Our Hiking holiday in Mugello near Florence starts with having to tackle transportation problems. The car is loaded with backpacks and supplies, we start driving towards the Sambuca pass, 22 km further on, between the Apennine mountains.
Borgo San Lorenzo, the last Sunday in July 2015 at 16.20, 34° c. 17:00, 26 ° C, We park the car in a clearing within the Giogo-Casaglia Regional Park and our little adventure begins.
“Melius abundare quam deficere” said the ancient Romans, and we are of the same mind. Reliant of our athletic abilities we filled our backpacks to the brim.The 15kg on our back are felt immediately, but never mind.
they say the effort, when it is not too much, is itself part of the pleasure. No wait it was the waiting… But oh well, it’s the same…
We start our Hiking holiday in Mugello near Florence along the path of biodiversity, its color is yellow. By paying a little ‘attention, the yellow signs are everywhere, on rocks and trees: impossible to get lost!
The atmosphere is a mixture of woodland and pasture; extremely favorable, in fact, to biodiversity, as highlighted by the alpine orchids now faded and the beautiful of orange lilies.
We arrive at Mt Altello (1169 metres asl) And then descend down towards the Rovigo stream. The open ground gives way to the forest, not before letting us through a picturesque rocky ridge a few hundred meters long. A geology enthusiast would have an easy time to decipher the composition of the rock that can be seen with the naked eye, layer upon layer.
And to think that those rocks millions of years ago were under the seabed and are now a thousand meters high, exposed to the summer sun and the winter snow … We have already left the biodiversity trail we are now entering CAI 739 trail, marked in red and white.
In the forest the beech dominates, and this is a guarantee of shade and of a pleasant temperature: we left the valley with a stifling heat; Here, despite the weight on our shoulders, it is just fine…
Ca’ Altello, Ca ‘Val Cavaliera, Ca’ Pallereto. these are the names of the ruins we encounter on our journey, invaded by overgrown plants, these old hamlets have been deserted for over 50 years. The call of the city and the economic boom has deprived the great mountains of its inhabitants for in favour of Florence and Prato.
A supplementary mention for Ca ‘di Vestro, a church and 5 or 6 houses, which during the Second World War were used as general command for the 36th Garibaldi Partisan Brigade.
We increase our pace, it’s 7 pm and the sun is slowly going down, thanks to a little ‘haze and cirrus clouds, it begins to set the sky on fire. We want to arrive at the bivouac with full light, and, after a while, we get there.
A short survey and soon from our backpacks comes out enough food to feed a small army: a 1 kg steak, spare ribs, sausages. 2 hours to get good embers for the right BBQ, cook the meat and eat it. some slow chat and then we try to photograph the stars.
Unfortunately the sky is not so clear as we hoped despite the light pollution here is reduced to a minimum. Thanks to our lack of ability to use tools still far from adequate, the photos are far less spectacular as we had set. .. we’ll do better next time …
It’s 1.00 at night, time to go to bed .. But will those nice dormice that peek from time to time dare to approach?
Of course they will. They are used to the presence of humans and the night is their time. So they make us realize that the shelter is their home.We should not make a fuss if they go here and there and try to sleep on our mattresses. Ok … nice, but I’m going to sleep under the stars.
I wake up late. The sun already beating, amid the chirping of cicadas, ubiquitous soundtrack of the summers spent in the country.
We tidy the bivouac. We chop the wood for those who come after us and we resume our journey. 20 minutes and we arrive at Pian della Aiara, another hamlet reduced to ruins.
From Pian della Aiara, we go back to Ca ‘di Cicci and then back to the car. After walking 5 km on a dirt road we are rewarded with a larger view of the surrounding mountains.
Monday, 13.00, temperature 23 ° c. We have covered a ring of about 14km, the temperature has always kept rather pleasant. 20 km down in the Mugello Valley it was much hotter and Florence, saw temperatures soaring to 39 ° Celsius.
The route is not difficult and is adequately marked, no risks of getting lost. Don’t worry you don’t have to sleep under stars. There are a couple of well kept mountain refuges nearby with all comforts and excellent restaurants.
Do we recommend the hiking holiday in Mugello near Florence you say? we certainly do !!!