Holiday apartment in Ornella: Dolomite trails and mountain history

Ornella lies in Val d’Ornella, an almost untouched, green Dolomite valley framed by the Catena del Padon. The landscape is located at the foot of the Dolomite amphitheater of the Monti di Ornella in the Catena del Padon, which belongs to the Marmolada Group. On the right bank of the Torrente Cordevole, Val d’Ornella lies approximately halfway along the Valle di Fodom.

Val d’Ornella belongs to the Marmolada system, which has been recognized and protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In the valley, the landscape at the foot of the amphitheater, the small settlements, and traces of the First World War come together.

Holiday apartment in Ornella between high plateaus and mountain passes

The distinctive landscapes include the high plateaus of Rus and Scofe. They can be reached via CAI trails and well-marked paths that follow the course of the Ru de Ornela. The Pizongol de Ornela complements the mountain scenery as a 2,406-meter-high peak in the Padon subrange.

Circular hike from Ornella to Passo Padon

The Ornella–Passo Padon–Ornella circular hike begins in the town center near the Chiesetta di San Sebastiano and heads toward Col d’Ornella. The route from Col d’Ornella to Passo Padon involves 900 meters of elevation gain; without the ascent to Passo Padon, the elevation gain is 750 meters. The two elevation figures help with planning the day: without the pass ascent, 750 rather than 900 meters of elevation gain must be planned for. For breaks and energy management, this difference is a concrete factor on the hike.

The circular hike is connected to CAI Trail 634. On Tabacco maps, the designation Trail 634 B also refers to this trail. CAI Trail 634 runs through the Marmolada Mountains within Livinallongo del Col di Lana, from Valacia de Fora via the Monti Alti di Ornella to the junction with Trail 699. The Sentiero Geologico di Arabba also runs through the Monti Alti di Ornella on its way to Passo Padon.

The section of Sentiero CAI 634/B from Ornella-località Val to the village of Scofe was abandoned after severe damage caused by Storm Vaia and is no longer accessible on foot.

Village history and traces of the First World War

The Chiesa di San Sebastiano in Ornella was built in 1483 and consecrated in 1488. After the First World War, it was rebuilt and rededicated to Saints Sebastian and Fabian. The small settlements of Val d’Ornella feature Tyrolean-style architecture centered around the Chiesetta di San Sebastiano.

The circular hike includes military positions at Col Toron. At the foot of Col Toron in Val d’Ornella, there are also galleries and trenches from the First World War.

More places for travel planning

For further orientation, you can also consider Misurina, Sospirolo, Soverzene, Pelos Di Cadore, Pedavena, Agordo, Masarè, and Sappada.

For the broader travel overview: Belluno.