Val Quarazza

what is this ?

a photo album, a page about a peaceful site, something about mountain tradition and history ...

Overview

The Val Quarazza is one of the "minor" valleys in the Pennine Alps.
Starts, toward S, from the, more important, Valle Anzasca (the valley leading to Macugnaga, under the East wall of Monte Rosa).

Best access is from Isella, but not along the wide dirt road starting from the bottom of the car parking, much better cross the small builted area (all walser houses) to get the old miners path that, across a thick wood, leads to the Lago delle Fate.

Once here you have to follow the path, at the beginning wide and comfortable then more and more narrow and less marked till the Alpe Schena, where you will find the old good path to Colle del Turlo ...

Don't be afraid to remain without water here !

a small piece of history

It was the wild valley of golden mines and the best access, throught the Passo del Turlo, to the Valsesia.
After the closedown of the mines this valley became almost abandoned and till less than 30 years ago only few hunters used to travel into, it became a dangerous (as for my memories) nest of vipers.
Now this long valley is a little more frequented (but only in its lower part) due to the artificial lake of the Fate (Fairy lake) with its 2 restaurants full of tourists in the weekends.
In the bottom of the lake the old houses of Alpe Quarazza and, while walking you will be able to see, gazing around, the old gold washing small shacks.

walking along ...

The Gutwiarghini

along the dirt road descending from Fairy Lake to Isella, in the wood, on the left side, you will happen to see some strange figurines, carved in the stools by a local artist, depicting the characters of an old legend : the Gutwiarghini.
Good workers
They were the dwarfs once living in Macugnaga
They were very shy, maybe fearing that someone could deride them for their short height or because their feet were reversed, so they were always hidden !
But they had brains and taught mountain population how to get butter, cheese and ricotta from milk ...

Images

View Val Quarazza Image Gallery - 21 Images