Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: David Sellars on July 19, 2014, 07:47:43 PM
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I am sure everyone has their favourite alpine flower walk in the Dolomites but a recent trip along the Cresta de le Sele just blew us away. We went up there on July 16 to try and find Androsace wulfeniana which was reported to be there in Jim Jermyn’s book, Mountain Flower Walks, the Eastern Alps. We did not find the plant in flower but pretty much every other alpine plant to be found in the Dolomites was there in profusion. There are two reasons why the plants were so abundant; the ridge crest alternates between limestone and volcanic rock every 100 m or so and the sharp crest provides northerly and southerly aspects. For example on the north side on volcanic rock there were flowers such as Androsace alpina, Androsace vitaliana and Ranunculus glacialis. In limestone crevices there were plants such as Potentilla nitida, Saxifraga caesia and Androsace helvetica.
The ridge starts at the Pas de le Sele at 2530 m and runs southwest to a high point marked on the map as Acholet at 2582 m. Beyond Acholet the going appears to become more challenging so we stopped at the summit where there is volcanic rock supporting fine flowering specimens of Primula glutinosa and Eritrichium nanum. I was particularly pleased to find Saxifraga bryoides in flower.
For me the best alpine flower walk should have a profusion of choice alpines, excellent views and relatively easy access. The views to the Rosengarten, Langkofel and Pala Group were outstanding. The Cresta de le Sele can be easily reached from the Passo San Pellegrino using the Costabella chair lift that whisks you up from 1906 m to 2273 m. From there it is only another 250 m of of ascent to the Pas de le Sele. The path along the crest is narrow and only those who are confident in slightly exposed situations should attempt the route along the crest.
A map can be found at this link:
http://www.italiantouristoffice.se/sv/docs/360.pdf (http://www.italiantouristoffice.se/sv/docs/360.pdf)
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Easy to see why you warn about the crest, David! Super plants and the views are spectacular -what a place!
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Super plants and super images David ! Please let us see more of that .........
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This is a new ridge for us, David … looks spectacular … oh that we could be permitted to see these images a little larger, Maggi? ;) :-*
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Images for the forum must be under 200kb - but it is possible to post photos of much greater pixel size than the recommended 760 maximum width if desired - such photos under 200 kb will still give superb reproduction on the screen. Many do complain if photos are so large as to require scrolling on an average screen.
It is always possible to enlarge any picture onscreen of course by (control/scroll) of course - and those with good original focus will still be beautiful - as can be seen from David's pix.
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Ian has just made the excellent suggestion to me that if David would like to write up this walk for the International Rock Gardener the photos could be larger there......... 8) Sometime that chap has a great idea... :)
editor@internationalrockgardener.net :)
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:P :P :P :P Sounds good!!! :P :P :P :P
Ian has just made the excellent suggestion to me that if David would like to write up this walk for the International Rock Gardener the photos could be larger there......... 8) Sometime that chap has a great idea... :)
editor@internationalrockgardener.net :)
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Yes indeed Maggi, it is an amazing place. This is our fourth trip to the Dolomites and we have never before found such an impressive natural alpine rock garden. Cliff is right; it is spectacular.
The ridge walking is not as intimidating as it looks in the photos. Most of it is quite easy with only a couple of places where extra care is needed. At some locations there are paths on the north side and the south side of the crest so you can get up close to the plants growing in the crevices in the shattered rock. And to cap it all there is a splendid refugio at the Pas de le Sele.
The ridge was the Austrian front line in the 1914-18 war so there are some tunnels through the crest and excavated lookouts.
For Kris, I am going to post 20 more images all taken on July 16. The photos show just some of the plants we saw along just over a kilometre of the ridge. I sense that this year was a heavy snow year in the Dolomites and that it has been a cool spring and cool early summer. In other years, July 16 may be a bit late to see all the plants in flower. Here are the first five photos.
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Here are five more images from the Cresta de le Selle. The view of the Rosengarten is across the top of the knife edged crest with Eritrichium on the south side of the crest.
The photo of the typical shattered rock is on the north side of the ridge and, if you look closely, the crevices are full of Androsace alpina.
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Here are the next five images. in the photo called "rock garden" the plants include Eritrichium, Arenaria sp, Saxifraga paniculata, Saxifraga moschata and many others
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Last five ;D
It was amazing for us to find so many flowering alpines in such a relatively small area. Other plants that we noted that are not included in the 25 photos posted, were Linaria alpina, Aster alpinus, Silene acaulis, Saxifraga caesia, Thlaspi alpinum, Thlaspi rotundifolium, Anemone baldensis, Veronica sp, Arabis sp, Armeria alpina, Phyteuma sieberi, Erinus alpinus, Leontopodium alpinum, Acinos alpinus, Ranunculus seguieri, Dryas octopetala and Achillea clavennae.
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David, thank you so much for showing us so many fine pictures
from this floral paradise.
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It is paradise , you are right Rudi .....
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Wonderful plants and views! Thanks for posting.
