Читать книгу Shorter Walks in the Dolomites. 50 varied day walks in the mountains онлайн

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Rounding the lake’s corner for the northward leg, you soon find yourself in light deciduous wood beneath the rocky mass of the Piccolo Apostolo. You reach a modest waterfall, then a series of steps and raised timber walkways lead round a picturesque rocky point below the Grande Apostolo, to give a lovely view over the lake.

The path round Lago di Braies

Soon, the path loops round a slender outreached finger of shallow marshy backwater edged by thick yellow marsh marigolds. You then pass the landing stage with rowing boats before returning to Hotel Lago di Braies (1494m). As a suitable follow-up, either embark on an exploratory scull over the water in one of the lovely hire boats, or treat yourself to tea or an aperitif in the hotel garden.

WALK 2

Rifugio Biella and Croda del Becco

Start/FinishHotel Lago di BraiesDistance16.5km/10.2 milesAscent/Descent950m (add an extra 450m for Croda del Becco)Grade2 (Grade 3 for Croda del Becco)Time5hr 30min (add 2hr for Croda del Becco)MapsTabacco n.031 scale 1:25,000AccessSee Walk 1

If an excursion is made to Ausser Brags, a noble view is presented of the massive square-edged wall of the See Kofel, impending over a small lake, and rising to a height of 9,200 feet. Its upper beds belong to the Jura formation, and are stained with red, as are portions of many of the neighbouring peaks. Its dark form, as seen from Cortina, when backed by storm clouds, looks marvellously like a gigantic elephant uprearing itself.