3rd Itinerary

Belagaio Castle Torniella

Development: 17,2 Km

Time: 4,20 hours

Interests

Historical Architectural ( Belagaio Castle - Iron foundries)

Geological (outcrop of Verrucano, Canaloni)

Botanical (Durmast-Maple-Lime-Riparian

Vegetation)

Faunal (Hawks-Wild boar-Roe deer)

Practicability

Easy trail, winding through woods fields and pastures and occasionally on cartways it can be practicable in every season. Possibility of bathing in the Farma river (remarkable are the Canaloni). Water can be fetched along the route.

This is the "Ferriere" (iron foundries)itinerary. It is interesting for its botanical aspect: from the castle to the torrent Farma we find many species of trees such as the durmast, the lime and the maple. The "Poggio alle Macine" slope has a series of vertical bents where vegetation grows. The dominant species are: homl oak, arbutus, heather, going down to the small valleys we find durmasts, turkey oaks; poplar and ash trees along creeks.

Just after having crossed the Farma, we find the ruins of the first iron foundry, we then walk near some fine poplars and then next to the dyke which was once a barrier for the water used for the foundry.

Keep on walking along the torrent bank (which is on our left), we get to the "Canaloni", a place where the torrent has dug out some pools on the rocks: in summer we can have cooling baths and sunbathe on the stones or on tiny sandy beaches.

Keep on walking for other 600 metres, where the path detours on the right on leaving the torrent, we get near two water springs and after having covered part of a gravel road we get to the other iron foundry’s dyke. (If we find it difficult to cross the dyke we can easily arrive in Torniella covering all the gravel road as far as the no 73 road, Senese-Aretina).We carry on, walking through very pleasant fields, particularly beautiful in spring with various kind of wild orchids in blossom. After a while we can see the second iron foundry: it is a stone building, recently restored. We then walk under a chestnut tree wood to find a very peculiar engraved fountain with a stone chair by its side and we arrive in Torniella.