SAT / E595 - Lanzino Trail

The trail follows the ancient route that connected the Prince-Bishopric of Trento with the Republic of Venice. It is the 'Lanzino di là' trail, meaning the downhill section of the Sentiero dell'Ancino (or Lanzino), whose uphill section (the 'Lanzino di qua') is on the Caldonazzo side between the Centa valley and Lavarone (see SAT trail 217). It can be walked uphill starting from Carotte di Pedemonte, at the bottom of the Val d'Astico, or downhill from the locality of Dazio. Combined with SAT trails 221 or 297, it constitutes a very interesting excursion. 

The starting point is the junction with SAT trail 221, near the hamlet of Dazio (Folgaria); initially, descend to the characteristic hamlet of Piccoli passing the gorge of Rio Malo and the high rocky wall where the Cóvelo di Rio Malo is located, a large natural cavity accessible by a short detour and a staircase that allows you to climb to the cave entrance. After passing the small church of the hamlet, curiously built on a landslide boulder, and then the main street of the hamlet, descend further downstream staying at the edge of the cultivated meadows passing next to three large landslide boulders. Continue along the southern section of the Sentiero dell'Ancino (or Lanzino) passing next to a spring and the Baito Prombis; the trail makes numerous switchbacks and reaches a last terrace where there are three small buildings, called the Baiti dei Sordi. Marked CAI 595, the mule track continues towards the valley floor between high walls supporting terraced fields now sadly abandoned. Upon reaching the old military road built in 1908 by the Tyrolean pioneers of the Austro-Hungarian army, turn left towards the nearby settlement of Carotte, a hamlet of Pedemonte, but close to Lastebasse, on the other bank of the Astico.