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The second warning concerns vipers (or adders): smallish light grey snakes with a diamond-patterned back. Their bite can be fatal, particularly for children and the elderly, but it is extremely rare. Although widespread, especially in abandoned pasture and old huts, they are timid creatures that slither away very quickly if they consider themselves to be in danger. Snakes only attack if threatened, so if you meet one – on a path for example, where it is probably sunning itself and may be lethargic – give it ample time and room to move away. In the unlikely circumstance that someone is bitten, seek help immediately, keep the person calm and bandage the affected area.

The landmark church at San Cipriano (Walk 35)

Protected areas

Set up in 1993, the vast Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi (www.dolomitipark.it) spreads across rugged ranges in the southernmost Dolomites. Around the same time, as local administrations became more environmentally enlightened, the Dolomiti d’Ampezzo park (www.dolomitiparco.com) appeared in the Cortina district. Both are now making up for lost time with excellent education programmes, forest and wildlife management and path upkeep. Earlier, a host of parchi naturali had been established under the regional jurisdiction of the financially autonomous Trentino-Alto Adige region. The first – the Sesto Dolomites, Fanes-Sennes-Braies, Puez-Odle and Sciliar (see www.provincia.bz.it/natura and click on Parchi naturali) – were followed by Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino www.parcopan.org and Adamello-Brenta www.pnab.it.