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Today (July 25) dawned fine and clear with a sunny forecast so we headed back up to the Cresta de le Selle. We had been so overwhelmed by the richness of the flora on July 16 that we were sure we had missed some species. Plus we hoped to get more photos in clear weather.
Unfortunately it soon clouded over and by the time we got to Cima Acholet, about a kilometre along the ridge, the wind was blowing and cold rain was driving. It did not dampen our enthusiasm for the location though and despite the fact that we had last been there 9 days ago, there were still plenty of flowering plants. Some new images follow. Sorry about the grey skies. We were grateful to escape to the Refugio where they do an excellent Apfelstrudel.
Arenaria sp.
Aster alpinus
Gentiana terglouensis.jp
Ranuculus glacialis and Refugio
Saxifraga paniculata
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The photo titled "Competition" shows a "single bun" with Saxifraga oppositifolia on the left, Eritrichium nanum in the centre and Saxifraga paniculata on the right. It demonstrates the attractiveness of the location for alpines with the plants competing for the best niches.
The photo titled "Rock contrast" shows a marked delineation between the rock types on the ridge with whitish limestone contrasting with brown metamorphic acidic rock. There is an immediate change in the plant communities at the boundaries.
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The photo titled "Crevice garden" shows layered metamorphic rock with numerous plants in the cracks. At the bottom, Saxifraga paniculata can be seen coming into flower and a there are a large number of Eritrichium and Sempervivum.
When we were on the ridge 9 days ago the Saxifraga caesia was not in flower.
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Surprisingly, the Androsace alpina were still looking magnificent, on the shaded north side of the ridge.
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Wonderful pictures, many thanks for posting.
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At the summit of Cima Acholet, the acidic metamorphic rock becomes very dominant. The Primula glutinosa were still in flower clinging to tiny cracks in the rock face. It was raining quite hard so it was difficult to keep drops off the camera lens.
On the route back to the chairlift, I was delighted to find Saxifraga crustata among limestone boulders. It is not that common in the Dolomites.
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I made a short video of our July 16 trip along the Cresta de le Sele. It can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl5CYnogd_I&list=UUC8JyVR5BRKru6GX8For0xg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl5CYnogd_I&list=UUC8JyVR5BRKru6GX8For0xg)
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David! This was the best treat for a monday morning 8) I felt transported to this beautiful place - thank you.
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Wonderful photos, David. It's on my top 5 list, which keeps changing every year!
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A perfect 'virtual' lunchtime stroll :)
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Wonderful photos, David. It's on my top 5 list, which keeps changing every year!
Thanks Anne. I would be interested to know what your current top 5 are. Like you, we love the Dolomites and are always looking for recommendations.
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I've been really enjoying your posts David . Always interesting to revisit an area a few weeks later
Cheers
Steve
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David, have you tried the walk at Paso L'Erbe? Wonderful plants on the way to the Pass and then take the trail to the left towards the peak. If you still have energy to spare, go back to the Pass and instead of returning the way you came take the other trail down which takes you through wonderful plants as you walk around the entire mountain to end up eventually where you started. It's a long walk, shorter to come back down the Pass the way you came. Rifugios, but not high up.
Another favorite is the hike up to Paso Cir from the Gardena Pass. Head towards Jimmy Hutte and you'll see a trail map. From Paso Cir take the right hand trail to Paso Crespeina, my favorite. Ranunculus alpestris and Sax. oppositifolia are rife. It's a great trail for plants. Don't bother with it if it's a late snow year because the second trail will be all snow.
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Thanks for the suggestions Anne. We have been up to the Paso Crespeina a few times - some amazing limestone scenery on the way. We have never been to Paso L'Erbe. It looks interesting and will definitely try it out next time. :D
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We have been up to the Paso Crespeina a few times - some amazing limestone scenery on the way.
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I call the area a "moonscape". Have you taken the hike to Puez? Absolutely superb. Ranunculus grows all along the top part of the walk like a groundcover.
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We have been to the Rifugio Puez a number of times. We take the Dantercepies gondola from Selva to a point above Passo Gardena, head over the plateau to the rifugio and then walk down Vallunga back to Selva. It is a little long but a lovely walk.
The Ranunculus alpestris are indeed amazing- thousands of them. In 2004 we found a double form and I wrote about it in the NARGS Quarterly.
https://www.nargs.org/sites/default/files/free-rgq-downloads/VOL_64_NO_1.pdf (https://www.nargs.org/sites/default/files/free-rgq-downloads/VOL_64_NO_1.pdf)
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beautiful photos, made e want to go there - glad you didn't actually get blown away. Interesting to see Potentilla nitida in flower when it wasn't only a week earlier in Slovenia, even at a much lower altitude. And no campanulas?
