Description

The history of San Martino di Castrozza as a tourist resort with easy access to the peaks of the Pala Group started in the late 1800s, simultaneously with the British visitors who were the first to explore the Pala Group. At the time little more than a hamlet developed around the hospice of Saints Martino and Giuliano – the true origin of the town -, in the following decades San Martino di Castrozza grew exponentially with mass tourism linked to mountaineering and skiing. As of today, San Martino (1,487 m asl) looks like a charming tourist center in the heart of the Dolomites, where it is possible to find all the services that the modern tourist can look for.

The itinerary that allows you to reach the village of San Martino di Castrozza from the hut of Maso Raris runs parallel to the main road SS 50 and develops in two distinct parts: the first with the ascent to the beautiful pasture of Malga Crél, the second with the comfortable descent along the gravel road that leads directly to Prà delle Nasse, in the westernmost part of the tourist resort, from which it is possible to comfortably get to the center by following the flat street of Via Laghetto.

From Maso Raris (1,154 m asl), leave the Maso ground at the end of the upper parking lot and cut across under the forest. After 50 m you will reach a grass field with the neighboring houses visible looking down, on your right. Keep going at the same altitude until the end of the grass field, then continue uphill in the forest. After a first stretch of 150 m between the trees, you get in front of a short but steep slope, which you climb up while keeping the same direction. Once up the slope, you will see on the right a white house with a so-called Vivaio Forestale (tr. forest nursery) next to it. Once reached the Vivaio Forestale (1,220 m asl), you continue going up towards W along the trail of the Signpost No. 359 towards Pian del Tèrmen / Malga Crél / San Martino di Castrozza. The track, sometimes steep but always wide and well marked, goes up the eastern slopes of Mount Bedolé leading to the crossroads in the location of Pian del Tèrmen (1,400 m asl).

From the crossroads, you shall proceed along the gravel road towards Malga Crél, along the Signpost No. 377, which gradually climbs into the forest until it reaches the lower edges of the pastures of Malga Crél. Once by the large meadow – at the upper part of which the hut stands – the route continues on the main gravel road (Signpost No. 350), which runs along the eastern side of the pasture proceeding towards San Martino di Castrozza.

After a flat stretch that leads to the hill of Col Tamadi (1,576 m asl), the path of the Signpost No. 350 faces a long but gentle descent through the forest of Tognòla until getting to the bridge over the stream named Rio Valcigolera. After crossing the watercourse, the itinerary continues towards San Martino di Castrozza, crossing the beautiful pine forest and the marshes of Col dei Laghetti, and then turning right, towards E, hence reaching the street of Via Laghetto, which runs along the biotope of Prà delle Nasse. The last stretch of the itinerary follows Via Laghetto, passing by the lake named Laghetto Plank and leading directly to the historic center of San Martino, in front of the church.

From the village of San Martino di Castrozza, it is possible to return to the hut of Maso Raris by taking the bus that connects San Martino with Fiera di Primiero, directly from the bus station (timetables here), up to the location of Valmesta.