The Three Peaks

2018 Like our High Dolomites walk, this adventure also took place in the Alto-Adige region of the Dolomites. While the scenery was not as dramatic as in the High Dolomites, it was still very pleasant walking at lower altitudes through the meadows and valleys. That is until we reached the Alta or Upper Pusteria, the home of the legendary three pinnacles, Tre Cime di Laverado, which are in the Sesto Dolomites. These pinnacles, and the superb mountain scenery surrounding them were highlights of our Dolomite sojourn and a fitting place to end our adventure. While our walk was self-guided, it was organised through Inn Travel which provided walking notes (which were excellent), luggage transport and accommodation (https://www.inntravel.co.uk/).

Our walk started at a very small village of Maria Saleen with our first warm up day being a casual downhill stroll past the Castel Michele and into the nearby town of San Lorenzo di Sebato which is often called the gateway to the Dolomites (Day 1)

St Lorenzo town square

Coffee break on the square

St Lorenzo church

Interesting tablets/headstones (?) on the outside of the church

A road transfer took us to Valdaora di Sopra and the start of the 13 km walk for Day 2. The highlight for the day was climbing the rocky Kuhwiesenkopf (2144 m) before heading downhill to reach the beautiful Lago di Braies, and our overnight stop in the Hotel Lago di Braies.

The first sign of the azure waters of Lago di Braies

Getting closer

Water station...for cows

The Hotel Lago di Braies

Lago di Braies, what a magical place...pity its being overrun by thousands of tourists

From Lago di Braies to Lago di Dobbiaco. Derelict hotel in Villabassa, just before it started to rain (Day 3, 17.5 km)

Lago Dobbiaco

Hotel Baur am See right on the edge of Lago Dobbisco. The one family have owned the hotel for generations.

Lake Dobbiaco swans

We caught a bus to Rifugio Auronza high in the alps with the aim of walking around the apparently awe-inspiring Tre Cime di Laverado (The Three Peaks). Arriving at the Cappella degli Alpini (Alpine Chapel) it did not seem as though we would be seeing much at all (Day 4, 15.5 km)

The Dolomites were contested territory in the First World War with the Italians fighting the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A number of graves of what could be assumed to be soldiers from this period are dotted around the chapel.

In memory of Paul Grohmann. He was a famous Austrian mountaineer of the 19th Century. His feats included the scaling of the 4 highest peaks in the Dolomites in 1862.

Rifugio Lavaredo at 2444 m.

Heading towards Rifugio Locatelli

Rifugio Locatelli, a welcome apparition appearing out of the mist. Great coffee and apple strudel. Even better was that the clouds began to lift.

Chiesetta Alpina, above Rifugio Locatelli

Mountain Hut near Rif. Locatelli

Heading back to Rifugio Auronzo, hopefully with mountain views

Awe inspiring

Our first views of Tre Cime di Laverado (The Three Peaks). The middle peak (Cime Grande) is the highest at 2999 m (3000 m would have been close enough you would have thought).

A well earnt break for lunch, Les, Jo, Jo and Neal

Looking back from where we had come with Rifugio Locatelli on the right

Amazing rock formations as we approached Rifugio Auronzo

Lunch with a view. Day 5 (19.5 km) was spent walking between pretty villages along the valley floor from Lago Dobbiaco to Moso. We were geographically embarrassed for a short period but eventually ended up at the right village and hotel.

Moso village in the valley. On the last day of our walk we took a cable car from the town of Sesto to explore the crest of the Carniche Alps. This was not difficult walking although it did get a bit cold. There were beautiful views across the valley to the section of the Dolomites where we had been previously walking.