10 PATHWAYS TO DISCOVER THE AVISIO edited by Alessandro Ghezzer Rete di Riserve Val di -Avisio has been estab- lished in 2011 thanks to a voluntary agreement be- introduction tween the Autonomous Province of and some local authorities. Today it involves the municipalities of This guide contains 10 pathways on the Avisio to dis- It was not easy to identify and define them, because , , , Cembra , Lona Lases, and as well as the Comunità di cover the beautiful landscapes of the Cembra Valley there are few official paths and it’s necessary to valle della Val di Cembra (the lead body of the network) and its magnificent fluvial environment. The itineraries connect, in the dense network of alternative roads, and Val di Fiemme, the BIM municipal consorti- start from the centre of the villages that are part of the forest and country paths, old roads, ancient mule um, the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme and the ASUC Rete di Riserve Rete di Riserve Val di Cembra-Avisio (Altavalle, Segon- tracks, traces. of Rover Carbonare, Lases and Lona. zano, , Lona Lases, Albiano, Capria- This requires a little adventurous effort in orienta- Val di Cembra Avisio na, Valfloriana) and take us to the wild Avisio creek. tion, even if the paths are quite easy, suitable also for There are quite varied routes, which allow you to cap- families with children, and do not require particular Rete di Riserve Val di Cembra-Avisio carries ture the essence of the Cembra Valley: the small vil- athletic skills. For the most part, half a day or a whole out active nature protection measures, envi- lages, the terraced fields with dry stone walls, the an- day is enough to take your time: there are many things ronmental education activities and projects cient rural farmsteads, the wild beauty of the Avisio. to see and it is absolutely worth doing things without for the sustainable development of the terri- In short, the rural civilization that lived in symbiosis hurry. It is advisable to bring something to eat and Provincia Autonoma di Trento tory, with particular attention to habitats of with the landscape, with its mills, sawmills, forges, enough drinking water. the highest naturalistic value: among these, the hard work in the fields. Avisio creek represents a still uncontaminat- ed and wild environment, a treasure trove of plant and animal biodiversity and undisputed SOME USEFUL ADVICE excellence of the Cembra Valley. The Avisio can be visited all year round. In winter it of water. The best periods for excursions are spring rarely snows and it’s never too cold, the average altitude and autumn, while summer can be very hot, although is about 500-700 meters: with a minimum of atten- you can often find fantastic natural pools where you tion to the possible presence of ice, perhaps bringing can swim and cool off. crampons, you can make beautiful winter excursions. Specific attention should be paid to weather con- Each period actually has its charm, the Avisio chang- ditions. The Avisio is a raging creek which, in case es appearance with the passing seasons and it’s never of heavy rainfall, can reach very high flow rates. It Albiano Altavalle Capriana the same, each time it reserves some surprises. In late is therefore necessary to approach this environment Rete di Riserve Val di Cembra-Avisio spring, nature “explodes”, growing wild and making it only when conditions allow us to do so in total safety, presso Comunità della Valle di Cembra harder to walk where there is thick vegetation. while in periods of flooding we can limit ourselves to piazza San Rocco 9, 38034 Cembra Lisignago (TN) On the Avisian slopes there is little drinking water: observe it from a distance, listening to the sound of there are many streams, of modest flow, but you water and stones slamming in the current. Tel. 392 6161830 - 0461 680032 [email protected] must consider that all villages are higher up and so it Cembra Lona Lases Segonzano Valfloriana is good not to trust: you must bring adequate supplies Alessandro Ghezzer Lisignago www.reteriservevaldicembra.tn.it Vehicular passages were rare on the creek: lo- OLD TRADES The mill, the sawmill, the forge cal people often used rudimentary walkways or From the centre of Grumes towards the north ropeways. For centuries the Pont de la Rio has take the slightly uphill road in front of the gro- been one of the strategic links between northern TRAIL cery store in Via Fontana. Once you have reached Europe and . At Mas de la Rio there were an the SS 612, cross it to take the road that goes up inn and a customs house. The Avisio was also Discovering the rural Start: Grumes exploited to transport the wood from the Fassa history of the valley