Description

Join Martin Warren & Yiannis Christofides for a leisurely (mainly walking) week in one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes found anywhere in the world for its rich Alpine flora and colourful palette of butterflies!

The Dolomites are a distinctive and beautiful area that takes its name from the crystalline magnesium limestone rocks that make up the peaks that tower vertically above the valleys. The shape of these mountains is unique having risen out of the sea around 250 million years ago. Ice and wind modelled the rocks creating the steep walls, towering spires and pinnacles typical of these mountains which have always been a source of wonder and a favourite destination of rock climbers. The crevices hold a distinctive flora of magnesium loving plants.

The holiday is based in the Val di Fassa, in the village of Campitello. Valle di Fassa lies in the north-east part of Trentino on the borders of the province of Bolzano and Belluno. The river Avisio flows through the valley and it is surrounded by the most spectacular and famous Dolomite peaks, such as the Sella Group, Sassolungo, and the Catinaccio with the Torri del Vajolet and the Marmolada. The Val di Fassa is one of the places of the area where Ladin, the oldest language in the Alpine region is still spoken. At our very hospitable  hotel we shall sample the local and Italian cuisine.

This year the holiday will be in July to see the later-flowering plants and also to see more of the butterflies such as the beautiful and iconic Apollo, Mazarine Blue, Alpine Heath and Alpine Ringlets. Heath and Titania’s Fritillaries should be on the wing too.

From our base in pretty Campitello we shall explore the valleys of the area on day-long but easy walks and to visit a number of different habitats. Extensive meadows surround the village and we shall see many beautiful and colourful plants  such as Lilium bulbiferum  and a number of interesting orchids including   Orchis ustulata (Burnt orchid), Nigritella nigra (Black vanilla orchid) and Traunsteinera globosa (Round-headed orchid).

Taking the cable car up to Col Rodella and to Ciampac we shall explore the higher alpine areas where we shall see Potentilla nitida, Leontopodium alpinun,  Paederota bonarota and  Eritrichium nanum, the King of the Alps.