A Short Hike to Cinque Laghi, Above Valgoglio

Overview | Details | Flora

Upper Left: Approaching Capanna Lago Nero under ominous skies.
Upper Right: Trail (sentiero) 268 with our starting and stopping point.
Lower Left: [Crassulaceae] Sempervivum montanum- Mountain Houseleek (Semprevivo montano).
Lower Middle: [Lamiaceae] Ajuga pyramidalis – Pyramidal Bugle (Iva piramidale).
Lower Right: [Lentibulariaceae] Pinguicula vulgaris – Common Butterwort (Erba unta comune).

Overview

Length: 8 km (5 mi)
Duration: 5.5 hours total, with 45 minute lunch break at Capanna Lago Nero
Elevation: 1200 m (3,937 ft) @ start/end of hike at Ristoro Cinque Laghi; 1,997 m (6,551 ft) @ Capanna Lago Nero – highest point
Location: Italy, Lombardy, Bergamo, Alta Val Seriana

Details

Today’s hike to Cinque Laghi (Five Lakes) followed sentiero 268. We started higher and ended sooner than the respective start and end of the trail as documented on the CAI site. A loop around the lakes is a considered one of the classic hikes of Bergamo. However, we were hiking in a group of six and most of the group didn’t want to continue farther on the trail or go for a loop around the lakes due to the threat of rain and the desire to leave early to avoid valley traffic.  Therefore, Travelmarx was overruled and hence “short” in this post’s title. For what we didn’t get to do in terms of length was certainly made up with interesting flowers we saw.

To be precise, our turnaround point was Capanna Lago Nero @ 1997 m (6552 ft), which is on the little lake, Lago Canali. We sat outside and ate sandwiches prepared with cheese from our Parafulmine hike two days earlier. But we were still hungry and ordered polenta with melted cheese (polenta con formaggio alla piastre) and a simple pasta dish. Everything tastes better after hiking.

This hike is dominated by the large pipe that transports water from the alpine lakes to the hydroelectric plant in the valley, Centrale Enel Di Aviasco, which produces energy for about 10,000 homes. According to the Bergamo Post, only two of the lakes (Lago Nero and Lago Aviasco) are used to produce energy. During the hike, you pass over and under the pipe several times. In Italian, the pipe is referred to as a condotta forazata.

Valgoglio is a small town in the upper part of the Val Seriana in the province of Bergamo. The town sits at the lower end of the Valle del Goglio, on the Goglio river. The sentiero 268 officially starts in Valgoglio. We drove on further up the valley to get on sentiero 268 at Ristoro dei Cinque Laghi, in the locale Bortolotti.

Flora

As usual, we used the resources listed in the post Resources for Identifying Plants around Bergamo for helping figure out what is what. If we had to give an accuracy score for our identifications, we say about 95% accurate for species and 98% for genus.

Key: [Family] Genus species – Common name in English (Common name in Italian)

[Asparagaceae] Paradisea liliastrum – St Bruno’s Lily (Giglio di monte)

[Boraginaceae] Myosotis – Forget Me Not (Nontiscordardimè)

[Campanulaceae] Phyteuma hemisphaericum­ – Globe Headed Rampion (Raponzolo alpino)

• A Phyteuma definitely, but which one is a kind of hard to know. P. hemispheericum is more common and is found at slightly lower elevations. For these reasons, we went with P. hemisphaericum.

[Crassulaceae] Sempervivum montanum- Mountain Houseleek (Semprevivo montano)

[Ericaceae] Rhododendron ferrugineum – Alpenrose (Rododendro rosso)

[Fabaceae] Laburnum anagyroides – Common Laburnum (Maggiociondolo)

[Gentinanaceae] Gentiana clusii – Trumpet Gentian (Genziana di Clusius)

• Based on absence of green inside of corolla.

