at the Gattascosa Refuge you can also sleep. And dogs are welcome.
For both eating and sleeping at the Gattascosa Refuge, it is advisable to book at the telephone number 328 315 1669. Website www.rifugiogattascosa.com, e-mail [email protected]