Leonardo Marmiroli

Sentiero del Viandante

Every once in a while it is good to retrace one’s steps, in a physical sense.

Almost a year later, I decided to retrace the Wayfarer’s Path.

I had enjoyed it so much that I told myself I would do it again sometime.

 

That time came on 10th December 2023.

 

As I was organizing the hike on my own, I asked myself, why not propose this trek to the AEGEE youth as well?

I therefore shared this proposal with the Bergamo group’s board of directors, who agreed.

 

The initial idea I had was to do it from Dervio to Colico.

I later verified that we would be a bit tight on time; therefore, I opted to do only the last leg, from Dorio to Colico.

 

While posting the event on the various social channels, I saw the number of participants growing.

Initially, this did not cause me particular concern.

 

As the date approached, however, I felt a sense of unease; I felt responsible for the success of the trek.

I wondered if on the registration form I had listed everything needed for the trip, from personal equipment to the type of trail we would be going on.

 

All of this was a great test of getting out of my comfort zone.

You start by creating treks for yourself and then move on to organizing treks for others.

 

For a good outcome and to be personally more comfortable, I have noticed that it is helpful if not, with somewhat larger groups, essential to have already walked the path.

 

When I closed registration the number of participants was 13 people.

I have followed such a large group before, during the Urban Hiking this summer with the difference that I was the organizer but did not feel I was directly responsible.

Probably because it was an external collaboration, now that I am in the association I felt more responsible.

 

A few days before leaving I shared with the board the organization and timing of the day.

I have to thank Marianna and Davide a lot who supported me in the organization and the success of the trip.

On Sunday we met at the Bergamo station at 08:30, with the goal of catching the train at 09:00.

That way everyone could arrive and get their tickets, for those who had not yet taken them.

We also helped the boys get their train tickets.

Kids, who were almost all foreigners of different nationalities.

I was amazed at the trains we got on, they were all new trains, nice and spacious.

We arrived in Dorio at 11 o’clock, as organized.

The goal we set for ourselves was to start walking at 11:30.

As soon as we got off the train in Dorio, I noticed two new additions to the group.

Initially I thought, these are two girls who saw us on the train and want to join the trip.

Right away I learned that Martina and Alice know AEGEE, so, they heard about the initiative and wanted to join, but they went up to Lecco.

 

The difficult part of any marked trail is understanding where the trailhead is.

This stage start did not differentiate because there is no indication from the station.

 

On the one hand that seems fair because if the route does not go through the station, then you don’t have to put up signage.

On the other it was actually a bit complicated to get to the waypoint.

In addition, having never started from Dorio I could not rely on memory.

 

From Dorio we gained altitude immediately by climbing up Mount Piazzo, skirting a stream.

Once we reached the quaint village of Mondonico we continued on a stepped mule track that led us to the chapel of San Rocco.

This little church is not at the highest point of the trail but certainly at the most scenic spot.

 

Although the sky was a bit cloudy the view of the lake seemed spectacular.

On the other side of the lake the ever-present Monte Bregagno and the peaks of the Como and Swiss shores.

Covered in snow they were something magnificent.

This beautiful panorama accompanied us all along our route.

 

We arrived at the chapel around 12:15 pm.

Behind the shrine are picnic tables and a small drinking fountain.

An ideal place to stop for lunch.

 

Marianna and I consulted on what to do, whether to continue or eat on the spot.

The question also arose because on the way up we learned that there had been a fire in the industrial area of Colico.

So we considered different options whether to continue to Colico or to go down to Piona, a small hamlet of Colico, to take the train.

One aspect on which this trek was a testing time was the change of plans on the way.

I thought I would find myself less confident in changing goals during the trek.

I felt a sense of participation and was pleased to have to evaluate together with Marianna the different possibilities and finally make the decision.

 

We were inclined to stay and eat, given the hour as well.

Since we are democrats, we also asked the kids what they wanted to do.

 

Stay or go ahead and have lunch later.

Result: we ate our packed lunches while enjoying the view.

 

Almost completely unknowingly I ate standing up having in front of me the two tables on which we sat.

I found myself watching the boys eat lunch and it unlocked a memory of when I was a scout leader and watching the children eat.

 

It was a good moment to remember.

Thinking about both occasions still brings a smile to my face.

 

During lunch I got to talk with Simone, a very nice guy I had met before with whom it was really nice to chat.

He has many interests, but what struck me most was his interest in languages and where they come from.

 

During the lunch break I took the opportunity to climb the rocks just above the chapel to admire the view once more.

After resting for a while we resumed our walk.

 

The path from the little church climbs a little more until we reached the pass of Monte Piazzo.

Once we climbed the pass the panorama changes totally, crazily.

It is possible to admire the whole plain of Pian di Spagna, the beginning of Val Chiavenna, Val Codera and the first part of Valtellina.

Looking a little higher, you can see the snow-covered peaks surrounding to the lake and on the right the beautiful Mount Legnone, also whitewashed.

 

We were able to admire this spectacle from the Pass to the end of the trek in Piona.

 

From the Pass we descended along the trail to arrive first at Perdonasco and then at the village of Sparesée.

The village, it seemed to me, had the appearance of being a commune.

Simone and I shared the same thought.

 

From here the trail passes the quaint and isolated little church of Madonna dei Monti, then becomes a cemented road.

You continue down some hairpin bends, in the middle of the forest.

 

Forest that, as you know, really fascinates me at this time.

For the colors and the tranquility it can give.

 

 

 

After finishing the forest we came out in Posallo, a locality in the municipality of Colico.

I find the name of the locality nice.

 

From here the view with the sunset over the lake was something special and magnificent.

Truly exceptional.

 

 

 

From Posallo the Wayfarer’s Path diverts towards Colico, instead we left it and descended towards Piona.

 

 

Along the way there are several farms, at one of them the boys wanted to stop and get some cheese.

I took the opportunity to chat with the Turkish girls and pet a dog on the farm.

 

 

 

After this stop with Marianna we told each other to avoid stopping further.

We were starting to get tired and cold.

 

 

 

One treat we saw on the way to Piona was a giant swing created with timbers so that it looked like huge pencils and the seat a pencil eraser.

 

 

When we arrived in Piona we immediately went in search of a bar where we could get a chocolate and warm up.

On our first attempt we found a campground bar on the lakefront but it was closed.

 

 

 

We therefore headed into the village where we found a bar whose owners welcomed us really well.

 

They were very kind and helpful.

In this little bar we were able to rest and warm up nicely at the end of our trek.

I enjoyed the chocolate and felt really refreshed.

We were also joined here by Lara, a girl from AEGEE who wanted to join us in Piona

In Piona there is a very small station that I particularly liked because it seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, and to get there we had to take a little path that led us directly to the platform.

 

Without doing it on purpose on the train we sat in the seats for four, me Simone Marianna and Lara.

It was very nice and funny because we started talking about more and less, making jokes without stopping laughing.

 

I wrote a sentence in the travel diary of the Wayfarer’s Path trek I did in January this year.

If I went back, I would do the last leg again more quietly, because it was the most beautiful because of the landscapes I encountered.

 

And indeed it was.

I really enjoyed every moment of this trek and I am extremely satisfied.

I am once again convinced that there is a direct relationship between personal fatigue and the success of an event.

Suffice it to say that I arrived home exhausted but would do it again today.

 

I would like to thank all the fellow travelers on this trek, from the first to the last.

Thank you,

Leonardo Marmiroli