NIGEL'S RAMBLES: July 2012

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

To Madman Mountain

It was the last chance that I will have to dedicate a whole day to the mountains for a while.

I decided to go to one of my favourite places in the Apennines: the Cento Laghi Park in the province of Parma.

Rocca Pumacciolo, PR

I Lagoni, PR

Monte Orsaro, PR

Monte Sillara from Rocca Pumacciolo, PR

The route I decided to take started at the Lagoni Refuge and then continued on to the Sella di Rocca Pumacciolo. At the Sella the 711 footpath emerges from the woods to give a fantastic view of the 2 lakes that form the Lagoni.

The footpath the follows the ridge between the Sella and Monte Paitino. The path has some superb views across the Park, even though it’s a bit exposed in some places.

Below Monte Paitino, looking towards Monte Matto, PR

Monte Scala, Pr

I then visited Monte Sillara and the lakes below. This is one of my favourite places in the Appennines.

Monte Paitino, PR

Lago Sillara, Pr

Il Crinale from Monte Sillara

A 180 degree turn and on to Monte Matto ( Madman)along the 00 Crinale path. This is quite good fun with sheer drops down into Tuscany.

Monte Sillara, PR

Along the Crinale between Monte Paitino and Monte Matto, PR

Now it was time do descend down to the car. I took the path that passes the small Lake Bicchiere, Passo Fugicchia and Lake Scuro. I stopped for a while at Lago Scuro to admire the landscape. Then back into the woods for the last stretch to Rifugio Lagoni.

Lago Bicchiere, PR

Monte Scala, PR

Lago Scuro, Pr

Above I Lagoni, Pr

Glacier action, Lagoni, PR

It was a hot misty July day so the photographs were not the best I have taken in this area. Sometimes the more usual bad weather one finds here makes for more interesting photographs. (Cento laghi true to form).

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Passo Cirone to Monte Orsaro

Mount Orsaro marks the western end of the high Tosco- Emilano Apennines “Crinale” .

I decided to approach the peak from the Cirone pass to the north hoping to avoid the steep climb up from Lagadei (PR), but thanks to my map being outdated I was in for a surprise.

Passo Cirone, PR

Monte Orsaro from Passo Cirone, PR

At Passo Cirone the wind was strong, so I knew that things would get interesting on Monte Orsaro.

The walk starts after a short climb through some woods amongst gentle rolling pastures below Monte Tavola. The views across the “Parco dei Cento Laghi” are quite impressive.

Below Monte Tavola , PR

Then instead of skirting around Mont Fosco as my map suggested, the footpath makes a direct 200 meter climb up Monte Fosco, suddenly emerging from the woods at the summit. The view from here is fantastic.

Fortunatly the woods behind the exposed balcony of Monte Fosco shielded me from the wind .

Monte Orsaro from Monte Fosco, PR

Between Monte Fosco and Mont Orsaro the footpath follows an old paved pathway that had been laid with great care.

Below Monte Orsaro,PR

Now the next part of the walk was the climb up to the summit of Monte Orsaro.

As I climbed up the wind blowing down from the north became stronger and stronger. At the top one could hardly stand. My photographs don’t give the impression of the strength of the wind. I decided to abandon the next leg of the walk, the decent down to Bocchetta del Orsaro.

Monte Fosco from Monte Orsaro,PR

Monte Orsaro,PR

Lago Santo and The " Cento Laghi" park from Monte Orsaro,PR

Monte Orsaro,PR

Seeing that the weather seemed to promise rain, I returned back to the car on the same 00 footpath that I had arrived on.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Abetone to Corno Alle Scala

This week i managed to get up into the Apennines to do another stretch of the 00 footpath that runs along the “Crinale” .

18th century border marker, Sella della Motte, MO

Libro Aperto, MO

On the first day I started at Abetone a ski resort on the border between the provinces of Modena and Pistoia. From here I climbed up to a place called “Libro Aperto” or Open Book in English, on the 00 footpath. The weather was a bit threatening to start off with, but fortunately the clouds cleared after a while. From here after exploring the immediate area, I followed the crest down to “Cervinara”.

Libro Aperto, MO

Cervinara, MO

To return I descended down to the “Pizzo dei Sassi Bianchi” and then climbing back up to the “Libro Aperto” on the 433 footpath.

Cervinara, MO

Serra Della Motte, MO

From the “Libro Aperto” I took the 495 footpath in the valley below to join up again with the 00 path at “Serra delle Motte”, Then back along the 00 to Abeton.

I must admit that the “Libro Aperto” was not as spectacular as I expected, just a nice hard walk in the high Appennines.

The next walk took up more or less from where I finished on the “Crinale”.

This time I drove the car right up to the Passo di Croce Arcana, from where I took the 00 path eastwards towards “Lago Scaffaiolo” and the “Corno alle Scale” .

Monument to the "Alpini", Passo Croce Arcana MO

View towards Libro Aperto from Monte Spigolino, MO

View towards Libro Aperto and M. Cimone from Monte Spigolino, MO

Monte Spigolino, MO

Towards Lake Scafaiolo from M. Spigolino, MO

First stop was up to the the peak of mount Spigolino. The view from here was interesting. Then I descended down to Lake Scaffaiolo. This is a popular location between the provinces of Modena and Bologna .

At the Duca dei Abruzzi Refuge I ate a nice plate of Polenta and sausages ( Much better than the usual biscuits and banana I usually eat whilst walking in the mountains).

Lake Scaffaiolo, MO

Im not the first visitor to Lake Scaffaiolo,MO

Rifuggio Duca dei Abruzzi, MO

Now it was time to continue on to Corno alle Scala where the Crinal comes to a very abrupt 1000 meter drop down into the valley below.

Being on this mountain is almost like looking down on the world from an aeroplane.

Monte Cornaccio,MO

View from Corno alle Scala, BO

Corno alle Scala, BO

Balzi dell'Ora, BO

View from Corno alle Scala, BO

On the way back I stopped to watched a couple of sheepdogs at work with a flock of sheep. These big white dogs are left with the sheep to guard against wolves. It’s better not to get to close to them.

I found this part of the Apennines far more interesting with its nice lake, good food and spectacular views across Tuscany.

Cutigliano,PS