Today the time of living within a drizzly cloud has finally vanished and blue skies and sunshine have returned. An occasion perhaps for re-savouring the pleasures of hillwalking? In the meanwhile, casting my eyes back to January 2008, I came across this incredible walk in neighbouring Lunigiana which takes one down from the village of Vinca to Monzone.

I have already written a post about this walk in June 2013 when I did it a second time with two friends, both of whom are no longer with me in our area: one friend has returned north and the other has gone further afield to the land where none return. The full account of that memorable time on this walk is in my post at https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/magical-mulattiera/ and it cannot be bettered.

Originally a mule-track between  Aiola (alt: 90 metres) and Vinca (alt: 900 metres), path no 39 traverses alp-like pastures, birch forests, exposed rocky outcrops, and chestnut woods to finally enter the cultivated areas of the Lucido valley villages. In addition, along the path one can meet with a sanctuary, several Maestà (little shrines), the ruins of an ancient church, a remote hermitage and a mysterious castle watch tower buried deep in the forest. This truly is a path to experience, although it requires some fitness, a good sense of balance, keenness and perseverance.

The footpath starts from the little village of Vinca which is nestled below 5850 foot high Monte Garnerone.

It first traverses a forest through whose barren winter branches we could see weirdly-shaped exposed rocks. What wonders were around us: the wild crags of the Northern Apuans and the extensiveness of views over the Lucido valley, the timelessness of it all…

Our way then ‘flew’ over an amazing little viaduct .

Round the corner was the ruined chapel of the ‘Madonna Vecchia Di Vinca’ which still has traces of painted decoration on the wall. Under the shadow of a projecting rock, the chapel made a welcome stop and shelter. A legends say that here the Madonna summoned a fountain from barren rocks and, indeed, there is still a trickle of water by the chapel. Other stories relate that the chapel was gobbled up by ants and that the only animals that could pass it were dogs as all other creatures were considered inferior.

The path continues on a metal gangplank across one stretch which has fallen down due to a landslide. Holding on for dear life to an iron chord against the rock face, we negotiated this stretch without difficulty (just didn’t look down!)

On both occasions I undertook this walk by the time I’d reached the sign indicating a detour to the ‘Eremo di San Giorgio’ I was too tired to add the extra mileage. Will there be a next time when I will make it there?  The remains of the hermitage are on top of a ridge around 2950 feet high. It was built in the seventeenth century but was abandoned in 1779 when the order was dissolved by order of the grand duke of Tuscany. The hermitage appeared to be a substantial construction with two stories, a church, bell tower, refectory and twelve friars’ cells. Now, however, I am told little remain and the hermitage is being dissolved into the encroaching ravages of vegetation and time. I wonder what it must have been like to be a friar there?

Path no 39 now becomes tamer and enters a thick forest in the centre of which we could see the ruins of what seemed to be a castle keep. In fact, ‘Il Castellaccio’ was a defense watch-tower for the Vinca valley and, despite my best attempts, I was unable to find a way past the surrounding walls into the tower itself.

The last part of this stupendous walk brought us to Aiola and thence to Equi Terme railway station.

PS Dear reader I hope that by this time you’ll have realised it wasn’t the mule that was flying but the mule-track!