Walking tour through history, lake and culture
5 February 2026
Suspended between the city and the sky, Piani d’Erna is one of the most beloved destinations for the people of Lecco and beyond. Just a few minutes from the centre and easily accessible thanks to the year-round cable car, it offers spectacular panoramas, unspoilt nature, and cosy refuges such as Rifugio Marchett and Trattoria Milani. But there's a more authentic and adventurous way to get there, one that rewards the hiker with the satisfaction of conquest: the path that passes through the evocative Passo del Cammello.
It's not a walk for everyone, but it's not a via ferrata either. It's a trail that requires strong legs, a steady foot, and a desire to push yourself a little beyond the usual. The route, entirely immersed in woodland and often steep, starts from Versasio (610 m above sea level), a hamlet of Lecco easily reachable by car or the urban bus line no. 5. From here, ignoring the temptation of the cable car for a day, take trail 18, marked by pink dots and SEL signs, which leads directly to the base of the Piani d'Erna.
The first part of the trail winds through chestnut and beech trees, on a stony and increasingly uphill path. After about half an hour, you enter the Val Boazzo, where the vegetation opens up to spectacular views: to the left, the city of Lecco, then Ballabio, Monte Melma, and the Grigne mountains forming a scenic backdrop. Along the way, you encounter signs of human presence and faith: a small cross, a grotto with a Madonna. These are moments of pause and reflection, fragments of memory embedded in nature.
Then the path changes tone: the incline becomes steeper and some sections equipped with chains appear, necessary to overcome wet and slippery rocky outcrops. It’s the most technical section, but also the one that most excites those who love the thin air of adventure.
After about an hour and twenty minutes of walking, fatigue gives way to wonder. The woods thin out and open into a sunny hollow, where the true Passo del Cammello is located, marked by a pyramid of stones. A little further on, you reach the Forcella (1,200 m), where a solitary mountain hut guards the silence of the mountains. A few more minutes and you arrive at the small church of Santa Maria della Neve and then at the Marchett Refuge (1,248 m), with its characteristic pink colour.
The return journey offers several possibilities. The fittest can complete a magnificent circular route: from Bocca d’Erna, descend along path 7 and then 1 towards Rifugio Stoppani, crossing the Costa and Agriturismo Deviscio before returning to the starting point (estimated time: 1 hour 30 minutes from Bocca d’Erna). Others can still ascend, up to Pizzo d’Erna (1,368 m), to enjoy an unrivalled view of Lecco and Lake Como before descending comfortably by cable car.
Those who choose the Camel's Pass to ascend to Piani d'Erna make a conscious choice: that of fully experiencing the mountains, with slowness and respect. It is a path that is not forgotten, not only for the beauty of the views but for the intensity of the experience. Every step becomes a gesture that brings us closer to nature, distances us from the frenzy, and reminds us why we love mountain walking.
If you love the real mountains, the ones that stir emotion, Camel Pass is an invitation you can't refuse.
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