Monte Covreto

Hi there! Being completely out of shape (last hike was 13 months ago) and badly overweight I looked for an easy-easy option. Monte Covreto was the good one. There is little new to be said about the route, but here we go anyway. Starting point is the large parking area at La Forcora. On this day it was absolutely packed with cars for a kinda titanic fried sausage jamboree. Not my scenario. Well, from La Forcora the path moves right up north-east, pretty much steep, and gets you to the undefined summit of Monte Sirti. Here you will find yourself on a broad ridge which will get you to Forcoletta and, onwards, to the approaches of Monte Corbaro. The path contours the western flank of Monte Corbaro up to a saddle separating it from Monte Covreto. Here you get a vision of Monte Paglione, not too distant at all, so I said “Hm, I’ll go there first.” Straight forward it really is, a nice walk. From Monte Paglione I turned back and headed for Monte Covreto from where the overview of Lago Maggiore is wonderful. Then, rather than going back the same route, I thought descending south-west to Piano della Rogna and then to Alpe di Piero. Actually the path from Piano della Rogna to Alpe di Piero is in a bad shape, at times hard to be distinguished and with the scarce markings faded to almost invisibility. However, you will get to a brand new pole with indications suggesting to go right (i.e. south-east) to Alpe di Piero. The path is clearly indicated on Swisstopo, but it seems to be in even worse conditions. I am under the impression that it has not been covered by humans since ages. Just went on and got to Alpe di Piero, from where a paved road, relaxingly flat, gets you back to La Forcora. All together a nice “ring” hike, with very few hikers and some bicycles on the way. From La Forcora to Monte Covreto it took me 2 hours and 45 minutes; a party of aged nuns would have done that in half the time, I know.