A fairly short stage with no technical difficulties, but characterized by an important difference in height and by the long climb up to the Monte Matajur (1.645 m).
The view from the top is beautiful, ranging from the walls of the Mangart to the Monte Canin.
Some segments in the stretch between Topolò and Polava are slippery and have invasive vegetation.
Risk of ticks.
The only water point is in Polava.
We start immediately uphill (approximately 250 m height difference) until we climb over the mouth just south of Monte Scarie. Towards the end of the descent, we meet a small hut and shortly after, we are in the village of Polava, with its Buddhist monastery.
We continue on the road up to Cepletischis, where a long but not too steep climb begins ( approx. 1.000 m height difference) and ends with the summit of Matajur (1.645 m). The beautiful panorama goes from Monte Mangart (2.679 m) to Monte Canin (2.587 m), to the long Stol ridge. A small chapel offers us shelter from the wind.
From the top, we soon reach the PelizzoMountain Hut. The beautiful view sweeps up to the plain.
In the VI century from Matajur, king Alboino started the Lombard invasion.
Legend has it that, before conquering all of northern Italy he climbed the Monte Matajur (which from this episode took the name of "Monte del Re", King’s Mount) to scan the Friulian plain.
In Polava, a village in the valley after Topolò, there is a suggestive Buddhist monastery adorned with beautiful mandalas. It hosted also the Dalai Lama.
A place inhabited by a few people, permeated by positive energy, and surrounded by lush nature. Meditation and yoga meetings are held inside the monastery.
At Pelizzo Mountain Hut we can taste dishes based on wild herbs that Isabella collects in the surroundings.
An excellent example is the fregoloz (a sort of water and flour dumplings similar to the spatzle) with sclopit (i.e. the bulging silene), whose name derives from the fact that the flowers swell up to burst.
Rifugio Pelizzo, under the top of the Matajur. Tel. +39 331 426 6304 - +39 0432 714041
Starting point reachable by car.
Departure point NOT reachable by train.
The closest location that can be reached by bus is Clodig, leaving from the city of Udine with a change in Cividale.
Here the LINK to check the timetables.
Departure point NOT reachable by train.
Va' Sentiero is a grassroot project, thanks to the spontaneous contribution oft housands of people.
Even the most complicated dream, a 7,000km uphill dream,
can be achieved... together.
Grazie!
