A legend surrounds the well-known hill above the Monticolo Lakes in Appiano, which reaches a height of 643 m a.s.l
Image gallery: Col dell’Uomo hill
The 643 m high Col dell’Uomo hill (Wilder Mann Bühel, in German - literally: Wild Man Hill) is a hilltop settlement from the younger Iron Age with other findings dating back to the middle Iron Age and the late Bronze Age. The hill owes its name to the legend winding around the Wild Man of Monticolo. It probably refers to the eremite Peter Weth from Appiano, who travelled to North America to search for gold and spent some time with the Indians. After his return he lived in the Monticolo Forest. Since the inhabitants did not feel at ease with him, he was attributed the qualities of a savage. On a stone, there is still the inscription “P.W. geb. 1824″.
The hike to the mystical Col dell’Uomo hill, one of the highest elevations of the Monte di Mezzo ridge, starts at the Maso Ronco sports area and leads in an hour to the Monticolo Lakes and further on through a mixed forest of fir, pine, larch, spruce and deciduous trees to the summit. The stunning view from the top includes the Oltradige area, the Mendola Ridge, the protected Monticolo Forest and extends towards the snow-capped peaks of the Tessa Group near Merano.
