The train has just emerged from the Gotthard railway tunnel. Destination? Faido, in the Upper Leventina. My friends and I decided to treat ourselves to two days of nature and carefree fun to take a break from the daily grind.
From the window I glimpse the Gottardo Arena, the new Ambrì-Piotta ice hockey rink that hosts matches in the national league. Who knows, maybe one evening we’ll be able to pay a visit. I’ve heard that they even organise guided tours. The train reaches the station. Just in time to hop on the PostBus leaving for the village of Dalpe. As the coach climbs the hairpin bends, I observe the landscape, which is at its most beautiful at this time of year. The colours of the trees range from green to yellow, passing through orange and red to brown. A stone’s throw from the bus stop I spot a small wooden house marked “prodotti locali”. How can we resist? Cheese, biscuits, honey, yoghurt: all strictly local. Each of us buys something for the picnic we will enjoy later on.
We follow the signs and make our way along the path that climbs up through the fields before entering thicker vegetation. First stop? Boscobello. A wood reminiscent of those you find in fairy tales, inhabited by elves, with towering larches and clearings dotted here and there. I look at my friends. A smile and a nod of understanding is all it takes. Yes, this is the perfect place to set up the slackline.