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Jonathan:
We did see Campanula rotundifolia up on the ridge and lots of Phyteuma sieberi which are in the Campanulaceae. Nevertheless, most Campanula species in the Dolomites are at lower elevations except C. morettiana which flowers much later. C. morettiana might have been up there but I could not be sure and we had so many other plants in flower to look at. ;D. Potentilla nitida typically starts flowering in mid July so maybe you were just a week too early. :(
Hope you get a chance to get up there one day. You won't be disappointed.
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David, another great walk (which has Androsace hausmannii) is from Paso Falzarego to Averau and then to Nuvolau. You can reverse to get back or walk down to take the lift from Cinque Torre down and a bus back up the pass to your car. Wonderful plants including Ranunculus seguieri.
Another way of doing it is from Paso Giau. Walk up to Averau (Rifugio is an excellent lunch stop), and then up to Nuvolau for dessert and fabulous views in all directions. I seem to recall Petrocallis there? Have you done any of these?
An obvious one is from Paso Falsarego up to the Rifugio, great plants along the way and wonderful views from the Rifugio. If you then head left from the top you can hook up with the trails to Fanes (very long, but Fanes has probably the finest gentians I've ever seen). Fanes is a wonderful natural area and if you take the whole trail you end up in a very fine Physoplexis comosa area of cliffs. We've done all of these but not necessarily every year we go. You need a good weather forecast for Fanes because it's a long day but it's worth it for the gentians alone.
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Anne: The hike up to Nuvolau is not well known to wildflower enthusiasts but is one of our favourites. We were up there on July 9 this year and although there was cloud and snow we had a great time. The Ranunculus seguieri were buried in the snow but the Primula auricula were magnificent on the cliffs of Averau. The Rhodothamnus chamaecistus were as good as on a previous visit but we could not find Androsace hausmannii this time - maybe too early? But the Pinguicula alpina were amazing in the open turf among the limestone rocks.
We have not been north of Passo Falzarego so have not visited the Fanes area. Maybe next time?
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David, there's a trail to Fanes on the road between Corvara and Paso Falsarego. I think it says "Campana". It's a long "up" and then you finally go over a ridge, sort of bear goes over the mountain hiking, and you come out on this fabulous high plateau with little lakes and streams and all sorts of wonderful plants. I know the Bindelweg as an area of gentian color breaks (turquoise, all forms of blue and white), but the gentians at Fanes are really superb. There just aren't any shortcuts for the hike. If you take the marked trail to the right you'll get up to Lagazuoi, but then you'd miss the real glory of Fanes. Eventually the Fanes trail goes back down and you end up in a small town where we took a bus back to Corvara. Great day but exhausting!
Sorry you missed the Androsace hausmannii. Some of it is embedded in the final cliffs on the final approach to Averau. I took that trail a number of times before ever seeing it. Once you spot one you see quite a few although it's not too plentiful. I think you just have to be lucky with your timing. You can go frequently to the same place and then one year find something totally different.
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A few pictures taken last year at Fanes with the old (and obsolete) camera.
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More from Fanes. Also a great place for daphnes but can't find a picture yet.
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Wow, I am a little late reading this thread, but wow is all I can say! I have written down the most important information. I think this would be a nice place to visit next year. I can almost feel the wind blowing in my hair right now, and that is much nicer than being outside in the garden-as I should be-feeling the rain pouring down at me.
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From our long experience of this beautiful area, Susann, it's rarely very windy … warm and sunny or cool and misty, but rarely windy. :D
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OK, I think I can stand visiting such a beautiful place without wind. I am very happy I red this as I have not really decided where to go yet. This special part will certainly be in the itinerary. And by the way, Cliff, I have bought your little book about the Dolomites. It is on the bedside table.
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Many thanks, Susann, I really hope you enjoy it.
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For any other members who may be interested in our book:-
http://www.colletts.co.uk/dolomites/mountain-flowers-the-dolomites/ (http://www.colletts.co.uk/dolomites/mountain-flowers-the-dolomites/)
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Have a look at Kenton Seth's Blog to learn a little of David and Wendy Sellars' own garden :
http://kentonjseth.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/mr-sellars-and-great-distinction.html (http://kentonjseth.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/mr-sellars-and-great-distinction.html)
(Yes, I know the text is white on black - make the text larger - makes it easier to read -and stick with it!)
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Kenton has a refreshing take on rock gardening and was an entertaining visitor. Here's a couple more photos of our garden in spring. There are more images at:
https://www.nargs.org/private-gallery/david-and-wendy-sellars-millstream-rock-and-alpine-garden (https://www.nargs.org/private-gallery/david-and-wendy-sellars-millstream-rock-and-alpine-garden)
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Having seen how beautiful your own award winning garden is, David, there will be some of us who wonder how you and Wendy can pull yourselves away from it to visit the mountains! I've thought the same about Anne and Joe Spiegel's garden! It must be that your travels are the very best inspiration for the fine stony gardens you have created. 8)
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Maggi, our garden is planned so that we can get away by the last week of June and not miss too much, although we always miss something, like the Japanese iris. My garden inspiration has come from trips to our own western mountains and to the Dolomites.