Via Ferrata Ginestre

Introduction:

La Ferrata delle Ginestre is a via ferrata that extends on the eastern side of Lake Idro in the province of Brescia. It is a short-lived via ferrata that extends mainly on exposed and challenging traverses. It is often combined with the underlying Ferrata Fregio making the combination definitely a rewarding and demanding trip from the physical point of view.

Starting location:

The starting point of the itinerary is the town of Vesta on the eastern shore of Lake Idro in the province of Brescia. Once in Vesta from Pieve Vecchia and Crone you will notice on the right a small gravelly open space with an iron pole with indications for paths. The approach path will start there. If possible, you can park in the open space (for up to 2 cars), otherwise there is a parking lot a little further on.

Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

The most natural approach is to take the difficult Ferrata del Fregio uphill and continue with the Ferrata delle Ginestre (40 'from the parking lot).

If, instead of following the Frieze, one wanted to go straight to the Ferrata delle Ginestre, follow the same approach as far as a crossroads. On the left we ignore the indication for the Fregio start and we continue uphill. We continue among steep hairpin bends until we meet the wooden slab that indicates the start of the Ferrata delle Ginestre (30 'from the parking lot).

Via Ferrata:

The Via Ferrata Ginestre has a beginning that can be misleading. Climb up a diagonal traverse with good grips for the feet. Go back to the right without any initial difficulties. On leaving the first stretch, you begin to perceive the first difficulties. The section continues with steep overhanging sections with some pegs for the feet. In this section hikers of medium-low height because the pegs are positioned high enough with respect to the cable and this will be rather uncomfortable for tall people. We proceed by meeting a couple of slightly downhill sections that tend to tire the arms particularly. We continue in the challenging traverse that ends near a crossroads: on the right, the road continues, otherwise on the left, uphill, there is an aided stretch that will avoid the suspension bridge, or on the right there is a descent path in the woods.

We continue on a slippery ledge slightly downhill to get around an edge where we will have a new exposed traverse with artificial supports for the feet. We continue on the sideways exposure maintaining the previous characteristic of the cable near the supports for the feet. We go around a new corner and we are near a suspended bridge of 15 meters. Follow it upstream. Climb up an easy vertical wall with abundant handles and brackets. We continue on an easy stretch of the ridge and finish the Ferrata delle Ginestre (20' from the start).

Descent:

From the end of the equipment we will have to continue for a short stretch of ascent beyond which the steep descent begins which will lead us to the start of the road and then downhill along a path to the junction that leads to the start of the Ferrata Fregio. From there back to the path approached to the parking lot (30 'from the end of the route - about 1h 45' total).

Notes:

The Ferrata delle Ginestre has a particular development consisting of long traverses. The first easy part and then become more challenging and exposed with a couple of uncomfortable descent steps. The second traverse is more exposed but less demanding from a physical point of view. The suspension bridge leads us to the end of the road. An already cited characteristic of these traverses is the reduced distance between the rope and the supports for the feet that result in an extra effort for those of tall stature.

Opportunities:

As mentioned above, the Ferrata delle Ginestre is the natural continuation of the underlying Ferrata del Fregio. The combination of both results, despite the relatively low overall duration, an trip that tests the physical strength especially of the arms. At the end of this itinerary we could continue with the neighbor Via Ferrata Crench or the easier aided paths Sasse or of the waterfalls of Idro. Going down towards Brescia, carefully evaluating the energy remaining, one could go along the road Via Ferrata Caspai or the Via Ferrata Nasego, both of medium difficulty but with longer itineraries than those present near the Lake of Idro.