Reset search
Italy
Satellite

Italy
Castelrotto

Discover travel destinations of travelers writing a travel journal on FindPenguins.
Travelers at this place
    • TravelerWalking in Europe 2023
      Day 29

      In the dark of the night

      July 23, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌩️ 70 °F

      They arrived in the middle of the night…330am to be precise. They settled into their room quickly and I did not see or hear from them until 930 am, they were up just in time to have the continental breakfast that the Hotel Garni Melissa serves every morning.
      Steph, Peter and Boxer walked to the town of Seis Alm Schlern (Suisi) to catch the gondola to the top of the Seiser Alm where the plan was to hike south to Rifigio Molignon.
      Two and half hours later they were enjoying lunch near the base of Sasso Plato (Platkkofel,) a 9700’ peak.
      After lunch Steph and Peter ditched Boxer to head for the pass between Plattkofel and Langkofel. Boxer headed north by northwest for the Steger trail, named for a couple of alpine skiing and mountain climbing legends. What a treat, spectacular views and a cute hut with a spring to fill his water.
      That is where the enjoyment ended as I planned to walk back to the hotel. Many miles, steep descents and poor tread later I arrived in Kastelruth (Castelrotto). More than 20 miles hiked.
      I was only thinking about the ‘even dozen’, a hot shower, a cold beer and 10 hours of sleep.
      P.S. the three of us enjoyed a nice meal at Saalstuben.
      P.S. #2 - after lunch Boxer needed visit the water closet, as he was heading into the women’s he was saved by an English speaking fellow from Toronto. We exchanged pleasantries and chatted about our time in Europe, he was very interested in the West Highland Way. A few hours later we ran into each other near the gondola and he introduced me to his wife. If the story ended there I would not share it…while at dinner I was sharing the experience of being extricated from the women’s water closet when behind us was the hero himself. He was quick to verify Boxer’s account.      Read more

    • TravelerWalking in Europe 2023
      Day 31

      The skies spoke to me

      July 25, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 59 °F

      The fourth day at the Garni Hotel Melissa began with a thunderstorm reminiscent of the ones I experienced in western North Carolina.
      With it came a cloudburst, I referred to my weather app and it suggested that the storm may last most of the day.
      My plan was to head southwest down the valley to Fie Allo Sciliar (an emphatic ‘hello Sciliar’) the town is underneath the Sciliar the emblem of the South Tyrol. Once there, I would hike up to a lake referred to as Laghetto Fie and beyond to what my map shows as a ‘wood cross fit’ feature.
      This intrigued Boxer…what he found was an outdoor gym constructed with materials available in the forested meadow (save some of the metal posts.)
      Boxer was fully prepared to find a group of people working out.
      Not so…maybe it was the remoteness, but this amazing outdoor gymnasium was designed for children to young adults.
      After lunching on a bench across the meadow I left for Laghetto Fie and walked back to Suisi to catch a bus back to Castelrotto.
      Steph and Peter met me at the garni just in time for the three of us to walk into Castelrotto for dinner at a restaurant known for its pizza. It was a good place to relax and reflect on our day in the Alpi di Suisi.
      It was a melancholy day for Boxer…on his walk to the forested gym he reflected on how much he missed his older brother Michael, who passed twelve weeks ago and his sister Ellen, a year and a half ago. The skies were shedding tears as well…      Read more

    • TravelerWalking in Europe 2023
      1
      Day 35

      The frenzied and muddled rendezvous

      July 29, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

      Today is the last full day Peter and Steph are in this German speaking part of Italy.
      After packing they headed for the southeastern end of the Alpe di Siusi section of the Dolomite’s. My plan was to rendezvous with them at some point in the afternoon. The best of intentions evolved into a constantly changing marker as to where we would meet.
      Boxer had intended to explore the same area without taking the trail they were trekking on.This plan was curtailed when the Ciamponoi gondola experienced mechanical difficulties.
      Boxer took a bus back toward Castelrotto and a trail that would take him toward Malga Schafstallhutte, a favorite refuge, where the food is good and the beer is cold. The trail he chose was fine to begin with but the closer he got to the rendezvous point the more the trail seem to disappear. It was from the looks of it a seldom use path. At one point the trail just came to an abrupt end, necessitating Boxer to bushwhack his way to a paved road. This would lead to a chairlift ride to a trail that he was sure would intersect with his companions.
      Meanwhile P+S were trekking below the Sasso Longo listening to a guided party being serenaded by an alphorn. I took the Marinzen chairlift from Castelrotto and the #12 trail west to a place I felt our paths would cross. We scrubbed the planned refuge for the Marinzen hutte and a couple of Radler ‘s.
      Note: in a stroke of irony I gave the moniker of Radler to an coworker at Weyerhaeuser - Rick Adler -many years ago…he is no longer with us and missed      Read more

