The Karnischer Hohenweg. John Hayes

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      Don’t be surprised to hear the Peace Bell being rung as you climb Monte Coglians (Stage 4A or 5A)

      The Karnischer Höhenweg is a 169km long-distance trek along the main ridge of the Carnic Alps, a mountain range straddling the border between Italy and Austria. It’s a beautiful high alpine walk, mostly above the tree line, with amazing views of the Dolomites to the south and the Hohe Tauern to the north. Although not particularly famous, the Carnic Alps have a unique history and geography, and walking there is a special experience.

      The Karnischer Höhenweg follows the World War I front line, and reminders of the conflict that defined both Italy and Austria are everywhere. Although the fighting took place 100 years ago, the front line – marked out by trenches, dugouts and barbed wire – is still a distinct feature.

      Perhaps less obvious is that the Carnic Alps are also the location for another important dividing line, the Periadriatic geological seam, which runs parallel to the range in the valley immediately to its north. This division between the African and European tectonic plates, as Africa continues its drive northwards, is key to understanding the origins of the Alps.

      These dividing lines turn what would otherwise be just another wonderful stretch of alpine walking into something really special. One minute you’re walking through classic limestone scenery (technically the Carnic Alps are in the Southern Limestone Alps) and the next you’re among ancient schist and granite, in scenery more commonly found in the central core of the Alps. One minute you’re in Austria and the next you’re in Italy, and despite open borders, the cultures, like the geology, are very different.

      The special nature of the Carnic Alps makes them a honeypot for hikers, and five different long-distance walks traverse them. In addition to the Karnischer Höhenweg and the Italian version, the Traversata Carnica, they are traversed by: the E10, one of Europe’s 12 long-distance hikes; the Via Alpina, the main red route on its way from Monaco to Trieste; and the 03, the Südalpenweg, one of Austria’s 11 national trails.

The Peace Trail

      The mountain fighting in World War I lasted for just two and a half years, from May 1915 to October 1917, but its impact, both culturally and physically, endures. The immediate post-war period saw ethnic cleansing, a hardening of the borders and, on the Italian side, a concerted process of ‘Italianisation’ – the imposition of the Italian language. The bitterness provoked by this process was deep and, some argue, still persists.

      The Peace Trail and much of the early promotion of the Karnischer Höhenweg is down to the work of ex-army officer, alpinist and historian Walther Schaumann. The son of a soldier who had served in World War I, Walther believed that restoring wartime relics and making them accessible to visitors was an important act of reconciliation. He coined the term ‘Peace Trail’, which now applies to three routes: the first part of the Karnischer Höhenweg, established by the Dolomitenfreunde (Friends of the Dolomites) in Austria; the Itinerari di Pace sul Carso della Grande Guerra in Italy; and the Pot Miru (Walk of Peace) in Slovenia.

      Walther Schaumann founded the Dolomitenfreunde in 1973 with the aim of supporting peace and international understanding through research and documentation of the former conflict areas. The main activity was turning ‘war trails’ – the routes formerly used to supply troops – into ‘peace trails’. Each summer, volunteers from all over the world gather to carry out this work. The motto of the Dolomitenfreunde is ‘Trails that used to separate the front lines nowadays connect us.’ As well as creating some 300km of peace trails, the association has established outdoor museums at Plöckenpass and Monte Piana and an indoor museum at Kötschach-Mauthen.