into the wood and takes you to the valley of the Lenght: 7,5 km Molini Stream. During the 1800s, many factories and Fiemme valleys until the Adige river: in this and its watermills along stretch the “flowability” workers regulated the the Rio dei Molini. Height diff.: 450 m were built along the stream, exploiting the power Time: 4 HOURS of water. They remained in use for about a cen- passage of the logs in the water. tury until the middle of the 20th century. Some have been preserved to the present day, restored CRISTOFORI MILL and reopened to maintain their historical mem- The Castelét gorge ory and for educational purposes. Walking down La Val and the village of Molini SS612 the path along the stream you can see the Molino Cristofori, the “Venetian” Pojer-Valentini saw- At the confluence with the Rio Brusago, the Avi- mill, the Cristofori forge, the Molino Nones, as sio turns into the gorge of the Castelét, a rocky well as numerous ruins that testify the presence ridge that can be reached with a short detour: it VENETIAN SAWMILL of twenty productive factories along the stream. seems that there was an ancient fortification on Avisio Creek CRISTOFORI FORGE Just after Molino Nones, a short detour on the the summit, guarding the area. Near the south Sp71 left takes you to the organic farm “GioVe Offic- side of the Pont de la Rio, some traces of foot- inali” which grows officinal herbs. path descend to the creek bank, at the spectacu- lar mouth of the gorge. Not far away, along the nones MILL Rio Brusago, the charming village of Molini di , no longer active. SS612 Pont de la Rio ORGANIC FARM giove officinali The Avisio creek in the Cembran stretch flows through deep rocky gorges: the passage from BACK TO Grumes pont de la rio one bank to the other was once particularly diffi- Go back up to Maso La Rio: just upstream, on Molini Stream MOLINI cult due to the considerable flow of water (today sover very reduced because of the hydroelectric dams). the left, an old mule track leads back to Grumes. grumes castelét GORGE castelét Brusago Stream The plain of Ischia The village of The wild Avisio Valda is situated at 795 mt. above sea level on From the plain of Ischia you descend westwards the steep slopes of Mount Novaline. The area to the last rural houses to take a paved mule track and the gorges of was probably inhabited since ancient times, but that descends towards the creek. A branch-off it was in the Middle Ages that the first settlers on the right allows you to enter the floodplain wild Avisio of Germanic origin took residence permanent- covered with lush vegetation. In this stretch the ly. The village maintains the typical architectural Avisio offers itself in all its magnificence. It is Descent from Valda in Start: valda structure of the ancient Cembran villages, with advisable to go and see the gorge, following the spectacular canyons Lenght: 4,5 km small neighbourhoods (“cormèl”) connected vague traces in the bush, until you reach a widen- along the creek. Height diff.: 250 m by arcades and narrow streets, houses leaning ing where the creek forms a bend of calm water Time: 3,30 HOURS against each other and several fountains in stra- between vertical rock walls. Then you go back tegic points. In 1855 Valda escaped the terrible following the shore and walking among stones, scourge of cholera which caused more than 6000 large boulders and small sandy beaches for about deaths in : a votive chapel was erected 400 meters, until you reach some sheer cliffs in the woods of the Novàl in thanksgiving. The that can be circumvented upstream. You then village clinges to the mountain, surrounded by continue along the shore until you reach anoth- cultivated fields obtained with the ancient tech- er beautiful gorge, where there is an old ruined nique of terracing supported by dry stone walls, farmstead: outside you can see an old millstone SS612 built by skilfully fitting porphyry stones without on the ground. Here, too, people inhabited the using any kind of mortar. river territory on a permanent basis. VALDA

SS612 GORGE 2 The plain of Ischia BACK TO valda Via Busna From Valda, follow Via Busna eastwards, taking From the cottage you continue along the bank a country road that descends among crops and for about 100 metres, where the creek curves to ISCHIA OLD RUINED vineyards to Ischia, a large flat area used by farm- the left: here you leave the bank and turn up- FARMSTEAD ers for various cultivations. There are still old hill, following the track in the woods that leads farmsteads among large centuries-old chestnut back to Valda along the same path as the outward trees and even a small settlement unfortunately route. GORGE 1 reduced to ruins.

