This time we were looking for secluded mountain pools (Pozze, in Italien) created by waterfalls, of which there are many here, but to reach them you have to climb steep hills, and if you want to find really secluded ones, you have to find the unofficial trails, some of them so unofficial they don't even exist (in other words, straight up slippery leaf-strewn slopes with little hope of getting back down!)
So with two uphill hikes, one on each side of the Verzasca River, we discovered so many lovely pools, some too cold and too mighty to attempt to enter, others smaller and "warmer" (relatively speaking) and worth the freezing dip. And most of all, sunshine and no rain!
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| The Verzasca River at Motta. We ended up hiking on each side to look for waterfall pools. |
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| First a "photo shoot" beside the clear turquoise waters of the Verzasca River |
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| Heading South to the first waterfall in the gap ahead. Our first 200m uphill hike was straight up throught the forest parallel to the river. |
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| Straight up through the forest (no trail) to the first set of pools (Luckily we saw the "unofficial" trail on the map, for the way down) |
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| Finally found the first pool. I was here 30 years ago. But there was less water at the time. |
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| The spray from the waterfall was too cold so we decided not to stay long. |
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| As beautiful as this was, we were a little wary about trying to go in for a swim. Also, IT WAS COLD! |
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| Over hundreds (thousands?) of years, the water carves out these rock-cut basins. This is fascinating. |
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| Back down at the Verzasca River, I tried the river water.... also too cold! In the background is Motta, we are headed up above there, 250m straight up. |
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| Back down at the Verzasca River before heading back across the bridge and up above Motta. |
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| 200m uphill above the road was a second pool we knew of. We actually covered the height in only 30 minutes. Because it's so steep, you gain altitude quickly. |
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| Along the steep narrow trail above Motta, heading to the second set of pools. |
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| We knew of this pool from a previous hike we did here in the spring. |
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| This one was slightly less cold, so we gave it a try. But only slightly less cold! |
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| Slightly higher was another set of waterfalls and pools, so we also checked that out. |
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| Here is a series of terraces, pools and waterfalls. |
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| 300 m almost straight up from the road are a series of waterfalls and pools, which we also checked out. |
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| 300 m almost straight up from the road are a series of waterfalls and pools, which we also checked out. |
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| 300 m almost straight up from the road are a series of waterfalls and pools, which we also checked out. |
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| What a wonderful location for a vacation home. |
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| Time to head back to the Verzasca River to catch the bus back out of the valley. The sunny spot in the back, that's where we went up to find the first pool. |
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| Back down at the river in Motta, where we can catch the bus back out of the valley. |
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| A last glimpse way up to the peaks from which come the waters for that last set of pools. |
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