Pian d’Arla

From Pian d’Arla, along the Cadorna road (the southern end of the road that circles Monte Spalavera), you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Monte Zeda massif and the Scisti dei Laghi, which are visible from the path leading to the south-western ridge.

The morphology of the Monte Zeda massif reflects both its lithology and its Quaternary evolution: the alternation of orthogneiss and paragneiss corresponds to the peaks and saddles respectively. Above the altitude of Monte Spalavera (the highest point reached by the Lake Maggiore glacier), a jagged morphology is observed, resultingfrom periglacial erosion dominated by cryoclastic action. Below this altitude, the terrain is smooth, shapedby glacial abrasion, or features of pre-glacial erosion preserved on the south-west-facing slopes, which were protected from the ice.

Looking back towards the lake, the typical topography of the Scisti dei Laghi area consists of rounded mountains with occasional rocky cliffs corresponding to the intercalations of orthogneiss, and deep saddles corresponding to the schists.