Walking in Italy's Stelvio National Park. Gillian Price

(ambulance) and soccorso alpino (mountain rescue) Tel 118

       ‘Help!’ in Italian is Aiuto!, pronounced ‘eye-you-tow’, and Zu Hilfe! in German.

      Should help be needed, use the following internationally recognised rescue signals: six signals per minute either visual (waving a handkerchief or flashing a torch) or audible (shouting or whistling), repeated after a pause of one minute. The answer is three visual or audible signals per minute, to be repeated after a one-minute pause. Anyone who sees or hears a call for help must contact the nearest mountain hut or police station, as quickly as possible.

      The hand-signals in the following diagram could be useful for communicating at a distance or with a helicopter.

      In Lombardia if you call out Mountain Rescue, let them know your location by referring to the numerical code found on the back of all path signposts.

      The path above Zufallhütte (Walk 33)

Using this guide

      The 38 walks in this guide have been selected for their suitability for a wide range of active holidaymakers. There is something for everyone, from easy strolls to strenuous climbs to panoramic peaks for experienced walkers. As each walk has been designed to fit into a single day this means carrying a small rucksack and being able to return to comfortable hotel accommodation at day’s end. That said, many walks become even more enjoyable if stretched out over two days, with an overnight stay in a rifugio.

      Each walk description is preceded by an information box containing the following essential data:

       Start

       Finish

       Distance – given in both kilometres (km) and miles.

       Ascent/Descent – this is important information, as height loss and gain rather than distance indicate the effort required and an ascent/descent factor should be summed to difficulty when planning a day out. A walker of average fitness will usually cover 300m (about 1000ft) in ascent in one hour (100m=328ft).

       Difficulty

       Grade 1 – an easy route on clear tracks and paths, suitable for beginners.

       Grade 2 – paths across typical mountain terrain, often rocky and with significant ups and downs, where a reasonable level of fitness is preferable.

       Grade 3 – strenuous, often entailing narrow exposed stretches and drawn-out climbs. Experience and extra care are recommended.

      It is extremely important to remember that adverse weather conditions will make any route more arduous. Even a level road can be treacherous if icy.