Marradi can be reached by car. From Firenze or Faenza along highway 302
to the Colla di Casagia. The little town is also reached from Firenze
or Faenza, by train using the "Faentina" a beautiful railway
line which calls at several of the most important mountain locations of
the Mugello and of the Romagna Toscana.
Marradi, the birth place of Dino Campana, is one of the most important
centres in Romagna Toscana, that is, in that mountainous handkerchief
of earth where one can breath the air of Romagna on Florentine soil. The
proposed itinerary unwinds initially along the valley of Campigno, crossed
often by Campana on the old mule track which today corresponds for long
tracts to the little asphalted road which connects Biforco to Campigno.
The latter, little travelled and very interesting, can also be followed
by car, however, starting the itinerary at Campigno. From the town start
down the more excursionistic road, with the slope up to the Houses of
Monte Filetto and Le Fosse . From Marradi initially follow the highway
302 towards Firenze along which "on high on the apex of a desolate
triangle, the castle becomes clear, higher and further away". Quickly
reaching Biforco take a left for Campigno, start along the little asphfalted
road which goes further and further into the valley. Along this, "the
rocks and the river" as Campana records, play the role of protagonists,
the rocks in "layer upon layer, monuments of the tenacious solitude
which consoles mans heart", the river because "to portray the
scene, the virgin countryside, through which the docile river runs downstream,
filled only with the sound of fresh tremors, art is not enough, you need
water the element itself, the docile melody of the water which spreads
among the ravines of its ample rubble bed, sweet as the ancient voice
of the winds which push on towards the valley in regal curves ; since
here it is truly the queen of the landscape".
Having reached Campigno, continue along the asphalt towards Farfareta
and, a little before reaching the little rural centre, turn to the right
along an unsurfaced road closed to cars , no thoroughfare. It is an easy
descent to reach the bank of the stream Campigno which can be crossed
by a metal footbridge. On reaching the left hand bank of the watercourse
go ahead to a big built up area and hence continue on the main road which,
on a straight slope rapidly gains height in respect of the valley. The
first house encountered, "Gattolete", is tucked into the edge
of a large open field, from here it is possible to pan over the valley
below where, with the "poverty of its small houses", Campigno
can be seen. At "Gattolete" ignore a minor road to the right
in order to continue left on the unsurfaced road which rises to a stony
crag. Here you turn sharp right, continuing to climb (ignoring the downhill
road) and pass into the woods. Making a large semicircle, arrive at an
open area on which there are generally horses grazing. Here, half hidden
by the invading undergrowth, emerge the ruins of the houses of Monte Filetto,
a place by now distorted by abandonment. Continuing further along the
main road you pass into the woods again, luxuriant with leafy plants,
and regain the easy slope along the left hand bank of a stream, the slope
which leads to La Fosse. Here, in a solitary mountainous setting, you
find the ancient nucleus of houses that, in this case, have kept their
original structure intact. Structure, however, typical of the sparse settlements
in this corner of the Appenines. Here you can find the Acacia "dear
tree of the night" perhaps "appearing like imaginary smoke"
and the walnut, which is found "in front of the window of my room.
At night seems to collect all the shadows and curve the sobre singing
leaves like a mass of songs on the round milky almost human trunk".
From La Fosse there is nothing to do but go back the way you came.
Time required |
from Marradi 6 hours, from Campigno 3 hours |
Vertical height |
from Marradi 620m, from Campigno 330m |
Maps |
multigraphic 1 :25.000 n. 25-28 |
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