Published: 23 Feb 2021 Edition: First Pages: 192 Size: 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.2cm
Weight: 220g Alta Via 1 through the Italian Pennine Alps : Beneath Mont Blanc,
the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa Italy's Alta Via 1, a 180km trail through the
Italian Alps following the northern flank of the Aosta Valley, boasts
magnificent views of the Alpine giants: Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, the Grand
Combin and Monte Rosa. Indeed, it is sometimes known as the Giants' Trail and
can be combined with a sister-route, the Alta Via 2 (covered in a separate
Cicerone guide), which runs along the southern flank of the valley, to form the
Tor des Geants. Stretching from Donnas to Courmayeur, the Alta Via 1 offers
fantastic alpine walking, with welcoming refuges and small hotels providing
overnight accommodation (and great food) along the way. The guide presents the
route in two sections, for the advantage of those who can't spare the full
fortnight-plus needed to walk the entire AV1. The trail is described in 16
stages, with alternative stages covering some popular variants, including an
optional detour to visit the famed monastery at the Great St Bernard Pass. Each
stage includes clear route description and mapping, plus notes on local points
of interest and accommodation options. An alternative itinerary, list of useful
contacts, kitlist and glossary can be found in the appendices. The AV1 crosses
cols of nearly 3000m as it traverses the side-valleys of the main Aosta Valley.
Suited to those with some of experience of alpine trekking, the walking is
demanding but without technical difficulty. And the rewards are many: quieter
huts, breathtaking vistas and a chance to immerse yourself in fabulous mountain
landscapes overlooked by soaring, snow-clad giants.