[Lamiaceae] Ajuga pyramidalis – Pyramidal Bugle (Iva piramidale)

[Lentibulariaceae] Pinguicula vulgaris – Common Butterwort (Erba unta comune)

[Orchidaceae] Dactylorhiza maculata – Spotted Heath Orchid (Orchide macchiata)

[Orchidaceae] Orchis mascula – Early Purple Orchid (Orchide maschio)

[Polygalaceae] Polygala chamaebuxus – Shrubby Milkwort (Poligala falso bosso)

[Primulaceae] Primula daonensis – (Primula della Valle di Daone)

[Ranunculaceae] Pulsatilla alpina – Alpine Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla alpina)

[Rosaceae] Sanguisorba spp. – Burnet (Salvastrella) [just leaves]

[Thymelaeaceae] Daphne striata – Striped Daphne (Dafne striata)

[Violaceae] Viola biflora – Yellow Violet (Viola con due fiori)


Left: An ant nest on trail 268. We saw many in the forested part of the hike. Center Left: An ant on a gentian flower. Center Right: Two moths mating. Right: A spider protecting her brood?


Left and Center Left: [Asparagaceae] Paradisea liliastrum – St Bruno’s Lily (Giglio di monte). Center Right: [Boraginaceae] Myosotis – Forget Me Not (Nontiscordardimè). Right: A spider on an [Asteraceae] Centaurea flower bud.


Left: [Crassulaceae] Sempervivum montanum- Mountain Houseleek (Semprevivo montano). Center: [Ericaceae] Rhododendron ferrugineum – Alpenrose (Rododendro rosso). Right: [Fabaceae] Laburnum anagyroides – Common Laburnum (Maggiociondolo).


Left: [Gentinanaceae] Gentiana clusii – Trumpet Gentian (Genziana di Clusius). Center: [Lentibulariaceae] Pinguicula vulgaris – Common Butterwort (Erba unta comune). Right: [Polygalaceae] Polygala chamaebuxus – Shrubby Milkwort (Poligala falso bosso).

Left: [Orchidaceae] Dactylorhiza maculata – Spotted Heath Orchid (Ochide macchiato). Center:
[Orchidaceae] Orchis mascula – Early Purple Orchid (Orchide maschio). Right: [Lamiaceae] Ajuga pyramidalis – Pyramidal Bugle (Iva piramidale).

Left: [Ranunculaceae] Pulsatilla alpina – Alpine Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla alpina). Center: [Violaceae] Viola biflora – Yellow Violet (Viola con due fiori). Right: Detail of [Rosaceae] Sanguisorba spp. – Burnet (Salvastrella) leaf.


Left and Center Left: [Primulaceae] Primula daonensis – (Primula della Valle di Daone). Center Right and Right: [Thymelaeaceae] Daphne striata – Striped Daphne (Dafne striata).


All three photos: [Campanulaceae] Phyteuma hemisphaericum­ – Globe Headed Rampion (Raponzolo alpino).


Left: Pasta at Capanna Lago Nero. Center Left: Polenta with melted cheese (polenta con formaggio alla piastre). Center Right and Right: Signs along trail 268 to Cinque Laghi.


Scenes from the trail 268 with the ever-present water pipe bringing water from two of the alpine lakes down to the Valgoglio hydroelectric plant in the valley.


Views from the trail 268. Left: Looking down to the valley. Center: The ENEL village. Right: Start of the hike at Ristoro dei Cinque Laghi.

Monte Farno, Pizzo Formico, Rifugio Parafulmine and Back

Overview | Details | Flora

Upper Left: A Cow Grazing on Monte Farno with Roccolo del Moret in the background. Upper Right: GPS tracks of the hike to Rifugio Parafulmine. Lower Left: Astrantia major - Great Masterwort. Lower Right: A Green Dock Beetle on Knautia.

Overview

Length: 10.25 km (6.4 mi)
Duration: 4 hours total, with 45 minute lunch break at Rifugio Parafulmine
Elevation: 1200 m (3,937 ft) @ start/end of hike near Monte Farno; 1,636 m (5,367 ft) @ Pizzo Formico – highest point
Location: Italy, Lombardy, Bergamo Province, Val Seriana

Details

Our first hike of the season takes us 25 minutes by car outside of Bergamo for a return visit to the area above Gandino called the conca del Farno. We were last here in July 2017, described in the post A Hike from Clusone to Rifugio Parafulmine. For the 2017 hike, we used buses to get back and forth to Bergamo. This time we caught a ride with a friend. The way we did it today is in fact the more common way to hike this area. To arrive, you drive up to Monte Farno area, park and then start walking. There are several parking areas. This being a weekday with hardly anybody there, we were able to park in the uppermost lot, just after the Chiesa della Madonna Addolorata al Monte Farno and just before Ristorante Monte Farno.

