Forest of Blades Ring

Access

You ascend the Aveto valley and pass Rezzoaglio. You go towards Santo Stefano, but after Magnasco you turn right for Lago delle Lame, for 3 km. You leave your car in the car park before the hotel at the end of the road (about 47 km from the Lavagna exit).

Introduction

Glacial wilderness in the Val d'Aveto: a ring in the Lame forest

Across the two nature trails and one of the rings in the Aveto Park, you can see some of the area's characteristic places and landscapes (glacial lakes and centuries-old beech trees), with the obvious exception of the protected area subject to an 'oriented reserve', which has a reduced number of accesses during the year. Numerous signposts delve into the realities that are faced with a route that can vary, at will, between some dirt tracks and several paths.

Description

At the beginning (1048 m), nature trail symbols absent,  you ascend on a wide track, and join a wider dirt road. When it flattens out, you can momentarily leave the main road to cross a wooden bridge and proceed to the right to the basin of the Code d'Asino lake. Retrace your steps on the dirt track until a new digression, on the left, to Asperelle Lake. You return to the track and continue until you see the fence of the Agoraie Reserve. Follow it downhill and ford a stream, near the remains of a wooden footbridge, to arrive in front of the fenced-in Fondo lake. For the umpteenth time, you turn back and lose a few metres of altitude until you cross the Fie track. We now climb to the right to a fork at 1425 m. Here, you turn right, skirting two notable beech trees (Colonne d'Ercole). In short, you can descend to the right to visit the 'King of the Forest', a 25 m high beech with a circumference of 350 cm and an age of 500 years! Continue on and return to the main track. You find the dirt track again and pass the Polenta pond. By a wooden construction, there is a bench where you can take a break (2h45). After the break, keep to the left, touching Lake Moggetto, 1318 m. The Gonella pass is reached and to the right is the return. We descend over somewhat uneven terrain until we reach a dirt track and then Lake delle Lame (1h15).
All in all: good weather,   difference in altitude almost 450 m - diff. E   and. 2h45   ret. 1h15  Tot. 4h
Average ride comfort: fair, except for a central section (sufficient) and towards the end (almost poor).

If you want, here is the photo pdf file, with a bit more news:
http://www.cralgalliera.altervista.org/ForestaLame019.pdf

http://www.cralgalliera.altervista.org/anno2019.htm
http://www.cralgalliera.altervista.org/altre2019.htm

NB: in the case of an excursion, always check with FIE, Cai, any park authority or other institutions, pro loco, etc., that there have been no changes that have increased the difficulties! No liability is accepted. The present text is purely indicative and not exhaustive.

Info Hiking Section Cral Galliera:  http://www.cralgalliera.altervista.org/esc.htm
trips 2019 at link:  http://www.cralgalliera.altervista.org/gite2019.pdf