Avisio Creek From Faver to Avisio Historic Path of the Corvaia The Castle of Segonzano From the centre of Faver (car park in Piazza From Cantilaga bridge turn right towards Piazzo. Chiesa) you cross the village following the indi- Near the cemetery a detour on the left allows you along the ancient cations of the European Path E5 for the ancient to reach the ruins of Segonzano Castle, which Corvaia path. The name derives from the french fell into ruin at the end of the 18th century. The path of Corvaia Corvée, a term used in feudal societies to indicate oblivion lasted until 2006, with the recovery of the free work of the vassal in the cultivation of what remained of the buildings and walls. The heart of the valley: Start: faver the manor lands. The path descends to the histor- Heading south through a small country path, you small villages, vineyards Lenght: 8 km ic bridge of Cantilaga on the Avisio, for centuries reach the nearby saint Anthony chapel. with their terraces, the the only vehicular link between the two banks. Avisio creek, the Castle Height diff.: 300 m of Segonzano. Time: 4,30 HOURS Piazzo, the Baroni a SHRINE of the Om Selvàdech Prato’s residence SS612 corvaia PATH Walking down the paved mule track you will From the chapel you go down to the village of cantilaga BRIDGE come across the shrine of Our Lady of the Ro- Piazzo. In the centre of the village there is the segonzano sary. According to a legend, this was the place church of the Immaculate, built in 1500 in late SHRINE of the “Om Selvàdech” (wild man), a kind of Gothic style over a pre-existing chapel dating gnome that came out of the bush and frightened back to about 1130. In the village there is the Palazzo dei Baroni a Prato, descendants of the CASTLE OF segonzano the passing women, chasing them with screams and shouting. family that owns the castle, wine growers for four generations (www.baroneaprato.com). ponte dell’amicizia piazzo Cantilaga Bridge BACK TO faver Sp101 Regnana Stream The bridge is mentioned for the first time in a doc- From Piazzo, go down the provincial road as far SS612 ument of 1472. Albrecht Dürer, the famous paint- FAVER er of the German Renaissance, who immortalized as Ponte dell’Amicizia (“friendship bridge”) on Roré the Cembra Valley in some watercolours, passed the Avisio. After crossing the bridge, turn im- Mercar Stream Sp71 Sp101 here in 1494. In 1630 the bridge was destroyed to mediately left onto the secondary road that runs avoid the contagion of the plague that had spread alongside the creek. Follow the country roads Avisio Creek on the banks of Faver. After several reconstruc- through the vineyards up to Faver. tions, the existing bridge was built in 2007. visible just outside the village. Here you can go The Castle of Segonzano down to the Avisio and continue along the shore, From Segonzano to Avisio Creek which looks like a geology book with its thou- GORGES From the Hotel Piramidi in Segonzano you go down to the pretty village of Saletto and then sand-coloured stones. You go towards the gorge the Castle and the along the country road to the ruins of the Cas- and with a short detour to the shore you can ad- tle, located on a rocky hill to guard the historic mire a colossal boulder: it is 10 meters long and 5 meters wide, the surface has been polished by gorge on the Avisio SS612 Cantilaga Bridge. The Castle, mentioned in doc- uments of 1216, was seriously damaged in 1796 water over the millennia. Descent to the Castle Start: segonzano Sp71 by Napoleon’s troops during the battle of Segon- of Segonzano and to Lenght: 6 km zano. The episode marked the abandonment of the spectacular canyon the fortress and its progressive degradation and The gorge and on the creek. Height diff.: 200 m Time: 3,30 HOURS in 1865 the owners Baroni a Prato allowed the the climbing crag inhabitants of Piazzo to reuse the stones of the In the spectacular rocky gorge the creek has mulino folgheraiter ruins to erect buildings and dry-stone walls. The formed a calm water loop, a natural pool with oblivion lasted until 2006, with the recovery of beautiful blue-green colours. A climbing gym teaio what remained of the buildings and walls. Head- has been created along the cliff overlooking the