Julian Prealps Park Newsletter no. 3 December 1997 p. 6, 7
(Itinerary coordinated by T. Fiorenza, M. Tondolo and M. Toniutti)

The suggested itinerary begins in the orographic region to the right of the Venzonassa Stream, across the southern slopes of the Mount Plauris group.
Passing along old mule tracks and paths, this route crosses hardwood forests, scree slopes, alpine meadows and beech groves. Throughout the route, there is considerable evidence of human activity which, other than significantly transforming the original landscape, has often left traces of man’s long-standing presence. In good weather, the scenery is extremely beautiful, with views of the Tagliamento Valley and the wild peaks of the Julian Prealps. Impressive and worthy of note are the flower displays which spread across the wide meadows, while the more attentive and fortunate hiker will not fail to come across interesting fauna.

WALK TIMES
From Borgo Sottomonte di Venzone to Casera Ungarina it takes about 4 hours. To return to the departure point, another 5 hours are required, including a detour to the River Venzonassa gorge. The itinerary should therefore take about 9 hours in total. The highest altitude reached, in the western section of Jof di Ungarina, is roughly 1,400 m, with the maximum gradient at 1,150m.

THE SEASON
This itinerary is accessible all year round, but for weather reasons the spring and autumn seasons are advised.

EQUIPMENT
Standard hiking equipment. However, we advise you to wear long trousers because of the presence of ticks of the Ixodes genus (other than annoying, they also carry borellia, a cause of Lyme disease). The same precaution would be useful against vipers, which are also present in the area.

