SUNRISE ON THE DOLOMITES
VIA ALPINA DAY 19 – FRIDAY 10 JULY 2026
NEAR DURRENSTEIN HUTTE – BY RIVER KARBACH
DISTANCE HIKED: 41.0 km
ELEVATION GAIN: 870 m
TOTAL DISTANCE HIKED: 476.9 km
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: 25,300m
It was a glorious sunrise from our camp near the hutte. The sun lit up the soaring peaks. Just before sunrise we noticed people gathering by the memorial cross on the hill. Speaking to some people later on their way back to their cars, it seems that the cross on the hill is one of those sunrise over the Dolomites Instagram sites.
From the hill we followed an alternate VA route (Route 34) down the valley. Wide and open at the start it became more narrow and followed a bike path down. It was pleasant morning, cool and sunny. The only people we passed were a couple of trail runners running uphill and the couples returning to the cars after the sunrise. We stopped for a break just past the park entry gate. We had walked through Parco Naturales Fanes – Senes – Braies, where almost everything if prohibited except cows grazing and some tree logging. It was a UNESCO declared World Heritage Area.
It was still early, the only sound was birds twittering and the creek flowing with an occasional car approaching the gates.
We were on a trail above the road. A really pleasant walk without anybody on the trail.
As we descended we passed a protected wetland where groundwater aquifer was emerging into a crystal clear stream. Lots of signage about the various habitat values. Looked so healthy and calming to walk by. It wasn’t too far down where the wetland joined another creek that we saw a big construction site with an excavator digging up the creek bed. Not sure why, just a very stark contrast. From here the creek was a grey slurry flowing towards the next town, Prags.
Once we emerged from the forest we were approaching the town. It was hot out in the open without the trees for cover. Looking back, the craggy Dolomite peaks framed the lush green valley we were passing through.
The town seemed very quite. We stopped for a late breakfast at a local supermarket, got some rolls and a cold drink before rejoining the trail. We followed a bike trail along the turbid river all the way to the next town, Welsberg.
We were disappointed to find the store in Welsberg had just shut for the afternoon siesta, so no lunch was possible.
From Welsberg our day went south. The VA trail followed a bike trail through open farmland with with little tree cover. Lots of cyclists on electric bikes passing us in both directions. All seemed very friendly. It was hot, we later saw that it got to 35°C. We passed cows in barns, cow poop in piles, cow poop liquefied and being sprayed on pasture fields, dried cow poop being ground up generating dust we walked through and cows wallowing in deep dung piles by the barns. Life on the farm I guess. I’m thinking I may not be a valley person either. We were really struggling with the heat.
And amongst all this a Michelin stared restaurant and a couple of upmarket spa resorts. I was getting cranky, as I realised that we may not make it to the next town, St Martin in Casies, before the stores closed. So Hammer put his foot down and really got moving. We made it to the store with an hour to spare. We were so relieved that the road walk was over. We got some food to eat and some supplies for later. We had a late lunch/early dinner before heading back on trail. A short uphill from town and we were back into green pastures. We found a campspot by the river, not visible from the road and set up for the night.
