Onfiano to Giandeto

The area between Carpineti and Casina ( Province of Reggio Emilia) is an area contrasting landscapes, lush fields that remind me of the English countryside,  intersected by deep impenetrable forested gorges.  

I decided to take a long circular walk that  would take in some parts of the area that I had never seen,  together with some of my favourite parts of this landscape.  Most of the walk would rely on my map reading skills, as there no CAI marked footpaths for much of the route, and I hoped my map, compiled mostly from a photogrammetric survey would be accurate in the more out of the way areas.

Mulino delle Noci, Carpineti, RE

I left the car at Mulino delle Noci ( the nut mill) where amongst other things, hazel nut oil was once produced and climbed steeply up to the little hamlet of Onfiano. Here in the middle of a lush green field one finds a nice little church that dates from the sixteenth century.  I was lucky that it was being spring cleaned, so I was able to see inside. The hamlet  also boasts a splendid “Casa Torre” or Tower house.

Chiesa di Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Chiesa di Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Chiesa di Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Chiesa di Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Chiesa di Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Chiesa di Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

 

Casa Torre, Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Casa Torre, Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Casa Torre, Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Casa Torre, Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Casa Torre, Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Casa Torre, Onfiano, Carpineti, RE

Another stiff climb and I was at Ca’ Magnone  another hamlet with some nice architectural details.

 

Ca Magnone, Carpineti, RE

Ca Magnone, Carpineti, RE

Ca Magnone, Carpineti, RE

Ca Magnone, Carpineti, RE

Ca Magnone, Carpineti, RE

I was now at the point where I hoped my map would be accurate as I passed Castagneda  with its well kept  chestnut trees as its name suggests and onto where  the cart track now dropped down two hundred metres into a deep wooded valley and became a narrow footpath. 

Castagneda, Carpineti, RE

Castagneda, Carpineti, RE

I arrived at Mulino dell’ Abate ( The Abbots mill) my second destination in the lonely Rio Dorgola Valley. This almost inaccessible mill after thirty years of abandon is now merging back into the landscape, just a few walls remain together with some machinery covered in debris. A covering of green moss adds to the ghostly atmosphere of the place. 

Fosso di Burano, Carpineti,RE

Mulino dell' Abate, Carpineti, RE

Mulino dell' Abate, Carpineti, RE

Mulino dell' Abate, Carpineti, RE

Mulino dell' Abate, Carpineti, RE

Mulino dell' Abate, Carpineti, RE

Mulino dell' Abate, Carpineti, RE

Now it was time to climb back out of the valley towards Giandeto.  Here my map showed a gap in the footpath on either side of the hill. Luckily it just meant crossing a field  to meet up with the footpath that would take me to Giandeto .

Above Rio Dorgola, Carpineti, RE

Rio Dorgola, Carpineti, RE

Casa Mattioli, Casina, RE

Casa Mattioli, Casina, RE

Casa Mattioli, Casina, RE

Giandeto, Casina, RE

 

I often come to this high plain in spring were I enjoy the lush green spring landscape, dominated by its brightly coloured Baroque church.

 

Giandeto, Casina, RE

Giandeto, Casina, RE

It was now time to head back to the car via the SSP footpath that took me past the fortified manor house at Crovara  that dominates the valley below. The area around the Rio Dorgola valley will be an area to explore further, perhaps in the Autumn when the chestnut woods are changing colour.

Crovara, Casina, RE

Crovara, Casina, RE