Our favourite hiking tours
Corno Bianco
Route: Wieslhof, Monte Campo, Ponte Nova, Ega, towards Carezza, Passo di Lavazè and on to Passo Oclini. Passo Oclini, the mountain saddle between Corno Nero and Corno Bianco, is the starting point for this easy summit hike. We begin from the car park and turn right, following the ‘H’ markings, over sloping meadows and, later, over a mountain pine forest up to the rock summit that opens up into a mighty canyon to the west. For the journey back, we can take the same mountain ridgeway. Sure-footed hikers and those with a head for heights can return by heading north, using climb number 5. At the crossroads, we take the path marked ‘H’ south and walk over meadows and pine forests back to the starting point. The Gurndinalm inn is a great place to make a pitstop. The main path in the mountain pine forest forks off to the right, and this diversion will lead you right there. You just have to try their Strauben, made with fruits of the forest… it’s delicious!
The “Stoanerne Mandlen”
From Bolzano, drive to San Genesio Atesino and on to Velasio, then turn right at the crossroads and, following the signs for “Jenesier Jöchl”, on to Campitello di Velasio. For a fee, you can park your vehicle in the car park there. Then, we hike to Giogo di San Genesio following the forest path towards “Putzerkreuz”. When we come to a crossroads, we turn left and take the steep path (marked number 5) and continue to the end of the forest path. We turn left again and carry on until we get to a forest crossroads where more signs are to be found. We want the one marked “Stoanerne Mandlen”. The climb leads us to a wooden fence, which we must climb over. Parallel to this fence, we walk on the Piani della Casera towards Stoanerne Mandln. While on the Piani della Casera, we’ll see the first rock formations, but we will have to traverse another small valley first (there’s a further 15 minutes or so before we get to the true Stoanerne Mandeln) and, after approx. 90 minutes, we’ll arrive at the Stoaneren Mandln summit cross. Court records for the year 1540 imply that a warlock named Manz used to perform satanic rituals and witches’ dances between the stone figures (this is what grandad always told us, anyway… he also said that the warlock was also able to conjure up terrible storms. It’s up to you whether you believe this!) In any event, the Madln truly are a magical place, well worth a visit all year round. It’s particularly pretty here now, as the Alpine roses are in bloom.
