Through the Italian Alps. Gillian Price

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      Cooking polenta at Rif. Arlaud (Stage 22)

      Facilities at a rifugio are a little more spartan. These marvellously situated high-altitude huts owned by the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) are, more often then not, open to all walkers and mountaineers, whether members (who enjoy discounted rates) or not. They are only accessible on foot and are manned through the summer. Dormitories are again the rule, though bathrooms may be outdoors. If there’s no hot shower (doccia calda), there’s always a (cold) water tap and wash basin. Toilets range from hygienic if awkward ‘hole-in-the-floor’ WCs referred to as gabinetti alla turca (Turkish toilets), to the more usual sit-down types.

      Half-board tends to be the rule everywhere; it makes life easier for the establishment and is generally a great deal for customers. Mezza pensione entails bed, a hot shower (occasionally charged extra), breakfast and dinner – pretty reasonable at around 30 Euros. Generally speaking continental-style breakfast (colazione) consists of a choice of caffè latte, tè or cioccolato caldo (hot chocolate) with bread, butter and jam (pane, burro, marmellata). Dinner (cena) on the other hand is a three- or four-course affair – a pasta dish or soup followed by meat and vegetables, dessert and/or cheese. As a rule drinks are billed separately. Many places will prepare packed lunches if given sufficient advance warning – ask for a pranzo al sacco or a simple panino con formaggio/prosciutto (roll with cheese/ham).

      The majority of CAI rifugi also have basic winter premises, ricovero invernale, intended for emergency use when the hut is closed. These generally have bunk beds – hopefully with blankets – and some sort of cooking/heating facilities. Users need to bring their own food and sleeping bag. Experienced walkers who don’t mind roughing it can therefore embark on the GTA even when the rifugi are closed for business.

      The bivacco is a small, unmanned hut that is always open. It has bunk beds, not necessarily blankets or heating, occasionally cooking facilities and usually easy access to water. A handful are encountered during the GTA.

      Serious consideration should be given to the camping option. Anyone prepared to carry the extra equipment and weight is guaranteed a magnificent – not to mention cheaper – experience. Alternating wild pitches with hostels and rifugi is the perfect way to tackle the trek and get the most out of it. However, it does entail an extra burden so think carefully before loading up with tent, sleeping bag and cooking equipment. (Note Camping Gaz canisters are forbidden on planes but are widely available in Italy at city sports stores and main resorts.) Numerous stages entail gargantuan climbs to wonderful passes and wild high mountainous zones where it would be great to linger, rather than hurry away on the quest for comfortable accommodation in valley locations. A little advance planning (such as purchasing food in villages – though don’t forget that the shepherds often sell dairy products) can result in memorable alfresco dinners. Several of the resort villages on the GTA route have camping grounds (mentioned in the route description where known). With the exception of the protected parks and reserves, where pitching a tent is strictly forbidden, there are endless possibilities for nights out in spectacular isolated valleys.

Telephones

      To phone Italy from overseas, use the international dialling code 39 before the number. When calling within Italy always include the area code and the initial 0, even if it’s local. Exceptions are toll-free numbers – which mostly start with 800 – or mobile phones, which begin with 3. When calling from a public phone a prepaid card can be handy as very few accept coins. A carta telefonica can be purchased from tobacconists and shops; remember to remove the dotted corner before use. A mobile phone can also be useful during the trek (recharger and adapter essential), although reception in the alpine valleys of Piedmont is only available about 50% of the time.