Today much needed rain has returned. The cities of northern Italy have been affected by atmospheric inversion causing dangerous levels of smog and people have been advised to close all windows and stay indoors as far as possible. We are lucky here in Longoio where, at a height of 1745 feet, the air is so pure.  However, we also have suffered some effects such as fewer mushrooms in the woods and, when found, showing signs of lack of water through their cracked surfaces. There is doom talk of Italy’s impending ‘desertification’ but climate analysis has to be on a long-term basis and there have certainly been some wet summers during my time here too!

While the sun was shining this week I visited the ‘Svizzera Pesciatina’. This is the valley which opens to the north of Pescia, the next big town east of Lucca, famous for its flower fair and its paper-making tradition. The valley is ‘Swiss’ only in so far as it reflects the landscape of Switzerland’s Jura Mountains. There are no alpine peaks though there are some splendid views and magnificent high, rolling hills.

Instead of going through Marlia to reach this enchanting valley, famous for its ten ‘Castelli’ (former castles now transformed into villages), I took my favourite route via Lucchio and across the Croce a Veglia pass, (3172 feet high). Much of this route is often rough unmetalled road and should only be attempted by 4 X 4 high wheel-base vehicles or trail bikes. I attempted it on my scooter which has large wheels. I certainly would not have tried it if it had just rained!

I passed by Lucchio and its castle.

The route then took me to Zato, a ‘frazione’ or hamlet belonging to Lucchio. There was no one around here but, instead, evidence of farm produce sale. The place seemed quite Marie- Celestian.

The road now became rough but I reached the top where one must put a stone on the tomb of an unknown ‘uomo morto’ (dead man) for good luck:

There is a cross and a sweet little chapel. The views on both sides of the ridge are quite splendid.

The road eventually became metalled and I stopped at Pontito, famous for being the birthplace of an Italian who became an officer of the East India Company Bengal garrison besides being probably the best translator of Milton into Italian. (If you want to know more about this remarkable character see my post at

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/11/23/lazzaro-papi-colonel-of-the-bengal-lancers/ ).

Papi is well-remembered by its inhabitants. The village fans down from the church at the tip in triangular fashion and is full of quaint corners.

All ten castles are worth visiting but they can’t all be given justice in a day for each one is filled with so many interesting sights.

From Pontito you can either go down the right side of the valley or take the left. It’s a difficult choice to make for both areas are equally beautiful. I took the right fork because I wanted to take in Castelvecchio’s astonishing Romanesque pieve (parish church) which is adorned with strange primeval carvings more reminiscent of pre –Christian cults.

I still haven’t managed to get into this church but at least I know who to phone up to make an appointment.

Pescia is full of good things and I’ve described a few of them at https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/12/12/tuscanys-own-switzerland/ 

And at:

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2015/05/05/strawberries-at-montecarlo-and-mediaeval-times-in-pescia/

 

 

The town is also host to a very good Lidl store so I loaded up with some goodies before heading towards Lucca.

Here again I didn’t choose the standard route via Marlia but picked instead a second valley starting from Collodi and taking in the villages of Colognora and Benabbio. One traverses the passo Del Trebbio (2411 feet) which divides the comune of Villa Basilica from that of Bagni di Lucca, our own home territory. (I’ve described this part of the world in another circular trip, this time do-able in any saloon car at:

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2015/01/22/visiting-in-the-rain/  )

Finally I returned to Bagni di Lucca:

Yes, the journey took a little bit longer than if I had gone straight to Pescia down the Viale Europa but it was far more interesting and completed a circular tour of extraordinary richness both in nature, art and architecture.