Description

This relaxing walk, in the heart of the Valley of Lòzen, is ideal in the mid-seasons for itss contrasts and colors and partly coincides with the thematic trails “Craspamagna” and “Sentiero delle Erbe,” the latter in the opposite direction of this itinerary.

The walk starts from the village of Zortea (1,027 m asl), just before the apse of the church, going uphill along the small road of the Signpost No. 390 towards Malga Fólga / Forcella di Valsórda, in an initial steeper section that then softens, entering the forest after leaving the last houses of the village behind.

The hike proceeds always on the paved road, gently climbing, between isolated farmsteads and mixed woods, passing near the remaining terraces of the Italian Military Hospital, active during the Great War, until it reaches the crossroads of the gravel road (1,173 m asl) by the hut named Maso Santa Romina, in the location of Pianazzi, where you continue flat on the road that crosses the beautiful meadows with typical buildings and votive capitals. At this point it is also possible to shorten the route by descending to the right toward the Santa Romina chapel.

A beautiful votive shrine with depictions of God the Father, Our Lady of the Rosary and Saints, which has lost some of its original plaster, stands out. In the center of it, there are depictions of Our Lady and Child surrounded by St. Anthony of Padua and – possibly – Mary. In the niche to the left are St. Peter and St. Matthew. 

The road becomes unpaved and, past a bridge over the Rio Fólga, reaches the last hamlet before entering the woods. Shortly after, the itinerary turns right, on a path that descends to the towards S and quickly leads to the meadows of the location of Lòzen.

From the meadows, the route continues following the gravel road, parallel to and at a short distance from the main road SP 239. Then, the route takes the paved road to the right toward the N that climbs along the coast toward a group of houses (Masi al Lòzen), reaching the beautiful chapel of Santa Romina.

Just in front of the chapel, a path descends (thematic path “Sentiero delle Erbe”) that creeps into the meadow and continues into the forest where, after an abandoned building at Pose della Val (1,140 m asl) the tree called Acero del Lòzen stands. The tree belongs to the Plant Monuments of Trentino, preserving trees often several centuries old, protected as Keepers of Time by the Province.

The itinerary then proceeds downhill on the wide path until it reaches the location of Valline de Sóra, where the path crosses the SP 239 road and continues – after a stretch under the road bridge – in a comfortable descent on a nice path between dry stone walls. From here, after passing by the side of greenhouses for the cultivation of small fruits, in the location of Valline de Sót you reach again the SP 239 road, which you then follow to the right for about a kilometer until you return to the starting point in the village of Zortea, passing through the group of houses of the location of Murèri.

Paths

• From the village of Zortea (1,027 m asl), ascend along the small road of the Signpost No. 390 toward Malga Fólga / Forcella di Valsórda,
• At the crossroads of the gravel road (1,173 m asl), by the hut of Santa Romina (location of Pianazzi), continue flat on the road, cross the bridge over Rio Fólga and arrive at the next hamlet,
• Past the hamlet, take the path that descends to the right heading S, that quickly leads to the meadows of Lòzen; continue following the gravel road parallel to the paved main road SP 239, then turn onto the paved road to the right (N) and reach the hamlet named Masi al Lòzen with the Santa Romina chapel,
• From the chapel of Santa Romina, descend along the path toward Zortea, crossing the SP 239 road and reaching the hamlet of Valline de Sot,
• From Valline de Sot, follow the main paved road to the right until you reach the starting point, in Zortea. ✓

References

• Provincia Autonoma di Trento Servizio Foreste e fauna (2006). CUSTODI DEL TEMPO dalle radici del Trentino – pag. 47. Provincia Autonoma di Trento.

Links

• Ecomuseo del Vanoi: https://www.ecomuseo.vanoi.it/