| |
The Metalliferous Hills, Farma and Merse Valleys
Rivers, natural parks, mines and archeological sites
An area of Tuscany which is sparsely populated and little visited, but which is rich in silver, lead, copper, zinc and pyrite. The Metalliferous Hills, which extend from the basin of the Cecina river to the valleys carved by the Pecora and Merse rivers, comprise an interesting area which is mysterious and rich in history, medieval hamlets, castles and spirituality.
The presence of metal ores led to a mining industry which has existed for many centuries. This is mainly centred around the towns of Montieri, Gerfalco and Boccheggiano. Today it is still possible to visit some centres involved in mining activities as well as some of the many old ironworks along the waters of the Farma, the Gonna and Merse river and which were built towards the end of the thirteenth century.
For visitors the area offers a number of important and fascinating natural enclaves. Most of the territory, excluding the areas around the mines, is covered in thick chestnut, oak and hornbeam woods. Towards the coast, the hills begin to drop away and the mediterranean bush starts to dominate the landscape along with the holm oaks, cork oaks, arbutus and mastic trees. The woods are populated with wild-boar, dear, badgers, hedgehogs, beech-martens and weasels.
We have organised a number of trails of great natural interest along the Farma Valley with its natural reserve. The extraordinary variety of trees and flora in the area arises from the particular formation of the valley and local climatic conditions (''cold oasis'') which include mediterranean species alongside almost mountainous ones. Along our trails it is not uncommon to come across ''archaeological exhibits'' of ancient forests and animal species such as box wood and the [/i]'ruscus hypoglossum'[/i] and, almost uniquely at such a low altitude, the badger. In the pond of Trosciapond of Troscia, within the park, lives the extremely rare Alpine newt (apuano), a true relict of the ice ages which has found in the nature reserve an ecological niche which has remained almost intact for tens of thousands of years. The purity of the river water is attested to by the presence of otters and river crabs.
The walks along the waters of the Farma, Merse and Cecina are of a rare beauty and allow for pauses by picturesque waterfalls and refreshing swims. Following ancient roads, the walks lead to abbeys (the unreal and striking Abbazia di San Galgano with its roof of sky and floor of moss), monasteries (Santa Mustiola a Torri), hermitages (Santa Lucia), old bridges (Ponte della Pia), castles and villas (Spannocchia, Montarrenti, Belagaio, 'Castiglion che Dio sol sa'), forts (Rocca di Sillano) and medieval towns and mountains overlooking the sea (Le Cornate, Monte Quoio).
|
|
