This week I finally managed to do my almost annual
pilgrimage to the Pania di Corfino in the Orecchiella Park in the province of
Lucca. I do not know why, but I love this little corner of the Garfagnana in the
Tuscan Apennines.
The weather should have been good, but was not as often
happens in the mountains.
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| Monte Cusna from the Praderena pass. The weather was not looking too good. |
As usual I took the Airone 2 footpath that starts from the
visitors centre and via the Buca dei Lupi climbed up to the top of the
mountain. Then as usual I could not find the footpath marker and so made my way
down to the Bandita over the rocky terrain where one has to be very careful, as a
twisted ankle is easy to obtain. On the
way I bumped into the herd of “Muffloni” or wild goats that live in the park.
They were gone before I could get the camera out to take a decent photo.
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| Buca del Lupo, Orecchiella Park |
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| Buca del Lupo, Orecchiella Park |
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| Buca del Lupo, Orecchiella Park |
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| Buca del Lupo, Orecchiella Park |
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| Monte Prado from Pania di Corfino |
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| Monte Prado from Pania di Corfino |
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| Monte Prado from Pania di Corfino |
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| Pania di Corfino |
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| From Pania di Corfino |
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| Pania di Corfino |
I still had time on my side, so I rejoined the footpath that
took me to the little hamlet of Campaiana. Here one can see the traces of
Celtic architecture that is quite common in the Tosco Emilia Apennines.
Now it was time to return via the paved mule track that
drops down towards Corfino.
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| Campaiana, LU |
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| Campaiana, LU |
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| Campaiana, LU |
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| Campaiana, LU |
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| Campaiana, LU |
I stopped at
the little hamlet of Pruno where I photographed a nicely restored Celtic barn complete
with thatched roof.
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| The mule track at San Pelligrino, Pania di Corfino |
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| Pania di Corfino |
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| Pruno, LU |
The last couple of kilometres are always hard work on this
walk, so I was pleased to see the car.
