When the summer heat settles over the lowlands, the Lukmanier region beckons with cool mountain breezes, crystalline streams, and pastures so green they seem to glow. Easily reached by public transport or car, this gentle alpine landscape is laced with well-signposted trails that require no technical skill, making it the ideal destination for anyone who loves wide-open spaces, clear skies, and the quiet company of grazing cattle. The excursion also provides the perfect excuse to explore the beautiful Blenio Valley on the way.
Itinerary: The Source of Brenno River (2h, see map)
The walk begins at the Lucomagno Pass, 1,900 metres above sea level. The first thing to greet you is a striking granite sculpture of the "Virgin Mary with the Infant," standing bold against the blue sky. Created in 1956 by Genucchi (1904-1979), a Swiss-Italian artist born in Brussels to parents from the Blenio Valley, it serves as a serene guardian of the pass.
A series of panels guide the way; follow the route marked number 3. The first stretch leads to Alpe Croce, where the trail crosses vast, open pastures. Scattered among the grass you will notice pristinely white calcareous rocks, remnants of an ancient seabed that covered the Alpine region some 200 million years ago. These rocks erode in dramatic fashion: deep cavities and cracks are clearly visible underfoot, a geology lesson written in stone.
The trail continues to Foppa di Pertusio, then descends to Alpe Gana, crossing the river Brenno where its waters are particularly calm and shallow. Onward to Alpe Pertusio, set on a beautiful plain at 1,830 metres, where cattle graze the summer pastures and you may well encounter little pink piglets trotting around the stable. The cheese produced here is highly prized. Behind the small dairy cabin, tucked beneath an overhanging rock, you can discover the river's humble source, a quiet beginning for a watercourse that will carve its way through an entire valley.
From Alpe Pertusio, follow the signs back to the starting point. The entire loop takes about 2 hours. Afterward, consider visiting the Pro Natura Lucomagno Centre in Acquacalda. The excursion is also a wonderful opportunity to savour the sunny Blenio Valley; pause in the villages along the way and at the ruins of Serravalle castle in Semione, built by noble Blenio families to control the Lucomagno Pass and destroyed in 1402.
