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South Tyrol snowshoeing – a winter story about the peak of Eggespitz

In February 2017, we spent a couple of weeks in the Aurina Valley (Ahrntal) in South Tyrol snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the area. One memorable snowshoeing (winter hiking) trip was the trail to the peak of Eggespitz (2187 m).  Though it may evoke thoughts of an omelette, “egg” actually means “peak” in Swiss-German. Eggespitz, and the Aurina Valley where it’s located, lie in the Südtyrol/Alto Adige region in Italy, a beautiful region with a rich and complex history.

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Rustic hiking with splendid views of Lake Como (Lago di Como)

Lago di Como, in the province of Lombardy – one of the mostly densely populated regions in Italy, and even Europe. The density of population here at an average of around 400+people/sq km rivals that in Japan and the Netherlands – two of the two most densely populated countries in the world. So you can imagine that when I found myself with time on my hands in May in the Bergamo area  I did not seriously expect to find any exceptional pristine wild hikes there.

I’m going to tell you a story that sort of qualifies as a hiking trip failure, but in retrospect this short but eventful day trip was just another kind of adventure. And this adventure boasted of two highlights: getting caught in an Italian national train strike (a memorable and educational experience in itself), and surviving said strike to tell the tale. Namely, the tale of how we managed to travel to our destination and back (almost) without disruptions to our plan (though I ascribe this last bit to atypical lucky stroke). And yes, I’m talking about a day trip! It’s legendary – read on.

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Tokyo hiking – a Golden Week escape trip

It’s been a round 10 years of hiking – and it all began in 2008 with a short hike in Japan, in the mountains just outside of Tokyo, during one of the aptly named holiday periods called Golden Week. Exactly 10 years ago to the date, I went on my first serious overnight hike in the Chichibu-Tama National Park, now known as the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park (秩父多摩甲斐国立公園 ). I didn’t know it at the time, but for me this hike was to become the beginning of a journey of discovering the natural beauty of many different areas around the world through hiking and travelling, always looking to immerse myself in nature even in small ways in the most unlikely of places (like big cities or hot touristy spots!). More snapographi >>

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Amalfi coast hiking trail with Vesuvio volcano views

Travelling south along the coast from Naples towards Amalfi, we passed through Pompeii, and then, just before the Sorrento peninsular swinged into view in front of us, to the west, mushroomed a small town called Castellamare di Stabia. While it was not quite so picturesque, we didn’t want to drive too long so we had decided to settle there for the night – actually in a villa-like place just outside of town, with fragrant orange and lemon gardens, and panoramic views towards the Vesuvio volcano. So far, so good.
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Best Amalfi coast hiking trail

To read about some easy yet secluded walking in the immediate vicinity of Amalfi, check out Part 1 here.

If you’ve looking for something a bit further afield and a bit more demanding, in Part 2 here I share one of the best hikes in the area, and maybe even the world. Despite being off-the-beaten path, you can get to the trail head within just a half-hour or so of driving. Also, if you’re looking for a day trip option, this trail can be done in a loop so that’s an additional benefit.

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