ing south, along the country road you reach the water. prà nearby saint Anthony chapel: on the souther side you can still see the marks of the French army bullets. BACK TO teaio cantilaga BRIDGE Close to the Tibetan bridge, a small path climbs The mill of Prà and the the bush eastwards until it joins a forest road. COLORFUL stones of Avisio The path leads to the small village of Teaio, sit- saletto uated on a promontory with a splendid view of Hotel From the chapel you go down to the small cem- Piramidi the valley, where the chapel of the Assunta is lo- etery of Piazzo with the tombs of the Barons Dosso castLE OF segonzano cated, built in 1855 as a small capital indi Segonzanomemo- a Prato: originally from Lombardy, they were ry of the victims of cholera. You then continue1547 m among the most illustrious dynasties in Trentino. along the country road to return to the starting SAINT ANTHONY CHAPEL Then you continue north to the historic Canti- point of Segonzano. laga Bridge. A little upstream is the small village piazzo Sp71 of Prà, where once there was the Folgheràiter Mill (active until the 1950s), whose ruins are still From shore to shore, From Cembra to the Pozzolago Sevignano and Parlo hydroelectric power plant From Piazzole go uphill along the E463 signpost the Avisio crossing Cembra is the main village of Val di Cembra. as far as the provincial road, cross it briefly up- Here the most important economic sources are hill and then turn left until Sevignano. Here, on viticulture, porphyry extraction and, more re- the Dosso dell’Oseléra, traces of a Bronze Age Long hike in the heart of Start: cembra cently, tourism. In Val di Cembra is practiced a fortification were discovered in 1962. Leaving Val di Cembra between the Lenght: 11 km vineyards and the canyon of so-called “heroic viticulture”, which from the the village, near a quarry, a forest road on the Height diff.: 300 m the creek. bottom of the valley goes up to over 1000 me- left leads down to an isolated farm, then a forest Time: 4,30 HOURS tres of altitude, on steep and terraced slopes and vineyard path leads to the village of Parlo. In where the use of agricultural machinery is very the middle of the village there is a tiny frescoed piazzo limited. From the sports field you take a country chapel dedicated to saint Mary Magdalene, dating ponte dell’amicizia road that descends through the vineyards to the back to the 17th century. SS612 Regnana Stream bank of the Avisio and cross the footbridge over faver parlo the creek in front of the Pozzolago hydroelectric power plant, a fine example of industrial archi- BACK TO Cembra tecture of the 1920s, still active today. Mercar Stream Sp101 From Parlo you follow the provincial road that descends to the old stone bridge in front of the village of Piazzo, then continue to Pon- The gorge on the Avisio te dell’Amicizia. After crossing it, turn left and

Sp71 Approximately 50 meters upstream of the plant follow the Avisio creek for about 1 km. Along SS612 we recommend a short detour to the left to see a country roads among the vineyards you go up spectacular gorge on the creek: follow a country towards Cembra. cembra road that descends to a beautiful sandy beach, between large boulders transported over the mil- Avisio Creek sevignano lennia by the movement of glaciers. From the gorge of the torrent you go back up along the Piazzole Stream country road to the village of Piazzole, a small GORGE and pretty village surrounded by the countryside. piazzole

pozzolago POWER PLANT Plateau thanks to a pipeline that starts from the The gorge on the The village of Piazzole Piazze lake, which is about 3.5 km long and 604 From Lona take a secondary road just above the metres in height difference. On the occasion of provincial road in the direction of Sevignano to some events, it is possible to take guided tours Avisio and the Poz- the village of Casara, intercepting the E463 path of the power plant: you can admire the powerful that descends in a few minutes to the village of machinery inside, comparing the modern tur- zolago power plant Piazzole. Unlike other small villages in the Avi- bines and the original ones preserved as histori- sio valley, unfortunately semi-abandoned after cal