Rio delle Foglie is the Italian name for the Bletterbach, a gorge that cuts deep into the plateau above the Adige valley, south of Bolzano, near the villages of Aldino and Redagno. It is part of the Dolomites World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2009, and it is one of the best places in the Alps to read the history of the Earth in rock. The stream has carved down through hundreds of metres of layers, from volcanic porphyry at the bottom through red sandstones to the white dolomite of the Corno Bianco at the top, spanning tens of millions of years.
Walking in the gorge is like walking through a geology textbook. The red sandstones contain fossilised footprints of reptiles that lived before the dinosaurs, plant fossils and ripple marks from ancient rivers. A visitor centre in Aldino explains it all, and trails lead down into the gorge and up to the top of the Corno Bianco. It is a fine walk in sturdy shoes, with waterfalls, rocky steps and a cool, damp atmosphere in summer.
The riding around here is classic South Tyrol. From the Adige valley at Ora, a road climbs in hairpins up to Aldino and on to the plateau, with views back over the valley and vineyards. From there, roads lead to the Passo di Lavazè and the Passo degli Oclini, both relatively low and quiet passes through forests and meadows, and on to Nova Ponente and the Passo di Costalunga, with views of the Latemar and the Catinaccio. The asphalt is usually excellent, though cyclists and caravans are common in summer, and the curves can be tight.
The plateau is a farming landscape of meadows, forest and scattered farms, with the Dolomites rising to the east. In spring the meadows are full of flowers, and in autumn the larches turn golden. Weather can change quickly, with afternoon thunderstorms in summer and snow at higher elevations from November to April.
Fuel is available in the valley at Ora or Laives, ten kilometres away, and in some villages on the plateau. Food is a mix of Austrian and Italian: speck, dumplings, apple strudel and pasta. A stop at a mountain inn for a plate of knödel and a glass of local wine, with the peaks turning pink outside, rarely disappoints.