Pian Muné - Casteldelfino, to Alpina Bookstore by Fusta Editore and back

 

Alpina Bookstore - Fusta Editore

Today's adventure to Alpina Bookstore by Paolo Fusta Editore was truly exciting. I ascended to the mountain cabin on Friday night, spent the night there for convenience, and woke up at dawn around 5:30 am for final preparations. By approximately 6:15 am, I was already on my way towards Rifugio Bertorello. As the sun rose, the view of the first waterfall was breathtaking as always. From that point onward, the road became less of a path and more of a narrow trail. The ascent was rather steep before reaching Pian Pilun. Even though the distance wasn't excessive, the elevation gain was concentrated.

At Pian Pilun, I spotted the first cars of the mountain farmers who had spent the night there with shepherd dogs and grazing cows. A wonderful sight! The weather was excellent, especially at that early hour. Upon reaching the top of the ascent, which was also quite steep but better distributed, I enjoyed the panorama while having a quick snack, taking advantage of the clear sky!

Map of the Route

I continued along the downhill dirt road towards Becetto, encountering some pedestrians, including a couple on horseback. There was an abundance of water here, and the fountains were truly generous, so I frequently filled my water bottles (this time, I had two with me, a wise choice finally!) to continue the descent.

Pian Pilun

Unfortunately, after passing Becetto, I realized I had taken the wrong road and retraced my steps to the path just below, descending from a slight rugged and overgrown grassy slope. Regrettably, I inadvertently stepped my left foot into a practically invisible hole, causing a nasty sprain. My ankle gave way, bringing my foot into sudden supination with all my weight, as I was also jumping. I heard a concerning crack, and the pain was excruciating for a few moments. It later subsided, and I continued on the correct path, but while walking, my foot was pronating (the opposite movement to the sprain), and I felt intense stabs, so I limped along (later, I realized there was significant swelling by the end of the day)...

Panorama from Col del Prete

I arrived in Sampeyre, and as always, there was a coffee break. After a brief wait at the crowded Saturday cafe, I resumed the journey beyond the town. I followed the long Varaita river, facing a climb of just over 10 km towards Casteldelfino. At times, the climb was gentle, other times steeper. I crossed beautiful meadows and various small bridges along the way. At one point, I even noticed an old bunker that had lost its foundations due to water, resulting in a paradoxical tilt. I took a photo of it. I continued and passed Torrette, where there's a convenient fountain. Once again, I filled my water bottles. After a couple of hours or so, I arrived in Casteldelfino, completing the journey in 5 hours and 42 minutes for 29.6 km. I wandered through the narrow streets of the beautiful historic center, filled with artistic shops, and then entered Alpina Bookstore by Barbara and Paolo Fusta Editore, where I was warmly welcomed. It's a place of great cultural value with numerous publications from various authors. Definitely a must-visit if you're in Casteldelfino. After some chatting and a bit of rest, I picked up some of my books and took the customary photo to pay tribute to this beautiful adventure.

Templar Pillar in Becetto


Bunker Description

Tilted Bunker

Upon leaving the bookstore, the rain began to make its presence known, but I took the opportunity for one last coffee in Casteldelfino. Then I faced a fast descent along the same route as the way there. In the meantime, distant lightning and gray clouds at times forced me to put on my rain gear. I briskly made my way, with technology turned off due to lightning, which always makes me anxious at high altitudes. In the end, I reached the starting point, completing almost 60 km in nearly the same time it took for the outbound journey, but without any stops.

Coffee in Sampeyre

Coffee in Casteldelfino


This adventure was also planned following my Weekly Single Training Technique, as described in the book published by Fusta, titled 'UltraTrail with the Single Training.'

Live video of the walking adventure:

Below is the detail of the reference links related to my ultratrail and trail articles:

Very long distances | Routes | Competitions | Solo adventures | Publications | Training strategy | UltraTrail eBook  

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