Resting on the slopes of the Apuan Alps, just a short distance from the sea is the village of Colonnata. Famous not only for the production of cured lard in marble containers but also for its vast marble quarries, the village is surrounded by inaccessible peaks where brave men work in the quarries. Just a little way outside the centre is the largest marble quarry of the Roman period in the Appuan area, the Fossacava quarry.
Altre immagini
Località di partenza:
Regione Toscana, Provincia di Massa-Carrara, Carrara, Frazione Colonnata
Carta dei Sentieri, Alpi Apuane Settentrionali, 1:25,000 published by
APT Massa Carrara Tourist Agency Alternatively: Carta dei
sentieri e dei rifugi 1:25.000, Alpi Apuane, n.102, Multigraphic.
Note:
How to reach Colonnata: by car, on the A12 Genoa-Rosignano motorway,
exit at Carrara and follow the signs to Colonnata, about 7 km. away. By
bus, use the local bus company CAT. By train, on the Genoa-Livorno as
far as Carrara station.
We leave from the centre of the village, piazza Palestro, and follow
the steps that climb among the houses. After a few meters we arrive at
a drinking fountain where we follow the signs for Cima d'Uomo. When we
arrive above the village we keep to the left parallel with an iron
parapet. Now we come to a rather difficult part, first over the rocks
and then through a pine forest. After the climb we take an easy path
that we follow on the right until we come to the detour on the left
where we start climbing again. The difficulty is repaid by the view we
have of the Maggiore mountains as soon as we look out onto its
impressive steep wall. The path continues but is no longer as steep as
before. Now we have to tackle the promontory above us, but we do so by
cutting across, diagonally, so that it is not so difficult. Once we
arrive on the south side of the wall, we climb towards the peak, along
the mountain-side that descends, arriving at the top in twenty minutes.
We can now see the Cima d'Uomo that waits for us and it only takes a
quarter of an hour to reach its summit. Although it is only a modest
968 meters compared with the surrounding mountains, it is in an
excellent position from which to admire the inaccessible Apuan peaks.
Towards the south east we can easily recognise the particular shape of
the Tambura and all the other peaks that look out towards the sea. If
we look north, on the other hand, we see the great marble quarries that
embrace Colonnata. From Cima d'Uomo, an ideal place to stop, we start
off again, heading towards Monte Maggiore. Here we come to a slight
descent and then climb again onto a second small peak. From here we
descend, arriving right under the mountain wall. At the base a path
starts on the right that enters a small valley and skirts it until it
brings us a little further down, on the edge of the wood. We meet a
spring and from here we plunge into the shade of trees. We are
approaching the village of Vergheto, inhabited once by quarrymen and
now almost completely abandoned. We meet some ruined houses before
entering it and pass beside one of these before arriving at path 38
which comes from the bottom of the valley. We follow it through
Verghetta. Leaving the village, the path splits into two and we must
turn right. (If we take the path on the left we will go straight to the
end of the path, to a beautiful plateau over a precipice with a view of
Colonnata to the right). We start our descent through the chestnut
trees, going down a slope and then through a series of bends that wind
down to a section with some stone steps and then brings us to another
path which we take, again going down. Thus we arrive at a small bridge
which we cross and, following the signs on a stone hut, we approach the
centre of Colonnata which we find after passing a group of houses.
This itinerary is
part of a collection that the magazine “Trekking”, together with the
APT (Provincial Tourist Authority) of the Tuscan Coast, has dedicated
to the most beautiful trekking routes in this area. A series of
itineraries that will help you discover lovely places and will
introduce you to a district that has great environmental and cultural
appeal.
Verde Network srl - Trek&Bike Hotels non si assume alcuna responsabilità sui contenuti pubblicati dai visitatori del sito, il cui nome compare in calce al testo. Chi ha inserito i testi è responsabile in caso di errori e violazioni dei diritti d'autore.