THE ITINERARY
From the mediaeval citadel of Venzone, rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1976, the route reaches the modern town of Borgo Sottomonte, then takes via Pragjel. After a few dozen metres, on the left is the start of CAI trail no. 705 (elevation 250 m) which, other than being indicated with the conventional sign, also features on an illustration board on the natural features of Val Venzonassa.
The route initially climbs the gentle slopes near the valley end, rounded and shaped by the Quaternary glaciers which left a thick layer of moraine deposit. Then it continues along a mule track, known as "Strètte de Loge", which leads to the pastures and refuges of the Mount Plauris Massif. The track is still flanked by dry-stone retaining walls and there are many traces of the characteristic stone paving, on which the ruts of sledges are still visible. (According to T. Miotti, the terraces and streets protected by walls found in the area are the last vestiges of an early fortified human settlement, probably dating back to the Iron Age). After 15 minutes, you reach the handful of houses at Mastrui (395 m), overlooked by extensive layers of detritus covered in rock. The track continues on the right between a dry-stone wall and a dense groundcover of ivy, around a large spring with a drinking trough. As you continue to climb, the signs of neglect become increasingly more marked and trees seem to prevail over other types of vegetation. After about an hour’s walk, you reach scree slopes covered in pioneer vegetation, interspersed with areas of more stable ground.
The landscape along this first part of the itinerary is characterised by vegetation which is in a phase of rapid transformation. For the most part, it consists of old hay fields which, following the cease in cultivation methods of fertilising and scything, rapidly became overgrown with shrub and woodland owing to the shrubs and trees once confined behind hedgerows or saved for the production of industrial timber. The most common species are those which have winged seeds which can be disseminated by the wind, such as the flowering ash and the field maple (Acer campestre). There are also shrubs and small trees, including the hazel and European hornbeam, whose seeds are eaten by rodents and birds which, unconsciously, scatter them, as well as species which propagate vegetatively, amongst which the false acacia, the ailanthus and the cornel tree.
As the route continues to climb, you will firstly cross thermophilic copses which, owing to the greater soil depth, include occasional specimens of chestnut, downy oak (Quercus pubescens) and small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata); these are followed by layers of detritus covered in pioneer vegetation, such as alpine plantain (Adenostyles glabra) and silver spear grass (Achnatherum calamagrotis). These habitats which are exposed to the sun and full of gorges and refuges are home to numerous species of reptile, such as the wall lizard, the coluber, the smooth snake – the main predator of the lizard – the Aesculapian snake and the horned viper. The birds found here include the wren, the black redstart, the wheatear and the occasional rock thrush, while for most of the route the hiker will see the lively nutcracker. The mammals commonly seen in the region are the dormouse and the lesser white-toothed shrew.
Roughly one and a half hours from the departure point, you will find to your right the CAI trail no. 705a (888 m). Continue for a few metres, leaving the indicated mule track and taking the track to the left which will lead to the meadows of the southern slope of Mount Plauris. From here on, the steep path will become extremely demanding and although the trail is sufficiently obvious, care must be taken not to get lost. By way of compensation, there is an amazing view of Val Venzonassa and the Tagliamento valley. The initial stretch is partially shrubby and rocky, interspersed with expanses of meadow. After having walked between Costa Taet and Costa Cavallo, the route turns resolutely to the East, running just under the rocky peaks of the Mount Plauris range.
This stage of the route is particularly interesting from a geological point of view. At a little over 1,000 m in altitude, you cross a considerable overthrust which cuts across the slope from West to East, linking different types of rock strata and periods: the Noric Alps, which are older, rise above the Cretaceous limestone. Furthermore, from the trail you can distinctly see the fold of the layers beneath the peak of Cima Somp Selve, with formations of large slabs of rock. This is Rhaetian limestone, part of the Dachstein mountains, which the entire peak of Mount Plauris is made up of. The dominant element of this landscape is represented by extensive alpine and subalpine meadows, which here drop considerably in altitude, as a consequence of past deforestation to create more pastures. These meadows are characterised by a certain aridity due to their southerly exposure and the permeability of the soil, and are distinguished by the presence of fescue (Festuca calva), blue moor grass (Sesleria varia), mountain oat-grass (Avenula praeusta) and common sedge (Carex firma), together with the great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea symphyandra), the rampion (Phyteuma zahlbruckneri), the black vanilla orchid (Nigritella nigra) and the rayed broom (Genista radiate), which tends to form large populations. Amongst the fauna in the region, there is the rock partridge (the park’s emblem), and a rare Galliform which has one of its largest populations on these steep grassy slopes. Other birds that can be found here are the corncrake, a species of the Rallidae family linked to meadow areas which is becoming increasingly rare throughout the whole of Western Europe, the accentor, the redstart, the ring ouzel and the raven. The golden eagle and the buzzard can also often be observed in flight. The mammals, elusive and wary, are more difficult to observe; with a little luck, however, it is still possible to catch sight of some specimens of chamois, which are quite rare on this side of Mt. Plauris.
The route continues across some scree slopes, easily crossing a series of temporary waterways, with dry, steep riverbeds, located on the stretch of path beneath the area known as Graunes. This is a wide basin which fans out, defined by the ridgeline of the mount Plauris range: it is part of the Gran Rio basin and is characterised by a succession of ridges ("cuéstis") and incised surfaces ("livinai"), which determine the irregular morphology of the area.
Near the canyons, the characteristic emergence of breccia can be seen, formed by the cementation of earlier scree slopes, which shows that the area was not affected by the Tagliamento glacier, but formed a periglacial environment.
The route then almost makes a u-turn and continues through a beech grove, flanking the spur of the Jof di Ungarina, in the direction of Casera Ungarina.
The slope’s north-westerly exposure, which protects the tree population from excessive solar irradiation, thereby limiting the effects of aridity during periods of drought, together with the fertile and relatively deep soil, determines the success of a Mesophilic beech grove. This is characterised by the presence within the tree stratum of not only the dominant beech, but also of the sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), the rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and, near outcrops of rock, some spruce. In the underwood, there is the nine-leaved drooping bittercress (Dentaria enneaphyllos), the coralroot (Dentaria bulbifera) and the trefoil cress (Cardamine trifolia).
From Mt. Ungarina (1,296 m) the route requires attention and some orientation ability. You will be walking in the direction of the southern summit, which is pasture to the north, whilst to the south it is covered in a thermophilic beech grove of European hornbeam. First you come to a small saddle descending along the ridgeline heading to the West. At times, the route is challenging, due to dense clusters of juniper and broom. Once over the saddle, it is necessary to negotiate a descent of about 300 m until you reach a clearing densely populated with juniper. From here, turning to the right, you go into a hardwood forest. The route is not easy here, as the path seems to disappear at times. The small church of St. Anthony the Great, located far ahead, makes for an excellent visual marker to follow. After a few hundred metres, you cross two streams in succession: the first is characterised by rocky sediment rising out of the water and sloping downwards, whilst at the second, the trail disappears again. Making your way towards the church, the trail soon reappears. Once you have passed a small landslide, which is being stabilised, the path becomes very clear until it merges with CAI trail no. 705a. Climb the slope and you then reach the church of St. Anthony the Great (846 m), set on a hill which rises out from the basins of the lateral streams – the Rio di Cervada to the West and the Gran Rio to the East.
The building probably dates back to the XIV century, when it served as a hostel, the existence of which is recorded in loco in a document from 1358. The retreat was soon transformed into a lodge (the remains of the earlier building are still visible behind the apse), contributing to the commitment to silvopasture to which the Church was subjected for centuries. Renovated in the 16th century, when it assumed its definitive appearance, the St. Anthony complex was subsequently almost entirely destroyed in 1976. The church was rebuilt between 1984 and 1985 in its original form. Rectangular in shape, it has a ceiling with exposed trusses and a presbytery with a barrel vault. The main façade, facing west, has a central avant-corps which includes a semi-circular arch, a gateway and a single-lancet belfry window which emerges from the roof. Inside there is a series of frescoes of great value, attributed to Gaspare Negro, a Venetian painter working in Friuli in the first half of the 16th century. These frescoes were saved by chance: they were removed before the earthquakes destroyed the building and subsequently restored by the Monuments and Fine Arts office.
After visiting the church, take the downhill trail (CAI trial no. 705a), which is quite steep but well-signposted and perfectly passable. This stretch crosses thermophilic forests interspersed with clearings, with a sizeable population of young oak trees.
The forest is composed of the downy oak, the European hornbeam and the flowering ash, interspersed with old hay fields and various moor grasses. The typical botanical species found in the underwood are moor grasses, Montpellier pink (Dianthus monspessulanus) and mercury plant (Mercurialis ovata). The presence of this type of thermophilic vegetation, already seen during the first part of this itinerary, is due to the area’s exposure at midday which, together with the permeability of the soil, determines the marked summer aridity. The fauna in the region is of interest, with the propagation of the stag beetle, which, in the males, is characterised by huge jaws reminiscent of a stag’s antlers. The presence of oak trees is fundamental to the stag beetle, as it feeds off the sweet fermenting sap which drips down them. Around the end of June, it is common to see the jay, the bird species which shows itself the most, together with the lively great tit. Of particular significance here are mammals such as the common shrew, the hare, the squirrel, the dormouse, the wood mouse, the fox, the badger and the roe deer. Also found here is the wildcat, a rare species considered vulnerable throughout Western Europe, whose population in the Julian Prealps is one of only a few in the alpine arc.
The route joins the asphalt road coming from Venzone in the village of "Gran Cuéste" (537 m). We suggest you continue by turning onto the route, past the road, leading to the Venzonassa riverbed (CAI trail no. 704), which can be reached in a few minutes from the bridge known as the "Grant Puìnt" (378 m).
The Venzonassa river, about 9 km long, is a tributary of the Tagliamento river. Its catchment basin, located in one of the wettest areas in Europe, extends over 37 km². The headwaters of the river are characterised by a considerably wide stream channel, whilst the lower river is narrower with high banks typical of a gorge. The severe water erosion has cut deeply into the basal layer of the valley, formed by dolomitic limestone from Noricum. On this stretch, downstream from its confluence with the Cervada river, during the first half of the 18th century a large landslide occurred. The resulting detritus blocked the riverbed and formed a barrier which gave rise to a temporary basin. When the barrier subsided, the flood wave engulfed Venzone, causing extensive flooding and considerable damage. The river’s main fish population is composed of salmon, with some brown trout. A common sight around the rocks and riverbanks is the characteristic dipper, a small bird the size of a starling, with a short tail, brown plumage and a showy white breast. The species is in gradual decline due to human intervention to the detriment of the alpine and prealpine waterways. The itinerary continues gently uphill along the right bank before rejoining the asphalt road which leads to the departure point.

