NIGEL'S RAMBLES

Sunday, June 3, 2012

The Lost Railway

Who would imagine that a railway once ran just beneath Monte Cusna, the second highest mountain in the northern Apennine chain.

Starting from Rescadore near Febbio (RE) I took the 609 footpath which picks up the route of a narrow gauge railway built towards the end of the First World War to carry timber down to Quara (RE) 16 kilometres away to were the road into the mountains ended (Roads in the high Apennines did not arrive until the 1950’s).

Remains of the mountain railway, Febbio (RE)

Remains a mountain railwaybridge, Febbio (RE)

The railway was built on top of an older mule path called the Via Maremmana for some of the way. In one place the old railway and the cobbled mule track run parallel.

Via Maremmana, Febbio,RE

The next objective of my walk was to reach Passo di Vallestrina at the head of an impressive corrie on the 611 footpath. The view towards the pass is startling as one emerges from the thick woodland in front of the
amphitheatre.

Lame Grassa, Febbio RE

Lama Grassa, Febbio RE

Passo Vellestrina, Febbio RE

Emerging at the top of the pass I could see the top of the main mountain chain in front of me covered in cloud caused by the humid sea air colliding with the mountains.

Passo Vellestrina, Febbio RE

For the last part of the walk I descended back down to Febbio using the Passone (the big pass) one of the most popular routes up to Monte Cusna . This path is much less interesting than the much less used Vallestrina Pass.

Il Passone, Febbio, RE

Pian Vallese, Febbio, RE

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Montecagno to Monte Cisa

For my first walk in the high Apennines this year, I decided on a walk behind the main mountain ridges where it is now becoming springtime.

I started from Montecagno a typical mountain village. In this village there are a couple of the Celtic dwellings (in rather a poor state) that I have seen elsewhere in the high Apennines.

Montecagno,Ligonchio,RE

Taking the “Pighini” footpath I climbed up and then crossed Monte Rimodatino which dominates the village below. Along this footpath one passes a rather sinister place where plague sufferers were sent to die in the seventeenth century, the footpath runs across the site of the mass grave. The views from the main mountain chain are quite nice from here.

Monte Rimondatino,Ligonchio,RE

I then took the 621 footpath that leads to Monte Cisa , the pastures of “Prati Orze’ ” along the footpath were full of orchids and other wild flowers. The last stretch of the path leading up to the pass below Monte Cisa is quite exhausting as it is very steep.

Prati Orze',Ligonchio,RE

From the top of Mount Cisa the view across to Monte Cusna was spectacular, with the mountain partly covered by the last of the winter snow.

Monte Prampa,Ligonchio,RE

Monte Cisa, Ligonchio, RE

Monte Cusna from Monte Cisa, Ligonchio, RE

Monte Cisa, Ligonchio, RE

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Aperitivi

This week I managed a quick visit to two places I have been meaning to see for ages: San Benedetto Po in the “Oltre Po Mantovano” and Monte Duro near Reggio Emilia.

San Benedetto Po has a sprawling monastery founded in 1007, but rebuilt mainly in the 16^th. Century.

It was here that Matilde di Canossa, a famous Lombard queen connected to Reggio Emilia chose to be buried.