Dolomites Delight

Twenty nine members of Evesham Rambling Club recently travelled to the Italian Dolomites for a ten-day walking holiday based in the town of Corvara. The trip leaders, Hazel and Paul Jennings, had prepared a mixture of walks to suit all abilities, frequently incorporating the numerous chairlifts and cable cars that surround this resort. Despite the first walks starting off in drizzle the mountain weather then remained warm and sunny and helped to show off the spectacular mountains that surround the resort.

Paul and Hazel, having visited the area on several occasions, were able to create a choice of two fantastic walks each day. Hazel led the shorter ones that were a little less demanding but nevertheless provided members with the opportunity to walk between mountain huts and enjoy the amazing vistas that the local peaks and valleys provided. Paul, meanwhile, led the second group on more demanding, high-level hikes, over rugged terrain, following narrow mountain paths that wound their way through spectacular rock formations including scaling a peak at 2640m.

Despite the demands of the walks there was always time to sit and enjoy a high-altitude picnic, kept company by Alpine Choughs. There were also opportunities to gather with fellow hikers at mountain huts and refuges and sample the local cuisine, including wholesome soups with sausages and delicious “Apfel Strudel” with vanilla sauce. The groups encountered signs of bears, were bitten by donkeys, visited pilgrimage chapels, viewed the Marmolada glacier (where tragically six people lost their lives in an avalanche in July) and admired the last of the flowers that still bloomed in the alpine meadows.

In the evenings members made use of the hotel spa and swimming pool to soothe aching muscles before gathering in the hotel lounge to discuss the events of the day and to be briefed on plans for the next walks. To end each day the party enjoyed a superb dinner in the hotel, where the staff were incredibly attentive and helpful.

In all the walking holiday will be recorded in the club archives as a tremendous success and reflects on the continued success of this thriving rambling club, which celebrates its founding seventy-five years ago this year.