| Panorama of the mountains and lakes in Esino Lario (Esino Lario) | |
 | |
| Itinerary type | Pedestrian |
|---|---|
| State |  Italy |
| Region | Lombardy |
| Territory | Lecco |
| City | Esino Lario |
| Length | 13.5 km |
Panorama of the mountains and lakes is an itinerary that takes place through the woods and pastures of Esino Lario is Lierna, in Lecco.
Introduction
This itinerary leads those who undertake it to discover the mountains south of Esino Lario, up to the boundaries of the municipality of Lierna. The route includes some stages from which it is possible to admire the panorama of the Lake Como and the Grigna.
How to get
 | To learn more, see: How to get to Esino Lario. |
We can start the itinerary from any point of Esino Lario. Here we describe the route starting from Piazza Pietro Pensa, where the town hall of Esino Lario is located.
Preparations
Being an excursion that largely involves the passage through woods and mountain paths that reach altitudes above 1500 m a.s.l. it is advisable to equip yourself with trekking shoes, possibly trekking poles and, given the duration of the route, water and a packed lunch, to be consumed in one of the various panoramic points touched by the track. The itinerary is 13.5 km long.
Stages
Panorama of the mountains and lakes in Esino Lario: full screen map.- 1 Piazza Pietro Pensa - starting point
- 2 Bigallo - gesuolo di San Grato
- 3 Alpe di Lierna
- 4 Bocchetta di Lierna
- 5 Bocchetta di Calivazzo
- 6 Monte Palagia
- 7 Alpe di Esino
- 8 Forcella dell'Alpe
- 9 Church of San Pietro
- 10 Ortanella
- 11 Esino Inferiore - San Giovanni wash house
Starting from Piazza Pietro Pensa, where the town hall of Esino Lario is located, we head south, taking via Giuseppe Verdi, which then becomes via Ortanella and, subsequently, via Bigallo. We continue on the road until we reach the town of Bigallo, where we meet, on the right, next to the heliport, the Jesus of San Grato on the right. Continuing for a few tens of meters, before entering the industrial area we find on the right the Alpe mule track that will lead us to the Piazzo farmhouses and then, through large beech woods, to the Costa da Buus. At the crossroads we take the first dirt road on the right and continue, almost flat, passing the Valle del Cagnolo, up to the crossroads where the path to the left branches off to the left.Alpe di Lierna: you can get there in a short time by meeting the fountain and the water tank that feeds the mountain pasture where, in the summer season, you can buy butter and cheese. We continue to the left uphill in the valet that leads to the Bocchetta di Lierna (1356 m) which offers a beautiful view of the lake and from where it is easy to see the chamois grazing on the rocky coasts.
On the left we find the dirt road, built for fire fighting, which leads to the Bocchetta di Calivazzo (1420 m), which marks the border between Lierna and Mandello del Lario, and where the view of the Grigna di Releccio and the Grignetta is impressive. From here we can go back retracing the paths of the outward journey, or we can go up to Monte Palagia (1549 m).
To reach the mountain, a panoramic point of exceptional charm, we take the path that runs along the ridge to the right of the nozzle looking at the lake; from here we go down, always along the ridge, until we reach the Bocchetta di Lierna and then back to the Lierna pasture where the road leads toAlpe di Esino with well-restored huts by CAI Val d'Esino, the one further down the valley is a precious shelter in case of bad weather.
We then continue west to the Forcella dell'Alpe (1122 m) which you climb over to then take, on the right, a path full of wild oregano and thyme which, still keeping to the right at the next intersection, leads to the church of San Pietro, ancient strategic point of the Roman road of Brentalone, in front of which opens a lawn from which you can enjoy the view on the eastern and northern branches of Lake Como, with the peninsula of Bellagio.
Now we follow the dirt road until we meet the carriage road of Ortanella where we turn for a few meters and, in front of the gesuolo del Pozzal Vecc, we go down to the right along the old mule track which, passing by the farmhouses of Selva, from the fountains of Ontragno and from Roncaiolo, leads to Lava, an ancient place of mills, from where, after the bridge over the Esino stream, it climbs steeply up to the nucleus of Lower Esino, where to welcome us we find the wash house of San Giovanni.
To return to the town hall square, continue straight on the road to Lierna up to the square where the church of San Giovanni Battista. From here we skirt the church on the left and turn left to go along via Dante until we reach the war memorial, just below the town hall.
