Il Path of the Wayfarer from Lecco to Colico, with the stretch up to Abbadia Lariana, is becoming one of the paths of trekking on foot or even by mountain bike most interesting in Italy. Not yet a long trail but almost.
After the interruption of the extension work caused by the Covid, the last stone was laid that completes the hiking itinerary that winds along the eastern shore of Lake Como.
The Sentiero del Viandante is a path long (45 km) but easy and therefore much loved by Lombard walkersThe one from Lecco to Abbadia is one more stretch that would further facilitate accessibility by public transport and one more step towards the reconstruction of what it was originally, a long road linking Milan and Switzerland.
The Path of the Wayfarer: the stages from Lecco to Colico
Il The original stretch of the Sentiero del Viandante is the one that goes from Abbadia Lariana to Colicoor more precisely up to the municipality of Piantedo, in the province of Sondrio: they are about 45 km of route, all halfway up the coastnot particularly difficult from a technical point of view nor particularly demanding from a physical one, if not for the fact that ideally the path is to be divided in at least 3 days (but many guides and organizations provide for 4, to allow time to admire the beauties of the Lake Como area and get to know the local realities).
Ideally thereand 4 stages of the Sentiero del Viandante I am:
- Path of the Wayfarer from Abbadia Lariana to Lierna
- Path of the Wayfarer from Lierna to Varenna
- Path of the Wayfarer from Varenna to Dervio
- Path of the Wayfarer from Dervio to Piantedo
The Sentiero del Viandante in this conformation is a relatively recent rediscovery, given that the rearrangement of the ancient layout dates back to 1992 by the APT of Lecco for tourist and excursion purposes. Originally, the current route was just one of the many paths that linked Milan to the Stelvio Pass, which were gradually abandoned during the 19th century with the opening of the first military road between Milan and the Alps.
Sentiero del Viandante, the most beautiful stretches
The Sentiero del Viandante begins in Abbadia Lariana (easily reachable also by train, from Lecco and then from Milan, Como and Bergamo) next to the church of San Martino: the first stretch is all with a view of the Lario, and only from Mandello does the path go inlandwith a single detour to Genico which joins up just before the famous ravine of Bellano.
Following the distinction in 4 stages, even just for a day trip, the differences in level are contained: 360 meters from Abbadia to Lierna, 655 from Lierna to Varenna (but 800 if you choose the high variant), 460 from Varenna to Dervio and 595 in the last stage up to Piantedo.
The technical difficulty, on the scale of codified difficulties, is always between Tourist (T) and Hiking (E), therefore nothing that requires particular skills if not the usual dose of healthy common sense.
Leonardo da Vinci on the Wayfarer’s Path
In panoramas that can be admired are spectacular, and are the same ones that struck the eyes of Leonardo da Vinci, who wrote a lot about his wanderings between the Grigne and Valsassina looking for ideas for his paintings and a canal management system that allows reaching Milan from Switzerland along the waterways.
The idea of stretching the Sentiero del Viandante up to Lecco it is part of a larger project to link Milan and the San Bernardino in Switzerland, a new international walking itinerary of over 200 km which would represent a new slow and tourist link between Europe and our country.
The Wayfarer’s path: on foot or by mountain bike
In addition to walking the Sentiero del Viandante can also be traveled on a mountain bikefollowing the unmistakable orange trail on the numerous and amusing ups and downs: it goes without saying that since it is a mixed route, prudence and mutual respect are always necessary.
The best times of the year in which to walk the Sentiero del Viandante are undoubtedly therein spring and autumn, due to the particular colors that the local vegetation assumes and also due to the fact that the heat and sultriness are less oppressive than in summer.
And if the Sentiero del Viandante da Lecco is really ready for summer 2020, it will be possible get to the capital of Lecco with the MTB on the train (here the indications for traveling on local trains bringing your bicycle with you) and face the path from south to north.
Credits photo: FlickrCC Luca Casartelli
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