Hiking in the nature reserve "Pian di Spagna"

... and watch the rare bird species such as migratory birds. Zoom on map

The 1500 hectare nature reserve Pian di Spagna, at the northern end of Lake Como at Lago di Mezzola, is ideal for bird watching and it also allows you to get to know the many aspects of the history of the landscape on beautiful hiking trails.
Visits are possible at any time of the year, but it is better to avoid very warm summer days. Some trails can only be walked with a guide from the reserve.

The hiking routes described here can easily be done with families with children. (see the red-green number markings 1 to 4 on the map)


1. PONTE DEL PASSO- SASSO DI DASCIO- PONTE DEL PASSO (2 hours.)
On this short and easy route, you can visit a large part of the reserve and observe many water birds up close. Leave the car at the Ponte del Passo bridge and take the road to the small town of Dascio, following the section of the Mera that connects Lago di Mezzola with Lake Corner, and thus reaches the town of Dascio, where the River widens and forms the small lake of the same name. Here you can see, depending on the season, the goose birds catching fish, the courtship rituals of the divers, the swimming attempts of the chicks when they leave the nest for the first time, or the cormorants crouching on dry branches near the shore with their large wings in the sun dry. Among the large flocks of water fowl, experienced eyes can also make out rarer guests, such as the goosander (Mergus merganser) or the shelduck (Tadoma tadoma). When watching, one is often surprised by the roaring flight of the swans, which are now breeding in large numbers in the area. If we go further, the route moves away from the river, crosses the village of Dascio and climbs up to the "Sasso", a beautiful vantage point from which one can overlook the entire protected area and admire the peculiar beauty of this boggy plain


2. TRIVIO DI FUENTES- ADDA MOUNTAIN- LODOLETTA- TRIVIO DI FUENTES (3 hours.)
This route runs on a wide dirt road through the south-eastern part of the reserve and is also suitable for bicycles. At Trivio di Fuentes, at the bridge over the Adda, follow the signs to Pian di Spagna and leave the car just behind the level crossing. Then it continues on the straight path along the northern bank of the river to the mouth. If you stop every now and then and keep very quiet, you can see small vertebrates and flocks of ducks that populate this narrow strip between the river and the cultivated fields. At the edge of some pools on the dirt road (visits only allowed with a guide), you can follow the developmental stages of the dragonflies and, with a bit of luck, watch the kingfisher and the gray heron fishing. On the way back there is a short detour to the Lodoletta ornithological station, where, by arrangement with the management (Tel 0344/84251) and the director Walter Corti, you can watch the migratory birds being ringed. Not far from the ornithological station is the Borgofrancone Canal, the surface of which is completely covered by sea and pond roses, and where water fowl and divers live.


3. DUBINO RAILWAY STATION- PONCETTA STABLES- DUBINO RAILWAY STATION (2 hours.)
From the train station in Dubino, where a small information center has been set up, the route initially runs over fields to the outer edge of the sedge meadows and reed beds that line the banks of Lake Mezzola, and ends at the Poncetta stables. On this section the natural banks of the old river arms of the Adda are still clearly visible; they are small sandy elevations, covered by vegetation, in which the foxes prefer to dig their widely branched tunnels. Along the rows of poplars you can watch the great spotted woodpecker and the green woodpecker, which draw attention to the tree trunks in spring with their widely audible drumming. At this time of year, the wonderful yellow blooming water sword lily decorates the meadows around the Poncetta stables. The second part of the route (only with a guide of the reserve) leads to the discovery of the mysterious world of the reeds and some of its shy inhabitants.


4. CASENDA- CHURCH OF SAN FEDELINO- CASENDA (3 hours)
On this route you reach the thousand-year-old church of San Fedelino, one of the most important examples of the Romanesque period on the upper Lario.
From Casenda (Samolaco) you follow the signs to the church ruins of San Giovanni all'Archetto and you come to a small clearing where the remains of this church are located. Park the car here and take the marked path. After a little bridge you enter a quiet, shady forest that accompanies the course of the Mera. Then you cross a mule track that once formed the old valley road through Valchiavenna. We continue along the river, past the steep rock faces of Monte Berlinghera. After a short ascent, you return to the level of the river with the help of a wooden ladder and shortly you come to a small green meadow, which was wonderfully spared from the floods of the lake and on which the graceful church of San Fedelino rises. The legend of the martyr Fedele, a Roman soldier, who, according to tradition, was barbarously slain by the guards of the emperor in the year 298 exactly where the little church stands today (see table), is entwined around this picturesque place.

Opening times and visits

A visit to the small church, in whose interior frescos from the 10th and 11th centuries have been preserved, is possible from May to October, on Saturdays and Sundays (11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.), by arrangement with Mr. Emilio Sciam ( Tel. 0343/44085).

The church can also be reached via another, but much longer, footpath from Dascio, or by boat from the hotel-restaurant "La Barcaccia" in Verceia (Tel. 0343/44164).


REGION: Lake Como North, hiking tours, excursion tips (Alto Lario)