In this hike we made a clockwise loop, following the crest trail (sentiero 542) and coming back on lower trail/road (sentiero 545). At Rifugio Parafulmine (1536 m), there was no stinco di maiale (pork shank) today, but we consoled ourselves with a homemade formaggella (cheese). We had been thinking about that stinco for one year and now we’ll just have to come back.

On today’s hike, we really noticed the Roccolo del Moret, perhaps because we approached from below whereas last time (in 2017) we came from above and didn’t notice it. It is quite hidden when you are above it.

Finally, two language notes. Formico is pronounced with the stress on the -o.  It’s a word with the tonic stress on the third-from-last syllable which we’ve discussed ad nauseam here. In the Bergamasco dialect, Pizzo Formico is Péz Fürmiga. And, the name of the rifugio parafulmine means lightening rod. You wouldn't want get caught in this exposed meadow in a storm.


Views of the trail from left to right: 1. Approaching Pizzo Formico. 2. Passing through some grazing cows. 3. Roccolo del Moret from below. 4. Start of the hike with meadow and flowers. 5.  Roccolo del Moret on the hill. 6. Below Rifugio Parafulmine, view back toward Monte Farno.

Flora

When we were here in July 2017, the meadows making up the conca del Farno were starting to turn brown. Today, a month or so earlier in the season, we found the meadows very green and filled with flowers. Here’s a list of some of the plants we saw that also have a photo included in this post.

For help identifying plant on hikes around Bergamo, see the post Resources for Identifying Plants around Bergamo.

Key: [Family] Genus species – Common name in English (Common name in Italian)

[Apiaceae] Astrantia major – Great Masterwort (Astranzia maggiore)

[Apiacaea] Mutellina adonidifolia – Alpine Lovage (Motellina con foglie di adonide)

[Asteraceae] Cirsium erisithales – Yellow Thistle (Cardo zampa d'orso)

[Campanulaceae] Phyteuma scheuchzeri – Oxford Rampion (Raponzolo di Scheuchzer).

• This could be one of several genus of Phyteuma, but I’m going with scheuchzeri because it most closely matched bloom time and elevation criteria.

[Caryophyllaceae] Silene vulgaris – Bladder Campion (Silene rigonfia)

[Fabaceae] Anthyllis vulneraria – Lady’s Fingers (Vulneraria)

[Fabaceae] Laburnum anagyroides – Common Laburnum (Maggiociondolo)

• According to Fiori delle Orobie (references), common Laburnum rarely goes about 1200 m. We saw this just slightly above 1200 m. We’ll go with common Laburnum rather than L. alpinum or alpine Laburnum. A close inspection of young branches and leaves could have resolved it, but I didn’t look.

[Fabaceae] Trifolium montanum – Mountain Clover (Trifoglio montano)

[Lamiaceae] Clinopodium alpinum – Alpine Calamint (Acino alpino, Santoreggia alpina)

[Lamiaceae] Prunella vulgaris – Common Self-Heal (Prunella commune)

[Lamiaceae] Stachys alopecuros – White Betony (Betonica bianca)

[Lamiaceae] Thymus serpyllum – Wild Thyme (serpillo)

[Orchidaceae] Cephalanthera longifolia – Narrow-leaved Helleborine (Cefalantera maggiore)

[Orchidaceae] Dactylorhiza maculata – Heath-Spotted Orchid (Orchide macchiata)

[Orchidaceae] Gymnadenia conopsea – Fragrant Orchid (Manina rosa)

[Orobanchaceae] Pedicularis spp. – Lousewort (Pediculare)