evidence. From the power plant, a footbridge The natural wonder of the World War II, Piazzole is a very well-kept village, over the creek, the “Pont dele Formìghe” (“ants Start: lona bridge”), allows you to pass on the other bank creek and the Pozzolago Lenght: 5 km adorned with plants and flowers. There is a char- hydroelectric power plant, acteristic 18th century church dedicated to saint towards Cembra. a beautiful example of Height diff.: 300 m Time: 3 HOURS Job, the saint of patience, protector of fields and industrial architecture. silkworms. The silkworm breeding was once an important resource for economic subsistence The gorge on the Avisio even in the smallest valleys of Trentino. Inside GORGE About 50 meters upstream of the power station the church there is a valuable Baroque altar in we recommend a short detour to see a spectac- Sp71 carved and gilded wood, with the figure of the piazzole ular gorge on the creek. Follow an agricultural saint adorned with a garland of flowers created road to the north that descends to a beautiful from silkworm cocoons. The view on the oppo- sandy beach, between large boulders transported site side of the valley, literally shaped over the pozzolago POWER PLANT over the millennia by the movement of glaciers. centuries by the work of man with terraced fields and vineyards, is truly spectacular. BACK TO Lona casara Avisio Creek The Pozzolago To return to Lona, go back up briefly along the hydroelectric power plant same route as the outward journey to an isolated house, above which you take an agricultural road It is a fine example of industrial architecture on the right that leads back to the starting point. Sp71 dating back to the 1920s. The power station is sottolona lona still in operation and exploits the water of the Lagorai mountain chain coming from the Piné

Graòn The floodplain Albiano, the “capital” of porphyry The great sandy floodplain of Barco The excursion starts from Albiano, one of the From the little church of saint Anthony in Albi- of Barco major European centres for the extraction and ano, take the country road that descends to Bar- processing of porphyry, which has completely co di Sopra: towards the north a forest road de- transformed the economy of the valley over the scends into the woods with a few hairpin bends Exploration of the Start: albiano last half century, replacing traditional activities to a ruin, then along trail tracks to the floodplain wild Avisio creek. Lenght: 6 km such as agriculture, sheep farming and forestry. of the creek. Towards the mountain we can ex- Height diff.: 300 m Before the advent of porphyry, the most wide- plore a very beautiful stretch of beach along a Time: 3 HOURS spread crops were vines, wheat, buckwheat and rocky gorge; towards the valley instead we cross other cereals, chestnuts, hay and pasture mead- the wooded floodplain to the large sandy bight, ows: subsistence farming. Living conditions Avisio Creek one of the most beautiful of Avisio, formed by were certainly not flourishing: among epidemics, its erosion activity. The sand carried by the water SANDy floodplain ruins drought and famine many families were forced is deposited several times during cyclical flood- to emigrate at the end of the 19th century, espe- ing. The floodplains are micro-environments in cially to the Americas. constant evolution and rich in biodiversity: they alternative return path host many animal and plant species, even rare ones. The return to Albiano takes place along Barco di Sotto the same route. barco di sotto and Barco di Sopra barco di sopra These two small villages of Albiano, where chest- RETURN ALTERNATIVE nut trees were once cultivated, have suffered a saint romedius church saint anthony church long period of semi-abandonment after the Sec- For experienced hikers. From the beach you ond World War. In more recent years there has return to the ruins and then to the first hair- been a slight reversal of the trend, especially in pin bend of the forest road, where you take an Sp76 Barco di Sotto where “historical” residents still uncertain track that crosses to the west. A few resist and new inhabitants have been added. Just hundred metres later you will reach a small valley downstream of