    • TravelerWalking in Europe 2023
      Day 32

      Boxer humbled

      July 26, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

      Today the plan was to hike in the zone of the two prominent peaks Sasso Longo and Sasso Plato
      With that goal in mind we set out early to drive to Alpi di Suisi. Blue skies with a brisk breeze met it was chilly. From there
      Steph and Peter caught the first bus to Saltria, while Boxer dawdled (not an unusual verb to describe him.) He visited the WC and put on more layers. This dilly-dallying was ok as Boxer was not going’s to climb to the top of Sasso Plato. His plan was to trek to the hut at the trailhead leading up to Sasso Plato, a multi mile walk with a commensurate elevation gain. As with most of the popular treks in the Alpe di Suisi, one can take a gondola or chairlift to start the journey. Boxer calls it “lift assist”.
      I caught the next bus to Saltria the small town below Sasso Plato to start the hike. Two hours later I arrived at the alpine hut, tired but still had ‘gas in the tank’. I pushed on with the goal of reaching the junction of a trail that would lead back to Saltria. This is where my hubris got the best of me. Rather than taking the trail I continued on to a hut at Duron Pass, another four miles ahead…half way there I ‘bonked’, Even after stopping for a snack and tea I was wasted. It was decision time, turn back or push forward to the hut at the end of the path. Boxer arrived at Rifugio Alpe di Tires with one thing in mind…some nourishment…a beer and seltzer water. As fate would have it Steph and Peter arrived (totally unplanned,)
      After they took on a more sensible meal we all trekked back to the car, another 4 miles away.      Read more

    • TravelerWalking in Europe 2023
      Day 28

      46°33’44”N 11°33’14” E - elevation 3310’

      July 22, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

      45°18’15”N 121°45’24”W - elevation 3984’ Govy There is 8820 km (5480 miles) between Castelrotto (Kastelruth) and Government Camp. Note that the latitude is nearly identical, elevation is similar but finding other commonalities is difficult. More on that in later posts…more importantly when it comes to navigating around the area I am staying for the next couple of weeks is that all information is in both German and Italian. Although located in Italy we are very close to Austria and the German culture is prevalent…maybe. Once I realized that trail markers were in both languages it became easier to figure out where I am…more importantly where I want to go.
      Today I walked to Suisi to take the gondola to Alpe di Suisi where there are an abundance on trails to choose from. Earlier I said finding similarities between Castelrotto and Govy is hard…when hiking in this area you are on a high plateau, grassland with cliffs and trees below and the Dolomites rising above. No dormant volcano just a mountain range that forms
      part of the Southern Limestone Alps.
      The trail Boxer took had four huttes where he could have a coffee, glass of wine and even a light meal. Miles walk today more than nine…including a steep descent off the plateau through the trees back to Castelrotto and a pizza and beer.      Read more

    • TravelerSüdtirol, Grödnertal 2023
      111
      Day 5

      Tag 4: Monte Piz & Seiser Alm

      September 13, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      Heute ließen wir das Auto wieder stehen und gingen zu Fuß auf die Reise.
      Vom Hotel ging es heute einmal weiter nach oben, bis die erste Kreuzung kam und etwas ausgewiesen war.
      „Monte Piz“ war also unser heutiges Ziel.
      Wir folgten dem Rio di Bulla, zu dessen Namensgebenden Ort Bulla.
      Auf diesem Weg sahen wir blühende Wiesen, Ruinen und alte Mühlen.
      Nach dem gestrigen Gewitter waren einige Bäume gefallen, sodass auch unser heutiger Wanderweg versperrt war. Es folgte Pan B von Reiseführer Robi. 🤦🏽‍♀️
      Steil durch den Wald, über rutschige Böden, Steine und abgebrochene Äste/Stämme kommen wir irgendwann wieder auf einen asphaltierten Weg.
      Weiter durch den Regen ging es zur wohl verdienten Einkehr mit Skiwasser, Kaiserschmarren und einer Nudelsuppe 🍜
      Dort verweilten wir ein paar Minuten, bis der Regen vorbei war.
      Laut dem Gastwirt gab es keinen anderen Weg als weiter hinauf zur Seiser Alm um wieder nach St. Ulrich zu kommen.
      Also ab die Post!
      Der Po und die Oberschenkel werden von Tag zu Tag straffer 💪🏽😅
      Es war atemberaubend!
      Vor zwei Tagen waren wir schon an derselben Stelle- und doch sah es heute ganz anders aus!
      Die Wolken zogen über und durch die Berge. Es hatte einen sehr mystischen Effekt. Und auch heute haben wir die Ansicht der Berge sehr genossen 🏔️      Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerRoad trip en van
      Day 17

