Spring in the Apennines

Here spring has arrived with a heat wave.  I decided on a walk in the mid Apennines were the spring colours are usually spectacular.

Below Croveglia, Casina,RE

Croveglia, Casina,RE

Starting from Mulino delle Noci, Carpinetti I took the “Sentiero Spallanzani”  footpath  which passes  Cerpiano to arrive at Croveglia, a fifteenth century  fortified farmhouse (“Casa a torre” ) perched high on a hilltop overlooking the Tresinaro.

Croveglia, Casina,RE

Croveglia, Casina,RE

Croveglia, Casina,RE

Croveglia, Casina,RE

Croveglia, Casina,RE

Carved column,Croveglia, Casina,RE

 From Croveglia the path leads to Monte Pagano. From here one has a impressive view of Monte Cusna,  still covered in snow at this time of year when looking south, whilst  looking north a view of the lush green countryside around Giandeto.

Croveglia, Casina,RE

Monte Pagano, Casina,RE

Cusna seen from Monte Pagano, Casina,RE

Monte Pagano, Casina,RE

Looking North from Monte Pagano, Casina,RE

 

The path drops down to Giandeto  and then onto Mattioli a fifteenth century Court. On this part of the walk the Cherry trees were in full bloom

Giandeto, Casina,RE

Giandeto, Casina,RE

Giandeto, Casina,RE

Court Mattioli, Giandeto, Casina,RE

Mattioli, Giandeto, Casina,RE

Mattioli, Giandeto, Casina,RE

Bonini, Giandeto, Casina,RE

It was time for lunch by the time I arrived at Mulino del Tasso. Luckily the Trattoria was open so I had a nice plate of Tortellini.

I wanted to do a further  section of the “Sentiero Spallanani”  to arrive at Ca’ dei  Pazzi  a village who’s name translates to “House of the madmen”.

Reaching  Ca dei Pazzi, it was now time to return. Taking the same path back to Mattioli I stopped to photograph the Tower House at Sorriva.

Sorriva, Viano, RE

Sorriva, Viano, RE

From here I took a different route back  connecting to the “Sentiro Matilde”  at Canicchia. Here the rolling green hills rolling down to Casina were almost surreal.

Canicchia, Casina,RE

Canicchia, Casina,RE

 I then stopped to photograph the court at Valcava before reconnecting with the SSP footpath at Croveglia.

Valcava, Casina,RE

Valcava, Casina,RE

Valcava, Casina,RE

Looking down to Croveglia, Casina,RE

Casa Torre Cerpiano, Carpineti,RE

After eight  hours of walking it was luckily all downhill back to the car.