This week, here's an idea for spending a day hiking and enjoying good food. Your excursion on Mount Baldo starts out in Malcesine with the Baldo cableway, which will take you to the peak at 1752 meters in altitude.
You might want to choose a day during the week for this excursion because on the weekend there may be a line waiting to take the Malcesine cableway.
For prices, information, request and time schedule, check this link: http://www.lagodigardamagazine.com.
Once you reach the peak, you'll realize the incredible hiking options that are available on this fantastic mountain.

Today, we're presenting a long trail that will take you to the intermediate station in San Michele. This excursion is recommended for late spring and summer because there could still be snow in many sections, which make the trail more difficult. The route is the famous Ventrar trail, which is relatively easy, but since there are a few exposed stretches, it is recommended for experienced hikers.

Info about the Ventrar Trail:

• Altimetry: 1682 m. descent
• Time: 3 hr 30 min
• Trail marker: 651 - 3
• Maps: Kompass 691 Monte Baldo Nord - Kompass 102 Lago di Garda - Lake Garda
• Difficulty: E (The very easy trail flanks tall rocky walls and has no hazards although it is exposed in a few stretches).

To reach the Ventrar Trail, take the Malcesine cableway to Bocca Tratto Spino, which is at an altitude of 1752 meters. Follow the unpaved road and you'll head north on the eastern side of the "la Colma" ridge. After a twenty-minute descent, a CAI trail marker to your left will indicate the start of the Ventrar Trail (Sentiero del Ventrar), which is very visible and has steep dolomite rock walls above and below it. Now comes the most interesting part of the hike. This exciting open trail, which is well-marked and well-trodden, ascends and descends amid crags and gullies, skirting the many rocky cliffs of "la Colma" ridge (1750 meters in altitude) facing north.

Once the last rocky cliff of "La Colma" is passed, the trail veers west to the splendid "i Prai" grazing meadows. Heading towards Malcesine, you'll reach the "Kira refuge" (with refreshments and meals). After you pass the S. Valentino (Saint Valentine's) capital, you'll descend to "Il Signor", an unusual colonnade covering a long paved mule trail that leads to the enchanting S. Michele hill where the intermediate cableway station stands (2.5 hours are needed to get here).

You have two options:

• take the cableway to return to Malcesine
• continue on foot to Malcesine, following several well-marked trails west of the cableway that will take you to the "panoramic road" just north of Passo Campiano. At this point, you can follow signs for Paièr or for Val dei Scalaroi, both of which take you to Malcesine (1 hour from S. Michele).

Once you reach Malcesine, you have a date with the "da Umberto" restaurant right in the port of the lovely town of Castelletto, which is the perfect way to close the day with marvelous views of Lake Garda. So, sit back and relax on the terrace as the waiter advises you on the day's menu. Whether you choose the lake fish menu, seafood menu, or meat menu, the quality is guaranteed at this beautiful, inviting restaurant with fabulous views and a breathtaking sunset on Lake Garda that you won't want to miss. Just remember to make a reservation and...enjoy your meal! Ristorante da Umberto, Castelletto di Brenzone, phone: 0457430388.

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Texts:
Franco Codogni - franco@lagodigardamagazine.com
Prealpiveronesi.it