Description

WEEK-END ON PASTURES from milking to BITTO cheese making

Albaredo Valley is well-know since ancient times for the production of BITTO cheese, a unique cheese which needs to be processed as it is milked, that’s why dairies are on pastures.
This is a unique experience not to be missed.A medium effort 2-day excursion to experience cheese-making processes on summer pastures in the mountain where the world-famous Bitto is produced since ancient times.

We will get to know the past, present and future history of cheese-making art and artists who are working hard but with passion; we will experience cheese making processes directly on pastures; we will enjoy wonderful panoramas on Valtellina and the mountains; we will collect blueberries to taste at breakfast.

The itinerary is part of the project STORYTELLING BENCHES

Technical details

Saturday

Difference in altitude 400m
Distance km 7
Real walking time 3 hours
Max altitude 1900 m a.s.l.

Sunday

Difference in altitude 100m ascent and 500m descent
Distance km 7
Real walking time 3 hours
Max altitude 1900m a.s.l.

POINTS OF INTEREST

– Local products tasting at the hut;
– Excursion on mountain pastures and to alpine lakes;
– Ancient cheese-making processes directly on site;
– Wonderful views on Valtellina and surrounding mountains;
– Blueberries collection to taste at breakfast;
– Night excursion under starry sky;

Difficulty level: MEDIUM

Terrain: mmostly on mountain paths easy to walk on and only sometimes a little bit rocky. Trekking poles are recommended to reduce stress on joints and knees.
Gradient: moderate and constant.
Attention points: none.

Itinerary suitable for adults and children/teens over 12 in good health conditions and used to walk on mountain paths, considering difference in altitude and distance to be walked.
Trekking shoes compulsory with gripping Vibram soles.

Dogs must be on a leash owing to the presence of wild animals in the wood and out of respect for other participants who could be afraid of or annoyed by them. Please prevent the Guide.

Responsible Tourism

Responsible tourism

The excursions I offer also aim at supporting local economic activities and at living unique experience; closely in touch with and with respect to people and places.

That’s why they often include tasting experiences and/or chance to buy local products directly from producers, mainly small local activities working hard and with passion to keep traditions alive;
That’s why groups I accompany are usually small … in order to meet and live local people and enter their lives and the calmness of the place on tiptoes.

The Cape Town Declaration in 2002 recognises that Responsible Tourism takes a variety of forms, it is characterised by travel and tourism which:

minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts;
generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life changes;
makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world’s diversity;
provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;
provide access for people with disabilities and the disadvantaged;
is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

Programme

Saturday

- Meeting point at 9am at the car parking in Via Rita Levi Montalcini in Morbegno in order to share cars to reach the car parking where the path starts; earlier meeting point in Lecco on request;
- Excursion to the hut and accommodation; excursion to Laghetto di Lago, an alpine small lake. Return to hut and free break;
- 5.30pm – 8.30pm cheese making on pastures;
- 8.30pm dinner and overnight;
- Night walk to admire stars.

Sunday

- - 8am cheese-making on pastures for Mascherpa (summer ricotta) production and breakfast;
  - Short excursion to Pedroria pastures and return to hut for lunch/afternoon breal according to programme depending also on weather conditions; lunch at the hut or packed lunch;
  - Around 4pm return to car park and end of the tour;
ATTENTION: programme and itinerary may vary according to weather and paths conditions.

CANCELLATION/POSTPONEMENT
The excursion can be cancelled or postponed anytime by the Guide at her absolute discretion, in case safe and proper conditions cannot be guaranteed following bad weather conditions on the day of the excursion or on the previous days.
Excursion could be confirmed even if weather conditions are not good but safe for participants.
Any fees paid will be considered valid as a voucher on the next excursion – max validity 1 year – or refunded (only for foreign people).

In case of cancellation from the participant less than 3 days from the date, the relevant Guide fee cannot be refunded.

Participation fee

Adults: € 60.00 for the weekend
Childrene and teens: € 50.00 for the weekend

Inclusions: Nature Guide fee accompanying the group for 2 days (saturday and Sunday)- AIGAE LO639; liability insurance; visit to dairy processes; Guide expenses.
Exclusions: any lunch and break; any tasting; any transport to the meeting point; injury insurance for participants; any service not included in the item “inclusions”.

EXTRA COSTS TO BE PAID ON THE DAY OF THE EXCURSION
55 € half board
65 € full board including Sunday lunch in case we decide to eat at the lodge instead of packed lunch on pastures – depending also on weather coditions.
8 € disposable sack cloth in case you do not have yours.

Reservation within 1st July 2023

ACCOMMODATION WILL BE ONLY IN 4/6/8 PEOPLE DORMITORY including bunk beds. WOOD HEATING AND SOLAR ENERGY so, please, behave accordingly.
In case of drought, participants could be asked not to have shower in order to help shepards to give water to cows.

