Читать книгу Through the Italian Alps. The GTA - The Grande Traversata delle Alpi онлайн

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Timing given in stage headings does not include extra time for resting, taking photographs, responding to the call of nature or indulging in picnics, so be flexible and always allow for extra when planning the day. Groups cannot expect to travel faster than the pace of their slowest member.

Ascent/descent or height gain and loss, ie how much you climb and drop during the walk, is given in metres above sea level, and abbreviated as ‘m’. In the Alps overall metres ascended and descended in a given day is of much greater significance than distance as it indicates how strenuous the route is. On moderately steep terrain it takes 1hr on average to ascend 300m (approx 1000ft) or descend 500m.

Distance is given in both kilometres and miles, intended only as a rough indicator of the length of each stage.

Difficulty on a scale of 1–3 is given to grade the stages of the trek:

 Grade 1: a straightforward footpath with a moderate slope, suitable for all walkers.

 Grade 2: fairly strenuous but not especially difficult.