[Orobanchaceae] Rhinanthus alectorolphus - Greater Yellow Rattle (Cresta di gallo comune)

[Plantaginaceae] Globularia cordifolia – Matted Globularia (Vedovella a foglie cordate)

[Polygonaceae] Persicaria bistorta – Common Bistort (Poligono bistorta)

[Polygalaceae] Polygala spp. – Milkwort (Poligala)

[Ranunculaceae] Trollius eruopaeus – Globeflower (Botton d’oro)

[Rosaceae] Rosa pendulina – Alpine Rose (Rosa alpina)

[Saxifragaceae] Saxifraga spp., possibly S. mutata

[Scrophulariaceae] Verbascum – Mullein (Verbasco)




Left: [Caryophyllaceae] Silene vulgaris – Bladder Campion (Silene rigonfia). Center: [Fabaceae] Trifolium montanum – Mountain Clover (Trifoglio montano). Right: [Rosaceae] Rosa pendulina – Alpine Rose (Rosa alpina).


Left and Center: [Fabaceae] Laburnum anagyroides – Common Laburnum (Maggiociondolo)
Right: [Ranunculaceae] Trollius eruopaeus – Globeflower (Botton d’oro)


Left: [Lamiaceae] Clinopodium alpinum – Alpine Calamint (Acino alpino, Santoreggia alpina)
Center: [Plantaginaceae] Globularia cordifolia – Matted Globularia (Vedovella a foglie cordate)
Right: Lousewort and Lady's Mantle


Left: [Lamiaceae] Prunella vulgaris – Common Self-Heal (Prunella commune)
Center: [Lamiaceae] Thymus serpyllum – Wild Thyme (serpillo)
Right: [Campanulaceae] Phyteuma scheuchzeri 


Left: [Orchidaceae] Cephalanthera longifolia – Narrow-leaved Helleborine (Cefalantera maggiore)
Center: [Orchidaceae] Dactylorhiza maculata – Heath-Spotted Orchid (Orchide macchiata)

Left: [Polygonaceae] Persicaria bistorta – Common Bistort (Poligono bistorta)


Left: [Orchidaceae] Gymnadenia conopsea – Fragrant Orchid (Manina rosa)
Right: [Fabaceae] Anthyllis vulneraria – Lady’s Fingers (Vulneraria)


Various [Orobanchaceae] Pedicularis spp. – Lousewort (Pediculare). Purple, white, and yellow. 



Left: [Scrophulariaceae] Verbascum – Mullein (Verbasco)
Center: [Asteraceae] Cirsium erisithales – Yellow Thistle (Cardo zampa d'orso)
Right: [Orobanchaceae] Rhinanthus alectorolphus - Greater Yellow Rattle (Cresta di gallo comune)


Left: [Polygalaceae] Polygala spp. – Milkwort (Poligala)
Right: [Apiacaea] Mutellina adonidifolia – Alpine Lovage (Motellina con foglie di adonide)


Left: [Saxifragaceae] Saxifraga spp., possibly S. mutata
Right: Formagella at Rifugio Parafulmine

The Couches of Summer

Should it be "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison or "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley for these pretty brown couches seen recently in Upper Fremont?  We are going with "Boys of Summer" with its chorus:

But I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your
Sunglasses on baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

Left and Center: Two brown couches basking in the sun, getting an early start on their summer tan. Right: The cover of Don Henley's 1984 album Building the Perfect Beast, which included the hit "Boys of Summer".

I'm Free To Do What I Want

"I'm Free" is a 1965 Rolling Stones song that appeared on their American release December's Children (And Everybody's). The song became a hit again in 1990 with the Soup Dragons cover, which appeared on their album Lovegod. Some of the lyrics are:

I'm free to do what I want any old time
I'm free to do what I want any old time
So love me, hold me, love me, hold me
I'm free any old time to get what I want

If the free furniture pictured here could sing, it would surely be singing this song.



Left: Free furniture in Fremont. Center: The album cover of the Rolling Stones' December's Children (And Everybody's). Right: The album cover of the Soup Dragons' Lovegod.