A warm spring sun and the desire to stretch my legs a bit have led me to the hills of Friuli to discover the Fort of Monte Bernadia-Lonza. From Tarcento, you follow the road to Sedilis. From here, a narrow asphalted military road leads through a natural setting graced with panoramic views to the space in front of the fortress. It is a building you do not expect to see here: it is impressive and rather unsettling. In my wanderings through the region in search of new experiences, I had never heard of it, although it is on the Great War Routes. Built around 1910, it was part of the defensive system of the middle Tagliamento, but in practice was never involved in any fighting and in 1917 it was abandoned.

In front of the Fort there is the Faro Julia, which houses the bodies of six soldiers who fell during the two world conflicts. The atmosphere is melancholy; I’m alone in this spot that recalls the madness of war, and where today there is the silence of peace. The only sounds are those of nature. To cheer me up, there is a splendid view: the gaze loses itself in the Friulian plain and, as often happens to me, I am carried away by the magic of seeing the sea far down there in the distance. These are the ‘postcards’ that Friuli Venezia Giulia offers in abundance.

To the right of the Fort, I take a fairly easy path, a circular route that is in places carefully tended and in others pleasantly wild, but always well indicated, which leads me to the Battery of Monte Pocivalo. All around is a beautiful karst landscape, dotted with colourful flora, especially periwinkles and other flowers which seem like (and maybe are!) orchids, ranging in tone from violet to blue.

During the walk I meet only very few people: some hikers with gear that suggests they are taking the more challenging itinerary, the occasional family with children and dogs. Relaxation is assured and, at the gun emplacement at the top of the Pocivalo, I snooze for half an hour. When I wake up, a ham sandwich (cured San Daniele ham, of course!) gives me the energy boost I need to resume the journey and return to the starting point, the square in front of the fortress, which in the meantime has become crowded with hikers on their “lunch break” .

On the way back home, I look back and that Fort that until yesterday had been unknown and hidden, now shines white at the top of the Friulian hill.