After a frustrating evening yesterday, where we planned to go to an Italian Restaurant near the campsite only to decide the road to it, which had no footpath, was too dangerous, we today headed northwards.

Our initial journey was along the coast towards Venice, on the autostrada and then due north, on yet another motorway, through the foothills of the Dolomite mountains. We passed Belluno, where we had spend a pleasant night three years ago and then into the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites National Park.

By this stage we were on A-Roads, but although they were main roads they were anything but straightforward. Basil hauled us ever upwards round numerous hairpin bends, over a pass for which I cannot find a name. We were surrounded by heavily snow encrusted pinnacles until we reached the top at over 2000 metres (6600 feet), where snow still lay patchily on the ground. I suspect this is the highest pass we’ve ever made Basil climb, but he didn’t miss a beat. We saw that some of the more minor, and presumably higher, passes were still closed.

The Dolomites are my favourite mountain range in Europe. Not because they are particularly high, although the top out at 3,343 metres (10, 968 feet) so they’re not small, but because the peaks are so sheer – jagged pinnacles of rock rising into the sky.

Today they were not at their best, but they were still awe inspiring. There was no rain, but the air was humid so there was a slight haze and the highest peaks moved in and out of the clouds.

Eventually we descended through picturesque Alpine villages and past ski centres, to Camping Valle Verde (46.310650, 11.633063 €20 with ACSI) which is prettily situated in, surprise surprise, a green valley! This area was hit by a bad storm last October and around the campsite, as well as en route, there are thousands of pine trees on the ground. Whole sections of forest flattened, with equally large and adjacent sections untouched. Apparently the campsite says that many of the footpaths in the area are closed as a result.

Tomorrow we head into Austria.