Collett's is based in two enchanting alpinevillages in the majestic Alta Badia in thecentral Dolomites. Corvara and PedracesBadia are superb springboards for an area ofoutstanding opportunity for easier,moderate and high level walking, flowerwalks and other alpine activities. Set againstmagical mountain backdrops, they are a mixof traditional charming village and modernmountain resort. Our unique and flexible approach to holidayswill enable you to enjoy the naturalsplendour of the Dolomites whilst enjoyingwalks and other interests of your choice. Your stay here will surely be enhanced byour own walkers, Via Ferrata specialists,wildflower enthusiasts and watercolourtutors. Five days a week (not Wednesday orSaturday), they organise wonderful days outat no extra cost and you can join these asmuch or as little as you like. Simply drop intoOffice Hour each early evening and arrangeto take part in whatever takes your fancy.Our resorts in the Alta Badia (Corvara andPedraces Badia) lie in a paradise for walkerswith different levels of fitness and ambition. moderate/easier walkingThe less fit and adventurous are sure tothrive on the many waymarked paths, whichwend their way at low and medium altitudebetween picturesque hamlets and villages. You can enjoy the spectacular scenery inmany different ways, perhaps meanderingcasually for two or three hours on riversidetracks and through wildflower-strewnmeadows, or by venturing higher up on aseries of breathtaking day walks,characterised by woodland trails, uplandpastures, and occasionally the lower rockyreaches of the massifs themselves. Many ofthese routes were originally hunting orsmuggling trails.Welcoming mountain huts, known asrifugios,are dotted around this extensivenetwork of numbered paths, each one withsleepy hamlets and wildflower-strewn meadowswoodland and riverside trails, breathtaking landscapesits own sun terrace, on which walkers cansoak up their magical surroundings, whilstenjoying well-earned refreshment. Some people come here with specificintentions: fossil-collectors love the region'srich geology; artists and photographers tryto capture their own visions of thesewonderful mountains; bird and wildlifeobservers can admire a diverse range offauna and, whilst spotting a pair of goldeneagles is considered fortunate, sightings ofbuzzards, chamois, deer and the comicalmarmots punctuate many lower level walks.High Level Walking - See Page 21.Walking in the DolomitesMagnificent Moderate/Easier Walks moderate/easier walkswith collett'sFive days a week (not Wednesdays orSaturdays), Collett's organises beautifulmoderate/easier walks, setting off atabout 9am. We stop regularly to enjoyamazing views from various vantagepoints or to appreciate the flora. We might drop in on one of ourfavourite mountain rifugios for a drinkor snack before or after findingsomewhere suitable to enjoy a packedlunch. High Level Walking - Page 21. self-guidingIf you prefer to walk independently, thehelp, advice and local knowledge of ourwalk organisers are always at hand,notably each evening at Office Hour.Dotted around our chalets, there arealso our Ideas & Information Files, whichdocument several delightful moderateand easier level walks. We have easy-to-carry Route Laminates corresponding toeach of these routes and you arewelcome to borrow these on a dailybasis.17

Devil's Claw - Physoplexus comosumSpring Gentian - Gentiana vernaKing of the Alps - Eritrichium nanumwildflower report summer 2011by Cliff BookerA sunny spring rewarded us with a richness of flora thatlasted well into August. Snow lingered on the screes andhigh ridges till late June, but choice spring flowersflourished from mid-May. The upland pastures wereawash with colour. On the loftier waymarked trails wesaw vast sun-drenched screes dotted with iridescentalpine gems, while the high but still accessible ridgescradled rare and enchanting blooms. Species vied for attention in lush green meadows;crocuses were among the first to bloom, prompted bythe mineral rich waters of the snowmelt. Then camesoldanellas, the trollius and the exquisite pasque flowers.Primulas danced in warm breezes with their pale pinkflowers intertwined with the blues of the gentians andthe golden hues of the arnicas and the geums. Everycolour of the rainbow was represented in themidsummer months and walks at every elevationrevealed new and breathtaking plants.It is unfair to single out individual species for specialattention when they all produce colour, form and scent inequal measure, but each returning Collett's guestrediscovered their favourites, whilst first time visitorswere simply bedazzled. Orchids bloomed by the million,each species outperforming the next with vibrant colour,exotic perfume or abundance of flowers. A rich rewardawaited guests who came in search of the ladies-slipperorchids, which thrive in this limestone paradise but aresadly lost to UK woodlands.Walkers with a head for heights discovered rareendemics in the limestone outcrops and on exposedridges. Via Ferrata enthusiasts were entranced by thejewel-like gems of the cracks and crevices near the wire,capturing them on camera for identification over a drinkat Office Hour.The seasons may change and the fragile limestonepinnacles may occasionally crumble but time does noterode the beauty of the Dolomitic flora. One walk in lateJuly yielded over 100 species! As with every year, in 2011the Alta Badia was the perfect launchpad for a plethoraof truly magnificent plants. 18Alpine Poppy - Papaver alpinum