Books : Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites: Southern Dolomites, Brenta and Lake Garda Area: Southern, Brenta and Lake Garda v. 2 (Cicerone Mountain Walking)

Rating: - A great book for via ferrata virgins
First and foremost it needs to be acknowledged that this appears to be the only (current) English language guidebook covering this area. As such, if you are a mono-linguistic English speaker who wants to buy a guidebook to help you identify where to seek out your via ferrata thrills, then stop reading this review and buy the book!

I bought this book prior to my first trip to the Dolomites after it was acknowledged in the UK magazine "Trail".

The centre area covered is approx 90 mins car drive from Verona/ Brescia and perhaps 2 hours from Milan (opposite direction) so easily accessible from the UK by scheduled and "low cost" airlines.

The book offers good route guidance and technical grading. The route topo's could be a little clearer, although in fairness the Italian way paths are very well marked (esp. compared to UK high level footpaths). This is particularly relevant given the poor standard of maps locally available. Anyone who has come to rely upon the UK OS map standards and detail will need to take a deep breath before submitting their navigation destiny to the local Italian and Austrian maps for this area.

Equally some of the gradings appear inconsistent, although in fairness route grades are always open to varying interpretations.

A good intro book for those taking their first steps in this area but anyone visiting more than once or twice will perhaps need to practice their Italian and buy into the local guidebooks if they intend to climb extensively in this area.