Home Cuisine Landscape and nature Architecture and art Sport Accommodation Visiting Gadget Learning Arts and Crafts The way we were Organized tours Home Cucina Paesaggio e natura Arti e Mestieri Sport Accoglienza Visitare Gadget A scuola di... Architettura e arte Come eravamo Tour organizzati
Italiano
English
Sport
Sport
Visita il Mugello, culla dei Medici, a due passi da Firenze e le bellezze toscane
 

Walking and Biking

 

 
 

From Marradi to Monte Filetto via the Valle de Campigno

On the pathways of Dino Campana

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
Next...

 

Text and picture: Cinzia Pezzani & Sergio Grillo
Translation: Jeremy Carden

 
 
 
   
 
return to top of page
   
       
  Terra di Toscana

© All rights reserved Polimedia di Laura Fumoni
Via Landucci 39 - 50136 - Firenze - P.IVA 06790950486 - REA C.C.I.A.A. FIRENZE N. 656544
Press registration n. 5528 10/11/2006 - Editor Polimedia

 
  Advertising | About us | Contacts | Site search | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie policy