Barco di Sopra there is a pretty with a stone channel, where you take the path albiano little church dedicated to saint Romedius, built that goes up to Barco di Sotto. Then along the in 1745. asphalted road you return to Barco di Sopra and Albiano. a rock wall. In the floodplains, constantly evolv- Capriana botanical The botanical-naturalistic trail ing environments, you can observe the evolution From the village of Capriana, along the an- of plant and animal life that colonizes the envi- cient mule track that connects it to the village ronment: the presence of fauna and microfauna trail and descent of Grauno, there is a part of the long itinerary is evidenced by the many traces on the sand of called “Botanical-naturalistic trail” (Lago Santo- birds, mammals and insects. to Avisio Prà del Manz). Conceived for didactic purpos- es, the trail goes through natural environments: Easy excursion among Start: capriana countryside, woods, screes, bushes. Some panels Maso Conti medicinal plants and Lenght: 8 km illustrate the naturalistic qualities of the various From the fishermen’s bivouac begins the climb woods with descent along Height diff.: 350 m micro-ecosystems, where you can also find nu- that leads to Maso Conti: one of the houses of the Avisio to the Bivacco merous medicinal plants. dei Pescatori. Time: 4 HOURS the old farm has been renovated in recent years and converted by Julia and Stefano into a small organic farm (www.masoconti.it). Saffron, cere- capriana White Stream DESCENT TO Bivacco dei Pescatori als and vegetables are grown on the old terraces that have been restored. Forage is also produced After about 2 km from Capriana you come to a for the animals raised on the farm, especially fork in the road: follow the path on the left that sheep, goats and chickens. In the fields, accord- descends to the main road, cross it and continue Cao de Villa ing to tradition, potatoes, lucerne and cereals are down the path on the left into the woods. You grown in rotation. will meet the ruins of an ancient mill, then, after SS612 crossing the small stream, the path forks with a track on the right that descends towards the val- Avisio Creek ley to the beautiful Bivacco dei Pescatori. BACK TO Capriana sp71 You then continue the steep climb to Maso Doss, maso doss Rivato Stream another historical settlement still inhabited today, maso conti The sandy floodplain where we find another interesting farm run by mill ruins the Corradi family that produces saffron, honey From the bivouac, with a detour towards the and vegetables. You continue until you reach the bivacco dei pescatori shore and then downstream, you can explore main road, cross it and start climbing again on barcatta the beautiful sandy floodplain on the Avisio for the opposite side until you rejoin the botanical floodplain casatta about 500 metres, up to a sandy beach barred by trail of the outward and then back to Capriana. Pian del Màs Communicating farms. Capriana AND Maso Lio Rover, the village that is reborn Capriana is an ancient settlement dating back This village too was hit by the flood of 1966, Rover and the path to the Bronze Age between Val di Cembra and which caused the abandonment of Ischiaz- Val di Fiemme. In a sunny position, it boasts a za and Maso on the opposite bank: a landslide wide and varied landscape, with forests at high killed three inhabitants, the village was evacuat- along the Avisio altitude and cultivations around the village of ed. However, Rover was never completely aban- small fruits, ancient grains, apples, grapes, and a doned: the villagers regularly returned there to Plunge into the past to Start: capriana specialty: mountain saffron. In the surroundings cultivate the fields and maintain the houses so discover the ancient farms of Lenght: 8 km there are still the characteristic rural farmsteads, that they would not go to ruin. In more recent Capriana. Height diff.: 350 m which have remained almost intact in their an- years there has been a slow repopulation and a Time: 4,50 HOURS cient charm. From the central square of Capria- small farm, “Fiordalisa”, was born, which has na we descend to Miravalle along the main road, resumed the cultivation of terraced fields with then along country roads we reach Maso Lio. ancient varieties of vegetables and medicinal meneghina mill plants (www.fiordalisatrentino.com). You can an-

