hill walking
on our doorstep
Mulino Carletti is the highest dwelling on the //Torrente Segaccia//, at about 850m above sea level. The Segaccia is a tributory of the Ania, the river whose valley divides Barga and Coreglia. The sources of two streams are higher up the slopes of the Appennine alps. The alp nearest to the mill is monte Giovo, 1992m, an excellent destination for a day's hike from the mill. Giovo is shaped a bit like a front tooth, with two steep faces, but the top 'edge' curves down in each of the other two directions, making it an extremely accessible mountain. The peak is only about 5km from the mill, but the route is indirect, so the round trip, even if you drive up the track as far as Col di Bachionero, is about a 5-hour walk.
The views from Monte Giovo are simply stunning in both directions. Because the 'edge' of the mountain is narrow you can enjoy two opposing panoramas from almost any point on the walk. Yet the path is nowhere so narrow as to create an excessive sense of exposure. The panorama to the southwest carries across over the Ania valley and the wider valley of the Serchio beyond all the way to the Apuane alps with their spectacularly varied textures and forms. To the northeast, there are more of the Appenines, and in the valley between is Lago Santo, a substantial lake at an altitude of some 1500m.
across the Serchio valley
A short drive away, just across the valley, are the Apuane alps. These offer a great variety of attractions, including
- Monte Forato: As its name implies (think of 'per - forate - d'), this is a mountain with a huge hole in it. It is a natural rock arch eroded by wind and rain, so large that you can see through it from many places on our side of the valley (for example, from the path just beyond Col di Bachionero). The trek up takes about two hours from Fornovolasco, and is quite steep towards the end, but the spectacular natural arch makes it worth the effort.
- Grotto del Vento: The deepest cave open to the public in Europe.
- Pania della Croce: The highest peak of the Panie group in the Apuane Alps, alt. 1859m. A stunning 360-degree panorama, with picturesque views into the Garfagnana and, on clear days, as far as Pisa and Florence. The mountain takes its name from the powerful limestone ramparts ('panie').
