It was a quiet evening in Cortina dโAmpezzo. We chatted with our German neighbour for a while. His Hymer the same year as ours but a slightly different model. He was a lovely old fellow with excellent english. Having had his Hymer since new, he told me they donโt travel as far as they used too. Mostly trips into the mountains of Austria, Italy and German he tells me. He tells me his Hymer is like him getting a bit old.
Anyway we wake to a change in the weather. The mountains surrounding Cortina dโAmpezzo are now shrouded in cloud. We had hope to take the Col Druscie gondola (3,200m) this morning. The situation hasnโt changed by the time we finish breakfast, so we decide on a walk up to the gondola station to check the weather on top. Whilst we enjoyed the walk around town the girl at the gondola station tells us, itโs a white out up top and the forecast is more of the same.
So back to the Hymer we pack up, say goodbye to our neighbour and set the GPS for Cinque Torri (5 Peaks).
Departing Cortina dโAmpezzo the road climbs steeply for the next 10 klms.
Thereโs the odd challenge as well.
We find the right car-park and chairlift (no signs). Check the weather at the top station and pay our โฌ8.40
Up we go to 2800m. The return journy is โฌ12.60, but our plan is (sort of) to visit the open-air museum then walk back down.
The Lonely Planet recommends the Cirque Torri for a walking visit. In the heart of the Dolomites is was once the front line of a long and ferocous battle during WW1. As a result there are numerous walking trails around the mountain top.
Another view from top station, the weather changes every few minutes, but no rain.
We walk across to the open air museum, there is maze of old trenches, gun pits and artillery emplacements. There are 5 klms of it, but we only walk a 2 klm loop.
Mock ups of various things are scattered around the mountain top. Lots of information panels in English help as we were unaware of its history.
Pam become very attached to the rope ballestrades after a few of these stairs.
A reconstruction of a covered trench.
Despite the limited visability the views across the Dolomites are amazing.
After an hour or so scurrying around the top of the mountain, we start the long walk down. About 5 klms looping around the mountain back to the car-park. The going is a little steep and slow in parts and it takes us about 2 hours to get down.
From the car-park in Cirque Torri, we drive on to the village of Arabba. Whilst its not that far the road is steep and winding, so itโs almost an hour to the sosta. Best of all the pay machine is taped up and our overnight stay with services is free.
After todayโs long mountain walk, we decide on dinner out. Walking up town we stop at a restuarant and decide we have walked far enough. Pam gives the home made soup a go, I have a pizza the size of a Fiat 500. The local beer and wine is just fine. Pam gets a take away (home made) strudel, so her sweet tooth gets the final say for day.
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