      Castelrotto

      August 9, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      Ce soir nous avons migré à Castelrotto. Une pizzeria propose des emplacements pour les campings-cars et les vans derrière son restaurant. Le coût pour une nuit ne revient quasiment à rien si, en contrepartie, nous consommons au restaurant. Après un petit tour dans le centre ville, (qui d’ailleurs est très joli), nous avons joué le jeu et sommes allés manger une bonne pizza ! 🍕😋

      Le ventre bien rempli après cette journée sportive, ce sera une série et au lit !

      Demain rdv dans le plus grand alpage d’Europe : Alpe de Siusi 😍      Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerSommerurlaub nach Südtirol
      Day 2

      Nachmittags Tour

      June 13, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

      Was macht man nach einer kurzen Stadttour, eine kleine Tour zum Einstimmen und um sich schon mal einzulaufen. 😅.
      Petra hat sich eine Tour rausgesucht und ok leider sind es doch mehr wie die gedachten 6 km geworden, egal wir leben nur einmal 😄. Es war eine schöne Tour mit Blick auf Kastelruth. Nach dem verdienten Spaziergang/Tour, klar noch etwas für unseren Flüssigkeits Haushalt gemacht und eine runde im Pool. Nun geht es an da Abendessen, mal sehen was uns heute erwartet.Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerSommerurlaub nach Südtirol
      Day 3

      Wanderung zu den Hexenbänken

      June 14, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

      Haben uns für den Anfang eine einfachere Tour ausgesucht, hatten das zumindest gedacht 😅. Wir haben uns die Tour bei Koomot ausgesucht und fanden die klasse, der Beschreibung nach zumindest. Aber gefühlt ging es entweder steil hoch oder runter, nur ca 5 km auf der Seiseralm war es flach und die Wege einfach. Also tolle Etappe mit meinem Freund Bernd zusammen, wäre das mal was. Zumindest lässt uns die Seiseralm für die nächsten Tage schöne Touren erwarten. Wir sind bei der Tour einmal kurz eingekehrt, auf der Anika Hütte, gestartet habe wir so kurz vor 10 und die Tour haben wir gegen 17 Uhr geschafft. Nun heist es fertig machen für das Abendessen. 😎😋Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerWalking in Europe 2023
      Day 38

      Michael on my mind and more

      August 1, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

      It is somewhat unusual for Boxer to spend time in a church, but today I found solitude in the Castelrotto Parish Church, the “Dome on the Mountain”.
      Michael would have turned double 7’s today.
      There are few things I remember from my childhood, one was being an acolyte in the Episcopal church in Ashland following Michael’s footsteps. Michael and I both were child actors at the Shakespeare Festival, usually the lone one in the particular play. And days at the large swimming pools - Twin Plunges. The fact that I am six years younger made being close difficult. I was mostly annoying to him and when Ellen was added to the equation he was looking for a way to leave home. We will spread his ashes in the arboretum he created soon.
      After an hour of silence, I got the much needed hair and eyebrow trim. Tonight is the Hëxennachte (GR) or Notte delle Streghe (IT) - “Witches Night” in the same plaza as last night’s festival. More music and desserts.
      As I was walking up to the venue the sky cleared from the earlier thunderstorm and allowed the setting sun to shine it’s light on Castelrotto and the surrounding Dolomiti.
      The only thing missing is sharing this experience with my family…      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Castelrotto, Kastelruth

    Join us:

    FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

    • 2024© FindPenguins
    • Home
    • About us
    • Blog
    • Group Tracking
    • Press
    • Terms
    • Privacy Policy & Cookies
    • Support
    • Legal notice
    • English