Tonezza del Cimone - Excalibur Path

At the start of the Excalibur trail, we are greeted by a large meadow with gentle and undulating features. At the beginning of spring, crocus covers the green pastures like a white cloak. The plateau is then interrupted briefly by several valleys behind the Contrà Valle. The route then continues with the wide pastures of Malga Toraro, which extend to the top of Monte Toraro. This is followed by the peaks of the Campomolon Mountains, Melegnone and the Spitz di Tonezza, overlooking a large amphitheatre. The old beech Here we are in a rather suggestive place, characterised by the presence of an old farm building that is reflected in a small pool of water and a centuries-old beech tree with huge foliage. The stone farmhouse is known as the Baito delle Coste, of a design that has remained unchanged over time. It consists of a ground floor used as a stable, where the cows were gathered in the evening when they returned from grazing, and an upper part, the hayloft or ‘tèsa’ in the Veneto dialect, where the hay harvested during the summer was stored. Amazing larches Moving further along the Excalibur trail, we find a bright and wide forest of larches known as ‘the cow trail’. Its name comes from an ancient cattle route used to reach the area's grazing lands. The path is bordered on both sides by old dry stone walls built with locally carved stones. Contrà Vallà Contrà Vallà is a fertile land used for growing rye, potatoes, barley and beans. Its water is clear and clean because it flows from the fold of a rock and is used to water livestock. The forest is also full of beeches and firs, used for heating, charcoal making and woodworking. Perhaps it was this characteristic, among others, that convinced the shepherds to stay and, like the trees, to plant strong and firm roots. With all this, in around 1860, a small residential area was built up, which is today Contrà Vallà. The Cherry Blossom Valley This is the Valley of Cherry Trees with the colourful crocus, with shades of the intense yellow colour of gold buttons, and pink for lilies, orchids and pungent thistles. This is a place that offers both cycling for fun and racing. It is perfect for igniting the desire to immerse yourself for a time in the deep heart of nature. The fort The fort can be reached by a narrow path, located between the two forks that lead either to the quarry or to the spring. The structure was built on the rock by the Austro-Hungarian army that invaded the plateau of Tonezza on May 15, 1916, following the Battle of Asiago which was also known as Strafexpedition. The ancient quarries The quarries can be reached by following a path to the left of the fort. On the way you have to cross a forest of beeches and firs, growing out of a ground covered with a thick carpet of dry leaves. The landscape is characterised by the presence of numerous dry stone walls and old quarries that are now almost completely buried: all this testifies to how, at one time, this place represented a busy centre of working activity. The source The life of the first inhabitants to populate the village was undoubtedly facilitated by the presence of water because they were able to make their land even more fertile and rich. The inhabitants of Contrà Vallà came to draw water from the Canaletto spring. Here the surface water replenished a tank made of stone which, according to ancient records, was filled to the brim. Inside the trench After passing the cherry blossom valley, the path continues uphill until it reaches a trench. This base is thought to date back to the time of the Great War and was created by soldiers looking for a safe haven during the war. Encounter with the woods. On the Excalibur path, the long slope on which you walk is characterised by the presence of ancient terraces, clearly marking the hard work put in to make the difficult mountain territory suitable for cultivation.