Cartography

Topographic map for hikers - scale 1:25.000 – Sheet no. 020
Carnic and Julian Prealps and of the Gemonese area
Publisher: Edizioni Tabacco

Bibliography Bibliografia

VARIOUS AUTHORS AUTORI VARI
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Year XIV - Venzone 1985

COOP. UTOPIE CONCRETE (REAL UTOPIAS COOPERATIVE)
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MAINARDIS G. & SIMONETTI G.
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Gortania
Atti Mus. Friul. St. Nat. (Documents from the Friulian Museum of Natural History)
12, Udine 1990

MAINARDIS G. & TONDOLO M.
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Comune di Venzone (Municipality of Venzone)
Venzone 1992

MIOTI'I T.
Antichi insediamenti umani nelle Prealpi friulane (Early human settlements in the Friulian Prealps)
Del Bianco
Udine 1993

SGOBINO F.
Il Parco Naturale delle Prealpi Giulie (The Julian Prealps Nature Park)
Geologia e clima (Geology and climate)
Comitato di coordinamento (Coordination Committee)
Resia 1994

SGOBINO F., MAINARDIS G. & CHIUSSI E.
Geologia, flora, fauna e paesaggio del Gemonese (Geology, flora, fauna and landscape in Gemona)
Comunità Montana del Gemonese (Mountain Community of Gemona)
Gemona del Friuli 1983

SIMONETTI G.
Il Parco Naturale delle Prealpi Giulie (The Julian Prealps Nature Park)
Vegetazione (Vegetation)
Comitato di coordinamento (Coordination Committee)
Resia 1997

SIMONETTI G. & MAINARDIS G.
Carta della vegetazione delle Prealpi Giulie nord-occidentali tra il Fiume Tagliamento ed il gruppo del Monte Canin (Map of vegetation in the north-western Julian Prealps between the Tagliamento River and the Mount Canin range)
Gortania - Atti Mus. Friul. St. Nat. (Documents from the Friulian Museum of Natural History)
18, Udine 1996