ON the fifth day of my self-guided walk in the Dolomites I found myself alone. The mighty Sassolungo massif stood above me like a silent sentinel as I watched a beautiful golden eagle soaring through the sky. Far down the valley I could see the town of Selva where I was based and ahead of me the trail skirted past a lovely lake. I was reminded of a quote from local identity, mountaineer and author Reinhold Messner who said, “Each mountain in the Dolomites is like a piece of art”. Which is perfect because I’ve always loved art.
If you’ve never been on a multi-day self-guided walk, it’s not as daunting as you might think. Walking tour operators like Hidden Italy have done the hard yards for you. They’ve researched the region, walked the trails, mapped them and produced clear walk notes. All you need is some common sense and a taste for adventure.
During my five-day self-guided walk in the Dolomites, I was based in the Val Gardena region of South Tyrol, northern Italy.
