The Val di Mello is a nature reserve of untouched beauty that is within the territory of the Val Masino, located in the province of Sondrio. Its strategic position makes it very easy to reach, being only far away a couple of hours from Milan.
The best place to start exploring the Valley is certainly the town of San Martino Valmasino . From here there are several easily walkable paths that run along the most beautiful viewpoints. Along the valley there are several refreshment points and equipped areas where you can relax and enjoy the landscape, but also many streams, waterfalls and lakes with clear and crystalline waters .
After a few minutes of climbing, past the restaurant “il Gatto Rosso”, you reach the lake of Qualido, formed in 2009 following the landslide of the overhanging wall of Qualido. The route continues inside the woods, until arriving at Ca ‘di Carna, a rural center where you can stop and rest.
Not far away lies the locality of Rasica , a settlement of huts dominated by the rocky granite walls, which are often chosen by climbers for excursions. From here you can admire the Zocca Waterfall, located to the left of the huts, also surrounded by the green of the trees and the gray of the rocks.Proceeding, once you have passed the last group of huts, the path always continues inside the forest. At this point you have almost reached the bottom of the Val di Mello and you can see the bridge over the Torrone torrent and the nearby Chiusa waterfall.
Here you can choose to go even further, climbing through the hairpin bends, to be able to admire the basin of Alpe Pioda. The altitude here reaches 1560 meters in height. A spectacular view awaits you, as far as the eye can see on the imposing granite walls that emerge from the thick of the woods.
The return to the valley is carried out along the same path, until you find the Rasica huts. Returning to the Qualido lake, don’t forget to turn right and go to the Ferro waterfall , considered the most beautiful of all those hosted by the Val di Mello. The waterfall collects the waters of the homonymous valley and brings them back to the bottom of a stream that can be easily reached on foot.
The exploration of the Val di Mello is always very pleasant, as it is not too complex but full of secret and panoramic areas to discover, which will surely be able to fascinate you.
If you are looking for other places to cool off among the beauties of Lombardy, do not miss our articles: The 10 lakes where you can swim in Lombardy and Where to swim near Milan: 3 dream places immersed in nature .
