Ferrata Bellotti Agostino

Overview

The Ferrata Belotti is an athletic and selective route, despite its relatively modest length. The trail runs mainly as a traverse across the face of a crag in the Varese area, offering an intense and concentrated experience. Its low elevation allows for use during much of the year, though it's best to avoid the hottest hours of summer, as the south-facing exposure and compact rock can create a stifling microclimate. This equipped route holds a historic distinction, being the first via ferrata ever built in the province of Varese.

Approach

The recommended starting point is in the municipality of Mesenzana. The most convenient parking is along Via San Martino, a narrow, initially paved road where you'll find a few pull-offs as you climb. The last usable spot (for a single car) is where the road turns to dirt. Alternatively, you can park further down in the village, which lengthens the approach and allows you to incorporate the hike into a larger loop, such as the "Trekking delle tre penne nere." From the last parking spot, take the dirt mule track uphill, passing several switchbacks. After about twenty-five minutes of walking, you reach a fork marked by an orange sign indicating you should continue left toward the ferrata. Following the signs, after a short descent, another marker directs you onto a trail to the right that quickly leads to the start of the equipped route, where an information board is located.

Via Ferrata

The route is set within a climbing gym that is still under development and is characterized by a predominantly horizontal trajectory, punctuated by a few vertical sections such as the start, the finish, and some central passages. The overall shape is arcing, with the two ends close together and connected by the same trail at the base of the cliff. Although it can be climbed in either direction, the description follows the counterclockwise direction, considered more logical as it avoids tackling the technical, overhanging vertical start on the ascent. The first section at the start is the crux and most challenging passage of the entire route. After clipping into the cable, you begin with an ascending, overhanging traverse to the right, aided by three stemples, which heavily engages the arm and shoulder muscles. You quickly overcome a short but pronounced overhang using three stirrups that, while providing a foothold, don't eliminate the technical difficulty of the movement. Past this crux, with no comfortable resting ledges, the cable swings sharply left into a continuous, exposed traverse with scarce footholds, to be tackled mainly by smearing on the compact rock, aided only by a couple of stirrups. This section ends with another short vertical passage, made challenging despite the presence of an additional stirrup, requiring a strong pull with the arms. Finally, you reach a small ledge that allows for a pause after this high-intensity opening sequence. The pace changes with a traverse to the left over easier but loose terrain, up to a new passage, less difficult than the previous one but still delicate. The cable guides you into a short descending traverse, again on smears, which concludes with the ascent of a vertical dihedral, eased by two stirrups. You then find a simpler rock section that allows you to catch your breath. The next part of the route consists first of a short horizontal traverse to the left over easy but loose ground, which then becomes ascending over rocky terrain mixed with dirt and tufts of grass-a more physical than technical section. Reaching the top of this sector, the last equipped section begins: the cable initially descends in an easy diagonal traverse to the left, then turns downward toward a delicate vertical passage that evolves into an overhang. The first meters require balance, finding footholds on smears and drawing support from the cable; a well-placed stemple assists in the subsequent section where the true overhang begins. From here, a final overhanging descending traverse to the left, which again challenges the upper body, leads to the end of the equipped route.

Descent

The return is quick and straightforward. Follow the trail at the base of the cliff downhill, reaching the start of the ferrata in a few minutes. From there, retrace the approach trail back to the parking area.

Useful Notes

The Ferrata Belotti features new equipment in excellent condition. It's important to remember that it can be tackled in either direction, but special attention must be paid to the difficult, overhanging sections near the ground. The route is dedicated to the memory of Second Lieutenant Agostino Bellotti, a native of Mesenzana and the only officer from the town to fall in World War II, after participating in the Russian campaign and being captured and deported. The ferrata, funded by the Municipality of Mesenzana, was inaugurated on October 13, 2024. For enthusiasts in the area, it represents a new opportunity, filling a historical gap; the nearest alternatives are found toward Lake Como or the Val d'Ossola.