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Our two-week package holiday to the north-eastern corner
of Italy was split between a first (rather wet!) week on the edge of Lake
Garda at Torbole (top left), followed by a rather sunnier week in the middle
of the Dolomites at Vigo di Fassa.
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From Torbole we had ready access to the superb flowers of many
mountainous areas. Along the eastern edge of Lake Garda towered Monte Baldo,
where the brilliant orange heads of Lilium croceum (top right) glowed
through the rain. To the west on Monte Tremalzo we found slopes painted
gold with Globe-flowers and Yellow Gentians. On the nearby screes nestled
the creeping stems of Viola dubeana (left), while in the woods Clematis
alpina cascaded over rocks and shrubs.
Our journey to Vigo provided many spectacular views, culminating
in the rugged heights of Latemar, perfectly mirrored in Lake Carezza. Travelling
further up the valley took us past side turnings leading to woods with
Lady's Slipper Orchids and screes with dainty Saxifrages and Edelweiss.
At the head of the valley towered the huge mass of the Sella Group around
which snaked the "Four Passes" road with its innumerable hairpin bends.
Amazing views were everywhere, but the three peaks of Sasso Lungo, seen
over a bank of Trollius europeus, (bottom right) takes some beating.
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Finally, from the Pordoi Pass we explored the "Bindelweg",
a path extolled in the writings of Reginald Farrer, where his favourite
"King-of-the-Mountains", (Eritrichium nanum, bottom left) studded
the rocks.
 
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