The trip to Lago di Braies was the eagerly anticipate bit of luxury at the end of the trip.  We had planned this to be our last and longest stop as the images we had seen made it look like our dream destination.

Having stayed in budget accommodation in the first 2 destinations, it was such a treat to spend time at such a luxurious historic hotel, which didn’t break the bank either.  Given that it is quite a drive to the next town/restaurant, we did everything on site.  The food was awesome.  All you can eat breakfast and a wonderful evening meal with lots of vegetarian options.  The bar was fantastic and Nick developed a liking for Orange Aperol.  We hardly ever stay in hotels, especially one of this calibre.  I cannot recommend it enough.

Whilst this was going to be the relaxing end to our holiday with little driving, it didn’t mean that we were going to sit around all day.  That is not an option for me in any case.

The walk around the lake is not challenging but offers the most amazing views of the surrounding mountains.  It is a 2.5-mile circuit with the odd hill here and there and it takes in the very pretty little church at the side of the lake.  It takes a while to complete, as you have to stop and look at the sights.  The water is wonderfully clear, although my camera does make it look rather green at times.  At every turn the view changes and with every cloud that passes, the colours change.  This is a photographers dream and you could spend weeks here and see something different every day.

So, having decided that we were not in danger, we proceeded to the ice flow that was in the way of our hike.  It was not massive, but it was a 6 foot climb to get on top and probably 50 metres across.   Hardly a glacier, but fun and a little bit of danger in the mix.

The climb gets steeper and harder and the views become wider and more beautiful with the lake at the bottom of the valley.  You can spend ages watching the sun disappear behind the clouds, then re-emerging to bring new shades and colours.

We reached a pretty decent height before deciding to come back down again, led by our stomachs and the onward journey upwards meaning the crossing a rickety wooden bridge that had quite a few planks missing.

The view from the top back down to the lake is stunning and well worth the climb

My suggestion would be to arrive early if you want to miss the crowds if you are unable to stay overnight.  As most people visit for the day it can become very crowded as dozens of buses arrive throughout the day.  If you want to take photos of the lake and the mountains without people in them, it is especially important to have an early start.  We were there in May and the weather was unpredictable.  I can’t imagine how crowded it must be in the Summer months.

However early you are there, you will find influencers.  They are astonishing.  Changes of clothes, inappropriate footwear and a wide range of pouts.

The challenging hike that we made was up and over the glacial flow, as high as we could go before it became a little too challenging/potentially dangerous.  You can go in either direction around the lake to the far corner from the hotel. 

It is challenging from the start and although the path is easy to follow, it is covered with stones.  The weather was pleasant and the snow and ice were melting.  At one stage we heard what we thought was thunder, but we saw a few small avalanches in the mountains nearby.  I have never been anywhere near an avalanche, and these were tiny, hardly worth the name, but made a lot of noise.  I can only imagine what the real thing must sound like