Welcome to lake (Santa Croce Aloago )
August 11, 2021Beautiful green corner at the southeastern end of the province of Belluno, Alpago offers its visitors a wide range of interesting opportunities for a pleasant stay in a natural and uncontaminated environment. The gentle valley of the Alpago is a sequence of meadows and woods, hills and slopes, which from the lake of Santa Croce, ideal for fishing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing, rise up towards the Cansiglio wood, up to the rugged and jagged crown of the Prealpi Carniche, with the Col Nudo-Cavallo range and the peaks of the mounts Dolada, Teverone, Col Nudo, Venàl, Messèr, Laste and Cavallo, all of which can be crossed through Alta Via no. 7, an alpine hiking route that can be covered in stages in a few days.
The Alpago showcases all seasons. The gentle spring leads to the discovery of precious botanical species in the reserves that host a rich variety of animals. The festive summer invites you to enjoy the breeze of the lake, flying on a boat, hang-gliding or paragliding, a sport of excellence in the valley. Autumn is an explosion of colours enlivened by the roar of the deer that roam free on the Cansglio plain where between pastures and centuries-old beeches you can practice Nordic walking or quiet mountain biking. The silent winter is the ideal background for relaxing excursions with snowshoes in Cansiglio, Col Indes, Pian Formosa and Malga Cate towards the Val Salatis, stopping in cosy restaurants, or skiing on the snowy plains. Alpago: a joy that can be experience all year long.
The surrounding mountains and hills are dotted with hiking trails that also include the famous routes of the Alte Vie Patèra and Dei Silenzi. Here the environmental heritage has an enormous value. The Cansiglio, the second largest forest in Italy, with its 5000 hectares of immense beech and fir woods, hosts a very rich fauna, from deer to the capercaillie, from the golden eagle to the red woodpecker, and an exceptional flora represented in the alpine botanic garden on the Cansiglio (the starred geranium is among the most prestigious species), or the karst cavities like that of the "Bus de la Lum" or some peat bogs. And what about the monuments? There are over 30 monumental trees of different species as evidence of the fascinating variety of environments such as the lake of Santa Croce, a natural oasis with a particular wetland, the reed bank.
Natural skiing: The Alpago is a place with deep sporting traditions and the morphology of the reliefs makes it perfect for ski mountaineering: the best activity to enjoy the mountains and their untouched spaces: on these ranges, enthusiasts can find covered slopes until late spring. For years, there has been a classical technique ski mountaineering race, the "Transcavallo", recognised as a major competition in this discipline.
10 km from Tambre, the highest tourist resort of the vast valley of the Alpago, is the Cansiglio ski resort. Sunny slopes await you, with bright clearings and fun ski runs, not overly demanding, ideal for those who want to approach the skiing practice. In an environment of rare tranquillity there are also 7 cross-country trails and more than thirty kilometres of hiking trails of varying difficulty that lead into one of the most beautiful forests in Italy.
Having fun on the snow: running on the snow? Yes, but with dogs. With the sled dog, you can experience an adventure from other times: here you can be a "musher" for a day driving a sled pulled by dogs. In Pian Osteria you can try different routes, from 2 to 12 km, on the slopes that also host international competitions. And also for Nordic skiing everything becomes more pleasant with the exciting skijoring.
Easy, relaxing and pleasant are the walks with snowshoes among beeches, firs and clearings. The place is also ideal for mothers with small children. There are a lot of peaceful itineraries, which can also be travelled with a stroller. The various paths marked and beaten along meadows and forest roads lead to huts and farms where there is plenty of space to play in the middle of nature or follow the trail of a hare or a roe deer.
Mountain in colour: A mountain to be experienced also from above thanks to a special school that safely accompanies the flights of paragliders and hang-gliders. Alpago is in fact an ideal venue for international, national and Triveneto free flight competitions. The waters of Lake Santa Croce are perfect for practicing numerous water sports such as sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. Schools and rentals are available on the shores of the lake to let you experience new emotions thanks to the wind. The lake has an equipped beach and you can take a boat ride or you can fish, stroll or enjoy the warm summer sun on the shore. There is also room for traditional disciplines such as tennis, horse riding and swimming also in the new pool in Tambre. And the Cansiglio, in a truly enchanting setting, proposes itself as a fabulous place for golf, with a 6000-meter and 18-hole course.
High altitude trails: The crown of the Alpago mountains is crossed by numerous trails, described in the hiking maps, using ancient roads that connect the 35 villages, such as the Alpago Natura route, which runs for 50 km on unpaved roads and can be travelled in stages. 100 km are instead those of the routes frequented by cyclists who from the Lake of Santa Croce climb up to the Cansiglio forest: routes that have also hosted European mountain bike championships.
In a dreamy alpine setting, among healthy natural landscapes, Nordic walking awaits us to regenerate body and spirit: there are many ring-shaped tracks touching points of naturalistic, historical and cultural interest like the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Runal and ancient Roman bridges!
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