Hike to the St Lawrence Hermitage

For our hike, we chose a magnificent April Sunday, with the first warmth of spring and its scents filling the air.

From Borgo Valsugana, we took the road towards Val di Sella, known for the Arte Sella art installations, and after eight kilometres, we reached the Ristorante Al Legno and its car park.

With our boots on and rucksacks packed, we followed the signs for SAT trail 210, which initially follows a forest track. We continued along this path, carpeted with dry leaves where, however, the first signs of spring were already noticeable, and entered Val di Croce. After crossing the gully, we reached Bocchetta Val di Croce (1,120 m), a meeting point with another forest track coming from the north-east.

From the pass, an easy, winding path led us in a few minutes to the small hill where the San Lorenzo Hermitage (1,185 m a.s.l.) stands with its ancient hermitage building. The hermitage is usually closed to the public, except between mid-July and mid-August, but luck was on our side today: we found the custodian, whose family has been looking after the hermitage for over 150 years, and so we were able to take advantage of his kindness to enter the little church and admire its fine frescoes. The hermitage exudes a profound peace; it is a place that invites reflection, almost suspended in time thanks to its centuries-old history. After the visit, we allowed ourselves a well-deserved break to eat and rest a bit, before heading towards Cima Armentera.

Once lunch was over, we retraced our steps to Bocchetta della Val Croce. From here, we took a path that climbs up through the woods, making tight switchbacks on the north-east flank of Monte Armentera. At the end of the first uphill section, we emerged into a small clearing, from which a wide view over Valsugana opened up. We then resumed our climb on a steeper path, which took us to Cima Armentera and its wooden cross. Having reached the summit, we paused for a moment to enjoy the spectacle all around us, before starting our descent towards the Bocchetta and then to the car park, retracing our outward path.

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From Cima Armentera, you can also continue along the wooded ridge towards Cima della Stanga, on an unmarked track that is also exposed in places. Beyond Cima della Stanga, another unmarked track branches off at a junction, which, after a hairpin bend, descends in zigzags through the woods of Val Viscera and leads back to the forest track taken on the way up. This is an undoubtedly rewarding alternative, but it is not easy to navigate and is reserved for more experienced and adventurous hikers.

Note: In the version we suggest, including the detour to Cima Armentera, the itinerary should be considered difficult. If you opt for the simpler return from the San Lorenzo Hermitage without ascending to the summit, the difficulty drops to medium, with a walking time of 3h 15min and an elevation gain of 480 m.

Author: EC