Rifugio Alpe Piazza

MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 4
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS (teens included): 15

Minors must be accompanied by an adult holding responsible.
Participation to the excursions implies unconditioned acceptance of the rules available on my website www.trekandtaste.it.

INJURY INSURANCE FOR TREKKERS
Participation fee only includes liability insurance; no injury insurance coverage is provided to Participants to the excursion. It is advisable to take out a suitable injury insurance.
EIC Organization offer an annual injury insurance which can be activated by the Trip&Trek app and amounting to 10 euros per year, per person. The insurance is valid 1 year whenever you participate to an excursion with and AIGAE Guide. For more details, please contact
info@escursioni-italia.it.

How to reach the meeting point

Rita Levi Montacini car parking in Morbegno, large and gravelled, is at the beginning of SS8 to San Marco pass; while Lecco Bione car parking is at the relevant SS36 exit. Large and free car parking where to share cars and reach the beginning of the path in Morbegno.

Car-pooling according to rules in force and sharing of costs among passengers.

Please let me know in case you are willing to share your cars with people coming from your same area of residence in order to meet any requests.

Clothes and Equipmemt

Hiking shoes are required, preferably high laced-up and having soles in Vibram material to walk safely on any terrain and in any season;
Hiking poles considerably reducing stress on joints and knees; telescopic poles are very handy;
Backpack (50 to 60 l) to carry snacks for 2 days, water at least for one day, packed lunch for 1 or 2 days (on request sandwiches can be prepared at the hut), spare clothes, night clothes, sack cloth and pillowcase, slippers, towels and personal belongings;
Small folding backpack for half day belongings to carry in the main backpack;
Packed lunch for 1 or 2 days;
Dress in layers according to the season (shirt, long-sleeved shirt, Fleece jacket or sweatshirt, rain and wind stopper jacket); rain stopper in case of summer storms or instable weather
Headlamp

ONLY ONE BACKPACK TO BE CARRIED WHILE WALKING

In case of doubt do not hesitate to contact me. More details as the excursion date is approaching.

ATTENTION: trekkers not adequately equipped will not be allowed to participate to the excursion.

Containment measures

According to rules in force on the day of the excursion.

Additional information

Partecipante	Adults, Children (up to 12 years)
Data	Jul 8-9

Rules

Download RULES.PDF

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

How to behave

Participant to the excursions are required to:

comply with the scheduled programme and with anychange decided by the Guide due to force majeure.

be in good physical conditions and wear suitable outfit as recommended by the Guide in the relevant excursion programme, according to season and type of event; if it is not the case, the Guide is unquestionably entitled to exclude the Participant from the excursion in order to guarantee safety for both the person concerned and other Participants. When the exclusion is justified, no refund at all is

behave properly towards other Participants to the excursion and comply with the rules given by the Guide as to group management, namely in case of emergency and danger.

prevent the Guide before abandoning the group for any reason. The Guide is not responsible for people walking further ahead of the Guide.

respect the environment; collecting or intentionally damaging flowers, trees fossils and the like is strictly forbidden; waste has to be taken at home.

prevent the Guide in case you would like your dog to participate to the excursion , so that we can evaluate whether it is possible and how. We have to consider that the group is formed by people who do not know each other; dogs must compulsory be on a leash all along the excursion; the Owner Participant is solely responsible for the dog and its behaviour and for any problem or damage directly or indirectly caused by the dog. In case the Participant doesn’t prevent the Guide concerning the presence of the dog or the rules cannot be complied with, the Participant and his dog can be excluded from the excursion in any moment. When the exclusion is justified, no refund at all is provided.

co-operate for the success of the excursion by complying with the decisions taken by the Guide, namely in case of danger such as worsening weather conditions, sickness of a Participant…to name a few.

Participants are personally liable for any behaviour which could cause damage to themselves and to third persons, mainly in case they take decisions against the advice of the Guide.

Insurance

Participation fee only includes liability insurance; no injury insurance coverage is provided to Participants to the excursion. It is advisable to take out a suitable injury insurance.

EIC Organization offer an annual injury insurance which can be activated by the Trip&Trek app and amounting to 10 euros per year, per person. The insurance is valid 1 year whenever you participate to an excursion with and AIGAE Guide. For more details, please contact info@escursioni-italia.it.

Further rules

Excursions and experiences are confirmed upon achievement of a minimum number of participants shown on the programme (and up to a maximum number of participants). Minimum and maximum number of Participants are decided by the Guide according to the type of activity and the required effort. Registration is confirmed upon receiving the full amount/deposit (if it is the case) of the participation fee.

In case the minimum number of participants is not achieved, the Guide can decide to cancel the excursion/experience or alternatively offer it at a higher fee to cover all expenses.

