How to go trekking in Varese

Among many other famous destinations around there, we are almost at the border with Switzerland, the province of Varese, a short distance from Como and Lugano, is a small gem of nature that is divided between Alps and Pre-Alps, forests, trails and beautiful lakes of glacial origin. This characteristic, in fact, is the main cause of the natural wealth of these areas: the ancient glaciers, as a matter of fact, have carved the mighty rock of these mountains creating narrow valleys, numerous streams and caves and lakes all to explore.

Preparing for trekking

When you are going to make an excursion in the mountains, from the simplest to the most complicated, it is good to follow some rules that are useful to avoid accidents that could compromise the success of our trip. Don’t worry too much: the good hiker’s guidebook is more than anything filled with rules related to common sense!

Don’t ask too much from your body

Taking a trip to the mountains is like any other physical activity: it must be balanced on what are your own strengths without exceeding too much. In short, if you’ve never raised a barbell in the gym obviously you’re not going to start with the weights of 100 kg, are you? Of course not.

Use comfortable shoes and appropriate equipment

The terrain of mountain, hill or country roads or trails is rough. If you want to avoid taking twists (we hope of course not serious) and if you do not want to tire more than necessary you must use comfortable shoes, designed just for walking. So, leave your shoes you use to go shopping at home.

The same goes for backpacks, clothing and any tool you want to carry: the equipment for trekking is designed to be practical, comfortable and durable in time, both in good weather and in more specific situations, such as very low temperatures or storms. For this reason, it is good to gradually equip yourself with the right clothing to face the mountains and the various paths. Fortunately, in this sense numerous shops and specialised sites such as Addnature can help us. Their aim is to provide the best equipment for hikers of any age and experience.

Between Man and Mountain, the Mountain always wins

The last rule that any good hiker should always keep in mind is that you should never face any path thinking that it is trivial or that you are perfectly trained for every possible path, or that regardless of the weather (never to be underestimated) you are still able to make it. Nothing could be more wrong. The Mountain offers a thousand different emotions and spectacular views, but many dangers can hide behind the corner. They’re not a small risk to underestimate.

The Monte Orsa and the Linea Cadorna

Between the lakes of Varese and Lugano lies the small (at least compared to many other high Alpine peaks) Monte Orsa, just 984 m above sea level. Many come to visit its beautiful slopes, full of hundreds of paths, both by mountain bike and on foot, taking real trekking excursions.

But this small mountain range hides a real treasure for lovers of military history: during the years of the First World War, in fact, the Monte Orsa was so important that the general Cadorna had a narrow maze of trenches, guard posts and real forts built there. The particularity is that many of these military architectures are still visible today and in perfect condition, considering the fact that they were built according to the most advanced technologies.

It’s really impossible to talk about a particular path, rather than another one, because everyone tells a story, a military action, a human gesture. So, it takes on a completely different meaning to visit the streets of the Linea Cadorna. Are you ready to discover it?