Il Mount Maniva it is present in all my memories as a teenager related to summer holidays; there are many times that I have set foot there. All Brescians know him. A nice walk in summer, go for mushrooms or come to ski in winter, there are many activities that can be done on this beautiful mountain, including long walks in the company of your dog.
My grandmother has a small house in San Colombano, the town from which the climb that leads to 1600 meters starts and passes the Maniva pass. If you look from the village towards the top of the mountain you will notice the structures of the Maniva Ski right at the point where the road "crosses" the mountain. Here in winter there are ski slopes and you can rent all the necessary equipment.
Unfortunately, I never learned to ski, I tried a few times but I didn't have consistency. Sooner or later I will learn ... in the meantime I prefer to go on long excursions in nature, in the midst of the colors and scents of the mountain and above all in the midst of silence.
I took advantage of a weekend in July for enjoy this paradisor and taking a little vacation with my dogs, they needed a couple of days off. I live in the countryside and they have many places to run around, but my two little dogs were born in the mountains, leaving them free in the green of 2000 meters is a godsend for them.
Holidays with your dog in Maniva? Where stay?
In the tourism sector, many structures are starting to accept dogs and for me this is good news. Of course, if it's a long trip like the ones I usually take in the summer, then it's a problem to take Birby and Pesca with me. I prefer to leave them to someone I can trust. But when it comes to shorter trips, give it short break in Italy or a few days in the mountains, well then it is obvious that I want to take them with me.
In Maniva there is no problem if you have a dog with you. L'Bonardi Hotel , property of Maniva Ski, is fully equipped for the holidays with the canis. There are annexes that allow complete independence for both you and your four-legged friend. In addition to the room, I was also very comfortable with regard to the restaurant. The dining room is treated in detail and the dishes are of excellent quality.
THEBonardi Hotel it is located on the road that leads from Monte Maniva to Passo Crocedomini, about 1,5 km from the pass.
How to get to the Maniva pass
It's super simple, the Maniva is at the end of Val Trompia, just take the valley and you will find it. In fact it is a simplistic explanation, I give you two more tips.
Arriving from the A4 motorway, you can exit at Brescia Ovest or Brescia Centro, continue following the signs for Valle Trompia. The first piece will be all ring road, once you arrive near the outskirts of Brescia the ring road ends and from that point a street called Via Triumplina will start. Continue north on this road and after about an hour you will arrive near San Colombano, the town from which the climb to Monte Maniva starts.
It is possible to go up to Maniva both from Val Camonica through the Crocedomini Pass that from the Valle Sabbia near Bagolino. But be careful that these two roads are not passable in winter, so the only access becomes that of Val Trompia.
ARE YOU IN THE BRESCIANO? HERE ARE A FEW POST TO DISCOVER THE CITY
- What to see in Brescia?
- The castle of Brescia and the reason for the name: the Lioness of Italy
- The legend of San Faustino and Giovita
Maniva: the excursion to the sport fishing lakes of ravenola
There are countless paths that depart in the surroundings. Well known is the path of the three valleys that skirts the hotel, you can find it on the map marked with "3V". Obviously you can only walk a piece. However, you are spoiled for choice, at the Hotel Bonardi you will find many maps that indicate all the possible excursions in the vicinity.
I opted for an easy trek, 30 minutes of walking with your dog they bring to the sport fishing lakes of Ravenola immersed in the green of the upper Trompia Valley! These lakes are also used for sport fishing, there are many who, armed with fishing rods, spend a few hours by the lake.
To reach these alpine lakes is very simple. From the hotel you have to continue by car till at Passo Ravenola that I show you on the map. It is 5 minutes by car.
From this point begins the descent towards the ravenola lakes, you can see them from the road. There are two, the bigger one is the one with the house supporting the fishermen. The descent, as I said, is short but offers very interesting views.
I didn't go any further. In the refreshment area there are several tables for visitors where you can stop and have a picnic or simply to rest. Please note that not all tables are for free use, some are reserved for fishermen.
If you are looking for typical mountain relaxation, the advice is to stop and enjoy the landscape for a few hours, perhaps lying in the sun.
If you want continue the trek there are other paths that continue, for that it is necessary that you equip yourself with the map that you will find in the hotel.
It is also the ideal excursion for your dog. When I take my parents to the mountains, they are very happy, but I doubt that there are any dogs who are not happy in the mountains.
One of the mysterious places in Lombardy: The old NATO radars
If you are interested in abandoned and mysterious places, this is for you. I associated the excursion to the lakes with a brief visit to the NATO radars installed on the Dosso dei Galli, one of the peaks near Mount Dasdana. To get there just continue by car on the street where you parked, time 5 minutes and you will arrive at another clearing from which you can go up (on foot) to the radar station.
This old radar station had great importance during the cold war. Together with other strategically placed bases, it allowed the exchange of encrypted information between the United States and Europe. However, it was decommissioned in 1995. Orders were given to demilitarize it quickly, so quickly that they left the base completely intact without taking anything away. It goes without saying that in the following years many grabbed the means and equipment that had remained in the radar station. The consequence was an increasingly evident degradation that led the structures to remain completely empty and semi-destroyed. The giant radar structure remains on top of the mountain and can also be seen from the road below.
Attention: the radar area is owned by Maniva Ski. If you intend to go and visit them, just report it to the managers of the Hotel Bonardi. It is simply a proforma to be aware that you will go and see them up close.
The history of Nato radars on Mount Maniva is very interesting and further information on this can be found on the website of brescia itineraries.
