Pian de Loa

Description

Departure from the bus station. Follow the road of the former railway in a northerly direction beyond Fiames, cycling to the large metal bridge over the Felizon, after the Pezzovico tunnel. As soon as you cross the bridge (7.5 km), continue left: take a path that climbs in zigzags through the woods until you find the SS51 road at Botestagno (8.3 km, altitude 1,473 m). Here it is possible to continue on foot towards the ruins of the ancient Castello di Botestagno, taking a left along path 201: built around the year 1000, the fortress was a key strategic bulwark for the people of Cortina, with its elevated position guarding the northern entrance to the Ampezzo area. Our bike route continues along the forest road (not numbered) on the other side of the state road, which goes around the Casa Cantoniera continuing easily downhill to Sant'Uberto (9.2 km). Here follow the signs for Malga Ra Stua (trail sign 6), climbing to the right for about 100 m. Before the bar that closes the access along the paved road, climbing steeply in front of you, turn left and take the forest road (still not numbered) downhill leading to Pian De Loa. The stretch is steep, but the surface is compact. At the end of the descent, cross the Boite on a small bridge (9.8 km). Beyond the bridge, ignore the sign for Antruilles, continuing slightly downhill along the sunny meadows of Pian de Loa (there’s a beautiful mountain hut on the right). At the crossroads marked "Pian De Loa-1,360 m" turn left for Fiames, joining the paved road with trail sign 10. Follow it until the turn in the direction of Pian de ra Spines (trail sign 417), which you’ll find after 12.2 km. Continue downhill to a small bridge over the Boite, pedal on the right of the river for a couple of kilometres and reach Camping Olympia after a total of 16 km. A little further on, at the Ponte de ra Sia, continue in the direction of Cadin-Cortina, on the 417. The following stretch is decidedly more technical than what has been covered so far: it is 1.6 km on a rather bumpy surface due to the presence of roots and rock, with numerous ups and downs, short but steep. Once you reach Cadin di Sopra, continue on municipal roads, descending towards the eighteenth-century Chiesa della Madonna della Salute. A little below we cross the Boite, taking us back to the site of the former railway. You’ll return to the station area after a total of 21 km.