Minors must be mandatorily accompanied by an adult taking their responsibility.

Declaration of physical fitness

By accepting this rules, the Participant declare under his own responsibility to be healthy and in good physical and psychological conditions to participate to the excursion. The Participant also declares having provided the Guide all the information needed to properly evaluate his physical conditions and level of fitness being appropriate.

Photos, video, smartphone, and GPS equipments

Photo and Video shooting

Participation to the excursion/experience implies the authorization to release on the internet (facebook, instagram, websites, to name a few) photos and video shootings taken during the excursion/experience by Participants and/or by the Guide for private and advertising purposes. In case you do not want to be shooted, please prevent the Guide immediately before the beginning of the excursion/experience.

Mobiles
Participants are kindly asked to switch off their mobiles, disable the ringtone, or, in case of need, to use them discreetly, in order not to disturb the atmosphere of the group.

GPS tracks recording

It is forbidden to release GPS tracks recorded during the excursion, in respect of the professionalism of the Guide.

Cancellations

Cancellation by the Participant

In case of cancellation by the Participant within 3 days before the event, the amount paid will be considered valid as a voucher for a following event. Any cancellation after that term will not be refunded. Deposits are not refundable.
Vouchers are valid for 1 year from date of the excursion booked.

In case the Participant decides to interrupt the excursion, the amounts paid (including balance) will not be refunded and the Guide will not be held liable for any claims or damage.

Cancellation by the Guide

The excursion could be cancelled or postponed due to force majeure and the amounts paid will be refunded except for bank charges and other costs which do not depend on the Guide’s will.

The excursion can be cancelled and/or interrupted anytime at the Guide’s absolute discretion, in case safe and proper conditions cannot be guaranteed (eg in case of sickness and/or injury of one of the Participant, worsening weather conditions…and so on).

INSTRUCTIONS

How to participate

To participate to an excursion, please buy and pay the relevant event directly on the website or contact me.

Participation to the excursions implies unconditioned acceptance of this regulation.

Participation fee only includes accompanying fee. Any extra cost will be paid separately on site unless otherwise stated (eg tour operator quote).

Before subscribing, please read “difficulty level” and “equipment required” sections so that you can verify the excursion meets your expectations. In case of doubts, please do not hesitate to contact me.

As to car-sharing to the meeting-point, please contact me directly and I will get in touch with participants willing to share transportation. It will be up to you to agree on costs to be shared.

CORONAVIRUS Emergency

Owing to the present pandemic, some rules have to be complied with during excursions in order to reduce risks of infection. Participants are requested to behave properly and honestly and to be adaptable in case of decisions to be taken according to rules concerning containment measures in force, which can suddenly be changed.

Maximum number of participants: 15.

Participation is subject to the following conditions:

The Participant have got NO flu symptoms (on the day of the excursion and on the previous days)

The Participant is NOT subject to quarantine restrictions

The Participant have NOT come into contact with people resulting positive to covid test or people who have got flu in the previous 14 days.

Participants are requested to fill in the self-certification provided and concerning personal good-health conditions, to be given to the Guide on the day of the excursion.

Private and public transportation must comply with containment measures in force. If it is the case, please aerate the car, wear face masks and sanitize hands.

During the excursion, participants are requested to keep interpersonal distance (2 m min.) in order to safely walk without face mask. Please wear your face mask when stopping or when interpersonal distance is not possible.

When meeting trekkers on the opposite direction, stop and let people go by safely, wear your masks and keep distance.

In case of flu symptoms or positive test results after the excursion, the Guide has to be immediately prevented in order to inform participants to the same excursion, in respect of the privacy policy.

For more information, please visit the Italian Health Ministry website http://www.salute.gov.it/portale/home.html

Clothes and equipment

In winter as well as in summer, the advice is to dress in layers and to have a clean t-shirt to wear when reaching the summit or stopping for a long rest. Please carefully read the relevant section in the programme of the excursion you have chosen.

Clothe and equipment generally recommended:

Hiking shoes, preferably high laced-up and having soles in Vibram material; mainly when paths are rough and slippery

Rain and windproof cap/jacket such as a softshell (wind significantly reduces the temperature our body feels)

Water and e snacks (at least 1.5 litres of water per person are recommended); thermos bottle with hot beverages in winter is recommended.

Sun cap/beanie and gloves in winter

Fleece jacket or sweatshirt according to the season.

Sun-protection cream and sunglasses in summer and in winter on snow ground.

Hiking poles are recommended (telescopic poles are very handy); hiking poles helps to reduce considerably stress on joints and knees.

Backpack whose size can carry personal belongings (mainly spare clothes and food supplies) and having comfortable shoulder straps; as a general rule, to prevent injury, a full backpack should weigh no more than 15 to 20 percent of your body weight.

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