Val di Mello is a naturalistic and landscape jewel. It is a side valley of Val Masino, in Valtellina, and is famous for its granite rock walls, and for the natural pools formed by the Mello torrent. We returned to discover its beauty, with a very pleasant excursion.

Trekking: Val di Mello, Valtellina: a natural paradise!

I hadn't been back to Val di Mello for 30 years. Definitely too many. On Saturday, October 5, 2024, I returned to immerse myself in its magical atmosphere, surrounded by the impressive granite cliffs, smoothed by the Quaternary glaciers, walking in the valley floor where the Mello stream draws meanders and pools with its incredibly clear and emerald waters. Here, villages and cultivated fields witness to a historical and still lively human presence and activity.

We followed the classic itinerary that, from the car park at the end of the road open to the public, leads up to the top of Alpe Pioda, and to the small refuge of the same name (see our map below). The car park is accessible with a 12 euro daily pass, issued by the special parking meter located in the San Martino Val Masino car park in front of the InfoPoint. Once the 40 available spaces are filled, the parking meter no longer allows the purchase of a pass, but only a ticket for parking near the Infopoint. In this case, you must then walk up to the beginning of Val di Mello, adding about 25 minutes of walking and 100 meters of altitude difference.

There is no sense in dwelling too much on the description of the itinerary. Much is already available online, first and foremost on the Val Masino website: https://www.valmasino.info/schede/val-di-mello/. I will limit myself to summarizing that the route is slightly uphill to the Rasera Refuge (in the Rasica area, 1150 meters above sea level), and up to this point it is accessible to everyone, including families with children. Then, it climbs along a path, very steep in places, well maintained, with many boulders positioned like steps, and some paved sections, up to the 1560 meters of Alpe Pioda. In this last stretch, always follow the red and white marks on rocks and trees, because otherwise you could take the wrong and more uncomfortable tracks. In total, the route takes about 2 hours, for the outward journey, but it can easily take longer for photos, and for the frequent contemplative breaks.

Before letting the rich slide gallery below speak for itself, I will just add a few considerations on the sensations experienced along the way and some advice.

Undoubtedly, Val di Mello fascinates for the naturalness that still shows, even if the true wilderness is something else. The looming granite walls are almost a work of art. On a smaller scale, perhaps, they must reproduce something similar to the famous walls of Yosemiti Park, in California. In the mid-afternoon, then, the grazing light of the sun draws lights and shadows on them, which enhance their relief. Granite is a hard rock that does not crumble easily, and this probably explains why the waters of the stream are so clear. In summer, it must be a pleasure to cool off in the pools formed by the stream. But we fear that the Valley is too crowded in high season (if you have experience, tell us in the comments below).

Autumn can be a good time to visit the valley, but consider that the North - South orientation and the rather recessed morphology mean that the sun rises around 11-12 (depending on the points), and sets early. The valley floor, therefore, remains rather shaded and cold, for part of the day. Probably, a good time to come here, is late spring or early summer.

We only heard the tits chirping in the fir forest, going up to the Alpe Pioda, but the staff of the nature reserve told us that, with a bit of luck, you can see red squirrels, chamois, marmots, foxes, woodpeckers and eagles. Also for this reason, it is advisable not to raise your voice too much, and keep dogs on a leash.

The valley offers many places to eat and stay. With 10-15 euros, you can taste a typical Valtellina menu, based on pizzoccheri, sciatt, bresaole, etc. But coming up just for this, would be reductive.

Val di Mello is finally the kingdom of sport climbing. The famous Sasso di Remenno, few kms before, in Val Masino, is already a famous gym. Many young people come here and stay overnight or camp, and then spend the day having fun on these splendid granite cliffs (or even simply bouldering).

In short, Val di Mello easily remains in the heart.

Luckily it is protected by a nature reserve.

Enjoy your walk. Fabio