The Berlinghera (1,930 metres) is a peak of the Lepontine Alps that watches over the northern end of the Lario and Lake Mezzola: from the top, a grassy hump with no point, the view takes in the Pian di Spagna, the Valchiavenna and the lake as far as the mountains around it.
What to see
The boundary between the provinces of Como and Sondrio runs right over the top: on the southern side lies the municipality of Sorico, on the northern side Samolaco. The slopes fall towards the Mera and Lake Mezzola; at the river mouth stands the Romanesque little temple of San Fedelino (page), worth combining with the outing. From the summit you see to the north the Valchiavenna and Lake Mezzola with the Pian di Spagna (nature reserve), to the left the Legnone and to the south Lake Como with the peaks around it. In 2022 LeccoToday reported a panoramic swing installed near the top.
History
On the summit the Sorico Alpini built in 1969 a votive chapel that kept plaques for the fallen of the wars; a few years later lightning destroyed it and it was never rebuilt. The perimeter walls remain, with many plaques, and along the ridge that descends to the south lies the dome, rolled down for some tens of metres. The slopes, rich in hiding places and woods, were a refuge for partisans in 1945: on the pasture the British parachuted a large supply of weapons, and Wikipedia recalls that the 52nd Garibaldi Brigade “Luigi Clerici”, which that April arrested Mussolini, had a post there.
Getting there
For San Bartolomeo (1,204 m) take state road 340 as far as Gera Lario and follow the sign for Montemezzo and Bugiallo: after about 3 km of climbing turn right at a junction and continue on a narrow but paved road, 12 km in all from Gera Lario, to the church, where you park. Behind the church the path starts (signs for Sasso Canale and Alta Via Lariana): you cross a wood of firs, beeches and oaks, follow a dirt road and, once out of the wood, reach the Alpe di Mezzo (about 1,540-1,560 m) and the Alpe Pescedo. You go straight towards the power-line pylon and follow the track, which is not very clear, to the Bocchetta Chiaro (1,660-1,666 m). From there you turn right and climb a short but steep path among larches and firs to the fore-summit with a cross; in about ten minutes you are on the top, where the ruins of the chapel remain. A 2013 report gives about 6.5 km, 700-800 metres of ascent, 2 hours 30 up and 1 hour 30 down, graded T/E; the North Lake Como site says 2-4 hours. To come down you can retrace the ascent or follow the ridge southwards, past the chapel ruins, to above the Alpe Pescedo, where however there is no clear path. The times, ascents and difficulty ratings on this page come from unofficial hiking guides and portals (see Sources), not from a body that manages the trail. Times, difficulty and trail conditions change with the season and should be checked before setting out (CAI, hut managers, weather forecast).
Practical information
- Height: 1,930 metres (OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikipedia).
- There are no huts or refreshment points along the route. Before San Bartolomeo, according to North Lake Como, there are the Giacomino agriturismo at Sorico, open from March to November, and the Baita dal Vikingo, open all year: we have not verified hours and contacts on an up-to-date source.
Sources
- North Lake Como, Monte Berlinghera
- I Rubagalline, report of 8 December 2013
- LeccoToday, The swing on Monte Berlinghera (2022)
- Wikipedia, Monte Berlinghera entry; Wikidata and OpenStreetMap.