Fabbriche di Vergemoli: love crosses the boundaries of time
Beginning in Fabbriche di Vallico, accompanied by the Valle del Profondo Verde, we arrive at San Luigi, a pleasant place frozen in time, a fertile ground for tales by the fireplace. Among the flowers peep fairies and pixies, the first beings of the enchanted world albeit ignored by those who have given up dreaming. Beautiful girls with long blonde hair reveal themselves to the least greedy, sharing the deep secrets of the herbs and the language of flowers encased in the Buca delle Fate, while female and male anthropomorphic figures open the gates of the Castelvenere cave. The trail continues towards San Pellegrinetto, illuminated by the subdued light of two candles. These are the souls of a shepherd and shepherdess, in love and betrothed but divided by a tragedy, they dance embraced in eternity holding onto their promise. Going down towards Fornovolasco, the soothing sounds of nature are broken by noises coming from the Tana che Urla: they are the pickaxe of a miner mitigated by a sweet song. Madly in love with a fairy, the young miner followed her into the dark depths of the Tana, finding eternal love but renouncing the light forever. The route continues towards Chiesaccia through the ancient Via Lombarda. Gloomy shadows obscure the path. They are the spirits of ancient monks who prey on unwary travellers in search of refuge. Escorted by Fate, you reach the ancient Cave, where suffused sounds harken back to the collapse of a mine. Along the Turrite river, we come to the Eremo di Calomini, a place where the delicate sound of silence leads to a deep spirituality. The pure and clear water that flows from the mountain reflects the apparition of an image of the Madonna to a shepherdess. At the end of the road, relax, lulled by the Valle del Profondo Verde, and understand that while roads change and the seasons alternate, true love is forever.
Fabbriche di Vergemoli: the magic trail of the Serpente Volastro
Following in the wake of the Serpente Volastro, a path for travellers pure of heart and fearless seeking the Volaschioite. From the Grotta del Vento, following the fiery tail of the Serpente Volastro, you descend toward Fornovolasco, a medieval village devoted to working with iron. On the paved road, you reach the Boscaccio, where the road narrows between two cliffs. The shining light hits a paved road: the rainbow colours of the ancient Via Lombarda enchant the travellers accompanied by the CAI 134 path to the Fortezza di Vergemoli, from the 12th century. In this ancient building, built for the most part with dry stone walls, the Serpent shows itself in all its splendour peering into the soul of adventurers. Only the pure of heart will be able to continue their journey. From the Fortezza, you reach the Canalone del Trimpello, where the Serpente Volastro opens the magic doors of its Cave in the ancient Cava del Ferro, covered entirely in Volaschioite, a mineralogical species that’s unique in the world.