Val di Gausa Stream ticipate your return to Capriana by turning left at the fountain on the forest road westwards to White Stream carbonare THE WILD Avisio Maso Lio. You go down again along the asphalt road to sp79 SS612 Caneve, with some farmsteads and a curious breeding of hairy pigs. Then along the path to Carbonare and the Meneghina Mill Avisio Creek the ruins of Maso Ponte: in the last century it was inhabited and surrounded by vegetable gardens, From Rover go up the paved road to the right of rover fields and vineyards. There was also a bridge over the fountain, up to the SS 612 which you cross the creek, which connected the villages of Maso capriana taking the path to Carbonare, then to the “Me- maso lio and Casatta on the other bank, also swept away neghina” mill-museum. Daughter of the miller, by the 1966 flood and never rebuilt. Here the Miravalli pradel Maria Domenica (1815-1848) lived the last 14 sp51 Avisio shows itself in all its magnificence thanks years of her life immobilized in bed, stigmatized, Pradel Stream to a wild nature still intact: a path runs along the sp71 becoming a symbol of popular devotion. We re- bank and the ancient terraced fields for about 1 turn to Capriana towards the south along a com- SS612 caneve km, where the climb to the village of Rover be- fortable path. gins. maso ponte The ghost village The flood of 1966 in Ischiazza Visit TO Ischiazza The village of Ischiazza stood along the Avisio You can park in the forecourt of the restaurant creek on the edge of a large cultivated flood- “4 venti” in Pradèl. Take the beautiful paved of Ischiazza plain, about 700 metres downstream of the mule track that gradually descends towards Is- The small village was Stramentizzo dam. In 1966 it had 44 inhabitants. chiazza: in the distance you can catch a glimpse Start: Valfloriana During the flood that hit the Valfloriana munic- of the magnificent Avisio creek that flows in abandoned during the Lenght: 5 km flood of 1966: today only ipality with extreme force, the incessant rains the valley bottom among the trees. Just before the ruins of the buildings Height diff.: 150 m caused numerous landslides and rivers of mud reaching the ghostly village, on the left at the side remain. Time: 3 hours invaded the village. of the road you can see the ruins of an unusual building: it was an oven used to dry corn. Today The same happened to the village of Maso a few only the ruins of Ischiazza are left: you can rec- kilometres further down the valley. The inhab- ognize the small church and some large ruined itants of Ischiazza managed to save themselves rural buildings; on the facade of one of them is Val di Gausa Stream SS612 by fleeing to the higher villages. After the flood, engraved the date of 1908. they returned to the almost destroyed village to

SS612 recover what was left. On November 20, 1966 the survivors, in a sort of penitential procession, The path along the Avisio Avisio Creek carried on their shoulders the Crucifix and the sacred furnishings of the church along the mule Crossing the village towards the valley you can walk for about 1 km along an easy path that runs ischiazza track to the above village of Casatta, thus con- rover firming the death of Ischiazza. along the Avisio creek with beautiful views. Un- fortunately it is not possible to continue further In order to give a worthy accommodation to the because the shore has been eroded by one of the oven many floods and it is impassable. Above, on the White Stream flooded people, in less than two years the so- sp71 called “Italian-Swiss Village” was built just above opposite bank, you can see the village of Rover Pizzeria which, unlike Ischiazza and Maso, has never 4 Venti Casatta, thanks to the contribution of the Italian Red Cross and the offers collected by Switzer- been completely abandoned and is slowly com- land, the Region and the Municipality of Valflo- ing back to life again. pradel (Valfloriana) riana. To return to the starting point you follow the same route as the outward one. Pradel Stream

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