Lago Retico: the Lucomagno plateau and the red lake at the head of Val Blenio

At the head of Val Blenio, where the Lucomagno road crosses towards Graubünden, lies a plateau of peat bogs, mountain pines and small lakes that in summer is one of the quietest places in Ticino. Lago Retico sits at 2,372 m in a bowl of reddish rock that gave it its name.

The route

From Acquacalda, on the pass road, we climb through pasture and bog to the lake, in a landscape that is already alpine but without difficult ground.

From the lake we climb a little further to the viewpoint over the Lucomagno bowl, with the Graubünden peaks to the north, and return on the Alpe Casaccia loop.

Who it's for

• anyone who wants high-altitude landscape without technical ground
• anyone who loves bogs, mountain pines and places with nobody in them
• July and August walkers, when it is too hot lower down

Good to know

The Lucomagno road is open May to November, then closes for snow. At 2,400 m the weather turns within the hour and the temperature drops fast: layers, a shell and light gloves even in August. There is nowhere to buy food on the route.

You are crossing into Switzerland

A valid ID in your pocket, not in your rucksack: Switzerland is not in the European Union and border checks do happen.

Mountain rescue is charged for: in Switzerland the helicopter is billed to the person who calls it. Guiddy accident insurance is included, but a Rega card (about €40 a year) or a policy covering rescue costs in Switzerland is what we suggest to everyone.

Swiss francs: huts and cable cars almost always take cards, but a few valley huts are still cash only. The European health card is valid in Switzerland for emergency care.

Getting there

A9 to Bellinzona, then up Val Blenio to Olivone and the Lucomagno road: two and a quarter hours from the ring road.

By car you need the Swiss motorway vignette (CHF 40, valid for the calendar year) if you use the motorway: you buy it at the border, at petrol stations near the crossing, or online.