Visiting Italy's Lake District: Part V - Hiking Lake Maggiore's Hillsides

After two and a half days' of touring activities, with some mild hiking to accompany them, we were ready to take off for our first real hike.  We walked to the lakefront to climb into the tour bus which gave us a head start on the most difficult part of the climb when it dropped us off at Magognino (1500 ft elev), one of the lakeside villages, near this typical landmark.

Our local Guide P then showed us an overview of the trails that we would use for the day's walking.

As we had been warned that there would be rough and uneven parts on the path, I used walking sticks for the first time ever.  I was very glad that I had, but decided after this experience that one was really all that I needed to help give my bum ankle some support on tricky slopes and surfaces.  Several in the group used walking sticks, some quite proficiently.  Some of them, like me, opted to use only one.

The hard core hikers used nothing!  HWMBO, of course, was among the hard core group sans sticks and exaggerated here for effect.

The trails were lovely and green, providing lots of shade.

There were streams that we had to "ford,"

although it was worthwhile to stop for a few moments to appreciate the natural beauty.

Occasionally we could get glimpses of Lake Maggiore.

But more often we would see religious markers, statues

or memorials along the trails

along with weathered buildings, covered with locally-hewn and weathered slate tiles.

We stopped at a small chapel

for a much-appreciated breather.

Then we viewed the decorative memorials in the cemetery

of a weathered church.

As we descended towards the lakefront once again,

we meandered through narrow walled streets

to be met by the wondrous sight of a lakeside restaurant, just waiting for us to arrive.

Local Guide P enjoyed a well-earned glass of wine with Swiss Guide P,

both extremely grateful that the morning's walk had been accomplished without any adverse incidents such as broken bones, sprained ankles or lost participants!