The itinerary starts from the church of Norcen, where there are parking slots and a picnic area. From there, after 20 meters, take the mule track that branches off to the right and, crossing a sparse forest, reach a junction in the locality of Trugno (see itinerary 1 - Zinge for detailed description).
The path continues uphill for about twenty minutes until reaching another important crossroads, from which you can head towards Paradis or Valle di Lamen (see itinerary 2 - Trugno for detailed description). Continuing to the right, the mule track is initially flat, then descends into the mixed forest of red fir and beech and crosses a watershed. Some specimens of non-native pine trees (Pinus strobus) introduce you to the location indicated on the maps as Prà Mauro, a probable transformation of the place name Prà Maor. On the slope above the road, there is an old-style casèra with a stepped gable, a construction type that is ancient and probably of Germanic origin.
Now the cart track ascends with a few curves and joins a road coming from the left. It follows a stretch in an open environment, dominated by pastures dotted with casère, along the border of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park.
After passing the junction point with the itinerary of the foothill churches, you will soon reach the arch of the road near the Colmeda spring, which supplies the Feltre aqueduct. There is also a lime kiln (fornas or calchèra), a testament to a productive activity that continued until the 1930s. The walk continues along the left side of the valley (in the municipality of Feltre), on a flat and comfortable path with pleasant scenic views.
Approximately halfway through the route (2.30 hours from Norcen), the asphalt road accompanies us gently uphill to the shrine of St. Antonio and then downhill to the village of Lamen. Upon reaching the church, turn right, passing between the houses. In a few minutes, you will leave the village and immerse yourself in a delightful rural landscape.
After crossing the meadow, follow the grove that lines a steep slope until you reach the base of the terrace on which Lamen is located. This brings you back to the territory of Pedavena, specifically the hamlet of Carpene; the small square welcomes you with the church of St. Valentino, a stone fountain, a washhouse, and... benches and tables for a pleasant break!
The itinerary then descends towards a residential area, near the Val di Faont. After passing the houses, follow an uphill mule track that comes into view of a casèra; descending along the grassy slope, you will soon reach the riverbed. Cross a small bridge and a meadow with rustic buildings, then join the asphalt road and descend until you take the cart track that branches off to the right, between a small rocky wall and a cultivated field. At this point, follow the mule track that, higher up, joins the road leading directly to Norcen, near the Alpina Colony of St. Marco. As you ascend the road, you will arrive in the center of the village and eventually reach the parish church, where the itinerary concludes.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON… The first inhabitants of the Valley
In Valle di Lamen, there is a thematic itinerary of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park dedicated to cavities, caves formed by the millennia-long erosion of rock walls and used by humans in various eras as shelters and dwellings. The largest of these is called Riparo Tomàss. The organic material found in the deeper layers dates back to the Neolithic period. During this period, the site was used by people who raised goats, sheep, pigs, and cows, as evidenced by the abundance of bones buried in the ground, remnants of consumed meals. The discovery of some charred broad beans suggests that there were also small cultivated areas nearby. In the center of the shelter, a large oven has been unearthed, where it is believed that the inhabitants baked locally produced terracotta pots. Subsequently, several generations of people inhabited the site during the Bronze Age. While there is an abundance of pottery shards they left in the ground, the number of flint artifacts is reduced. During the Roman and Early Medieval periods, the cavities continued to be frequented, as evidenced by the coins and fragments of terracotta vessels collected from the upper layers of the deposit.
