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| Picture taken during the itinerary |
The river Brenta runs from the
lakes of Levico and Caldonazzo, near Trento, to the Adriatic sea. Before
reaching the Venetian plain and the city of Bassano with its renowned wooden
Old Bridge (also called Ponte degli Alpini because the General
Cadorna and the Italian Army crossed it to reach the Asiago plateau during
WWI), this river flows in its first section through a narrow gorge surrounded
by high mountain ranges. And just before Bassano it is surrounded by the Grappa
on its left side and exactly by the Asiago plateau on the right one. If you
drive today on the provincial road, you will probably think this is a quite
inhospitable region: the small villages along the Brenta river valley climb on
the one hand the mountain slopes with effort, trying to steal few meters
of cultivable plots of land; on the other hand they slip to the bank of the
Brenta river, which represented in the past the fastest commercial and
transport connection for the local inhabitants. Now, try to imagine these
villages during the years of the Great War, as they were suddenly transformed
in a crucial passage to and from the front-line.
To introduce you to the
history of the World War I in this Italian region we would like today to
suggest an itinerary near Valstagna, a small village on the right bank of the
Brenta river, about 15 Km northern from Bassano. As Italy entered the conflict,
all houses of the village were occupied by troops coming from or going to the
front line on the Asiago plateau. Civil population was forced to work at the
construction of roads, water cisterns and other infrastructures for war
necessities, before being completely evacuated in 1917. Since it represented for
the Austro-Hungarian Army one of the entrance point to the Venetian plain, the
whole valley and especially Valstagna became a strategic point, it is therefore
not surprising to find even today a lots of signs of the events of those years.
At the back of the village a web of mule tracks and paths climbs the steep side
of the mountain, on whose top is the Asiago plateau. Part of these trails used
during the WWI date back to the early modern age, when the tobacco plantation
was the main economic resource for the valley inhabitants who connected with
small paths the tiny terraced fields they had dug on the rocky slope of the
mountain. This paths are today at the center of a touristic project called
“Alta via del Tabacco” (further information, unfortunately only in Italian,
here) and were
recently equipped with new information panels. Among them one can find also
some Great War itineraries, and we’d like today to suggest you the “Sentiero
del Vu”. The path takes the name from Albino Celi, also called el Vu (the
“You”), since he addressed everybody with the formal form of Vu, Voi (i.e.
You). He was born in Valstagna at the end of the XIX century and he gained his
life selling war wrecks (metals or gun powder) that he collected on the Asiago
plateau or on the Ortigara. He died in 1963, becoming an example of the deep
connection between the inhabitants of the Brenta river valley, the mountains
and the War. Albino Celi was in fact recalled also in the work of the Italian
author Rigoni Stern (Le stagioni di Giacomo - Giacomo's seasons, 1995)
and in a docu-film by Ermanno Olmi on the Recuperanti, (literally
"the rescuers" or "the collectors"), i.e. the poor
inhabitants of the region that after the WWII collected and sold as Albino el
Vu the war wastes scattered in the near mountains during both the
world conflicts .
The Sentiero del Vu overlaps
the path n.775, an old military track of the WWI which leads to Col d’Astiago
(m.1240). It takes in total 5.30/6.00 hours and can therefore be undertaken
only during the spring or the summer. Anyway a shorter version of the itinerary
which does not reach the summit and follows an alternative way back is perfect
also for the autumn and the winter time, that's to say for this period. We’d
like today to suggest you this one because it presents no difficulties, it's
short (in total about 3.30-4.00 hours) and fits each year season. It enables
therefore almost everyone to discover the traces of the Great War in this
valley.
Starting point is the hamlet
of Londa, in the village of Valstagna.
Park near the cemetery, then walk along the main road with direction Valstagna
only few minutes. In the center of the hamlet you will first see a slim white
house on your right with a niche of the Virgin; few steps further on your left,
you then see a red house of the XVIII century on the background and before,
always on your left, the signpost of the path n.775, also called “Sentiero del
Vu”. Follow it turning on the left, walk along the houses and, turning again on
the left, cross the terraced fields, once used for the tobacco plantation (and
admire the dry-stone walls, a masterpiece of engineering!). In about 15 minutes
you will see the first trenches and mule tracks. There is also a 50 meters long
gallery, which was used for the artillery fire. Looking from the 4 gun openings
you will have a perfect view on the valley on north, toward the Grappa, on
Valstagna and the Brenta river valley and finally on the south, toward the
plain and Bassano. Follows the path and walk again about 5 minutes and you will
cross the “Alta Via del Tabacco” (AVT). A white label gives you information
about the “Tobacco Road” and your position. Turn then right and walk again on
path n.775 till you reach a small hut, today almost ruined, and short after, on
the right and signaled with a wooden sign, small trenches with observation points
toward north, that we recommend to visit. Continuing then on the original path
you will reach in short a fork: on the right the path n.775 continues with an
equipped itinerary and reaches Col d’Astiago, on the top of the mountain, in
about 3 hours. This could be fine if you are well trained and in an appropriate
season, but since we’re talking today about a “winter itinerary”, we suggest
you this time to turn right. Actually you will see also on this right
side the indication of path n. 775 with direction Col d’Astiago in 3 hours, but
follow instead the Tobacco Road – Alta via del Tabacco among
the wood, till you find on your right an indication to the Contrada
Postarnia (m. 448). You can walk down immediately, but we suggest you
a small deviation: if you walk few steps ahead, you will find on your left a
path climbing the slope: it’s an old mule track of the Great War, which leads
you in 15 minutes to the Contrada Mandre (m. 786)
(open only during the summer time), where you can seat and enjoy the landscape
also on the Asiago plateau. Then turn back, walk down toContrada Postarnia and
reach through a stony road - once again from the war time - the center of
Valstagna, where you can finally find a place to eat something. If you have
some more time, it is maybe worth to drive to Bassano and visit the Ponte
degli Alpini and the local WWI Museum.
(Here below is the video of the mentioned film I recuperanti directed by Ermanno Olmi.)
