Journey from the Stelvio Pass to Bormio

Appendix.

Travel Sketch

We borrow the following sketch from the Echo, describing a journey from the summit of the Stilfserjoch to Worms:

"Anyone who has climbed even a modest mountain and taken delight in the view over the plains spread out below will be able to form an idea of the prospect enjoyed from the heights of the Stilfserjoch. Without the toils and perils of scaling a glacier, one finds oneself at an elevation of 2814 metres above the level of the Adriatic Sea and 260 metres above the snow line (all known mountain roads in Europe are far lower than this great military highway), beholding in an immeasurable distant panorama all around nothing but a sea of mountains, hills, valleys, gorges, and torrents, of wildernesses and rocky crags, the most refreshing green of pastures and forests beneath the deep azure of the broad celestial vault; the shimmering icy peaks of glaciers and firn fields which, reflecting the sunlight, appear at times flaming, at times a soft sea-green, at times a dark black, and again at times a glittering silver, and among them all, towering like a giant, the summits of the 4300-metre-high Orteles.

From here the road descends in several windings towards the Lombard side of the Montagna, which presents a fairly broad plateau and opens an expansive view into the romantic, steeply sloping valley of Santa Maria towards the Grisons. At the lower end of this plateau two buildings are erected, one of which is destined for the accommodation of travellers and the change of horses, the other as a dwelling for the financial officials. From this post onwards the horizon becomes ever more confined; the path turns downward to the left towards a small, enclosed plain, where a lonely church stands with a dwelling built for the curate. Finally, after repeated turns, one enters a long rocky gorge, at the entrance of which a wooden gallery has been constructed. In this gorge, for protection against the terrible fall of avalanches, several galleries have been built, partly hollowed out of the rock and partly raised in masonry. From the post and cantoniera near Spondalunga one descends continuously through a uniform and barren landscape.

Gradually the heights along the military road are clad in dense forest; the gorge widens and affords a view of the towering icy peaks of the glaciers around Worms, of the side valley situated to the right below San Martino, and finally of the entire plateau around Worms. As though through a gate, one passes from the last gallery, measuring 40 metres, to a long stone bridge across an abyss, one of the finest of all along this military road, enjoying from there an open view of a friendlier landscape that heralds the end of the gloomy scenes just traversed.

On the slope below the road, to the right, just before the last gallery, lies San Martino, a place consisting of several contiguous houses and a chapel dedicated to St. Martin, famous for its baths as early as the days of Cassiodorus and still much frequented under the name of the hot 'Baths of Worms.'

The gradual decay of the ancient buildings, no less than the impractical, outdated arrangement of their interiors, gave rise to the need for a renewal appropriate to modern times. For this reason, a few hundred paces away, a magnificent and highly practical new building was erected under the fitting name of the 'New Baths.'

On the ground floor, running the full length of the building on both sides of the wide corridor, the bathrooms are laid out, which also contain marble tubs here and there; above, wonderfully painted rooms have been fitted out for the accommodation of bathers. On the forecourt, along the mountain slope towards the military road, there are three springs, including one of warm water, which, channelled from the old baths, pours its bubbling healing spring into marble basins. This structure was begun in 1833 and completed the following year at a cost of 400,000 lire.

May this beneficent spa establishment flourish ever more under the auspices of an enlightened government, and bring solace to the many sufferers who will seek refuge in its springs, ranging from 28° to 38° Réaumur!

After half an hour one reaches the ancient town of Worms (Bormio). It lies partly along the edge of the plateau named after it, 1260 metres above the level of the Adriatic Sea, surrounded by three glaciers and watered by the Adda and the Fredolfo torrent. Despite this location, Worms maintains an extensive beekeeping industry, which produces the famous Worms honey.

At Worms ends the course of the military road over the Stilfserjoch, and in the opposite direction begins the road through the Val Tellina, which runs along the Adda towards Sondrio, Morbegno, and Colico, continuing from Colico to Lecco along Lake Como, and thence leading to Monza and Milan."