Nature itineraries represent a new way of unhurried vacationing as an antidote to the convulsive and stressful city life. Such proposals cannot do without hiking, but also include wonderful trails for mountain biking or horseback riding. The town of Scandiano, nestled in the Emilian countryside, also offers interesting nature trails that lead to the discovery of landscapes of extraordinary beauty.
PATH 1 | THE ANCIENT COURT OF FIGNO
Walkability on horseback: NO
Rideability by mountain bike: YES
Walking duration: 2.30 hours
The trail starts from the schools in Jano. From here go up a cart track and at the first fork take a left turn continuing westward. After passing a terrace, continue to the house located at an elevation of 208 meters, from which there is an extraordinary panoramic view encompassing the entire plain. From the house, take a gravel road uphill to the rural Case Figno, along which you can see on the left the interesting gully where it is easy to spot raptors and on the right the pond surrounded by tife and reeds. After walking for a while, you pass a blue gate on the right and take the small road that descends in a northerly direction. At all forks keep to the right. At the group of houses called Bellavista in the municipality of Albinea, a magnificent specimen of centuries-old Quercus Cerris can be seen. At this point the road descends into an oak forest, where in spring you can see many beautiful flowers blooming. At the next two forks, always take a right along Via Cà de’ Duchi, and after a few meters leave the small road to take a driveway heading east between two meadows. Past the forks along the main road, turn right and reach the Astronomical Observatory. From here continue along the cart road to the locality of I Cipressi, after which you turn left at the fork and continue along the cart road that leads onto the Jano municipal road by the elementary school.
TRAIL 2 | THE TRESINARO AND THE GREAT OAK TREE
Walkability on horseback: YES
Rideability by mountain bike: YES, but it is better to ride it in the opposite direction
Walking duration: 4.00 hours
The trail starts from the old lime kiln of Ca’ de Caroli, which is particularly interesting from the point of view of industrial archaeology. You take an asphalt road uphill (with a private road sign) and follow it for about 200 meters, after which you take a path on the right that climbs to a meadow that in April and May is colored with orchids. Continue uphill to a house, from which you take a path to the right recognizable by an old bar, which forks at a certain point: take the one on the left. The trail, after passing a small lake used for sport fishing, climbs steeper and steeper among interesting chalk outcrops. Continue straight ahead, still uphill, and after crossing a meadow, come out on a small road that climbs south (to the right) to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. At this point we are on the main watershed, take a right, still on the cart road, and reach the rural hamlet of Bottegaro, past which and also the next ruined building we continue among outcropping flaky clays, downy oaks and junipers. The trail continues along the sheep-track to the top of a hump at an elevation of 380 meters, from which it descends to Monte di Sopra, where the legendary, centuries-old “Great Oak,” renamed over the years “the Hundred-Branched Oak,” can be seen. Continue downhill along the cart road, which, after passing the hamlet of Monte di Sotto, becomes a small white road that reaches first a pond and then the village of Ca’ de Rossi. Take the small road to the right, all on a false level, and past the rural buildings Casone and Ca’ de’ Sforacchi, the cart road becomes a path approaching the banks of the Tresinaro. Continue along the creek’s edge to the hamlet of Bettole, pass the front of a chalk outcrop and clayey gullies, and come out at another house. After about 300 meters you will find yourself at the starting point.
PATH 3 | THE PATH OF THE FURNACE
Walkability on horseback: YES
Rideability by mountain bike: YES
Duration on foot: 3.00 hours
The trail starts from Ventoso, near the fornasoun. Just before the kiln, take the paved road that starts on the right, and after about 150 meters take the driveway that climbs to the left. Crossing a meadow, continue uphill to Our Lady of Fatima. At this point take the particularly scenic little white road to the right and follow it to a barrier. Continue straight downhill to the rural dwelling La Piana, go around it and continue along the small road to the asphalt road, across which you take a path that changes direction taking you south (right). After crossing the watershed, you descend to a stream just below. At this point the vegetation becomes very interesting and the trail continues downhill beside a stream. After a short while you leave the path to cross the stream and climb the slope on the opposite side, pass a fence and at a certain point take another small path that, taken to the right, leads to a meadow, across which you cross another stream and climb up the other slope until you come out in another meadow. You skirt the meadow-forest boundary to a vineyard and take a small road that comes out on the Valaro road. Take a right, passing a house, and continue almost to the cemetery of San Ruffino, just before which you take a small road on the left that climbs into a meadow where there is a fine specimen elm tree. Climbing the meadow to the top of the knoll, take a path to the southeast. Go up again and just above Ca’ Nuova leave the small road, crossing the meadow under a telephone line, which leads to the paved road. This is the road from Ventoso up to the Three Crosses, you follow it for about 700 meters to the Church of Ventoso, bypassing which you go down Via Colombaia and return to the starting point.
AGRITURISMO IL BRUGNOLO
Welcome to il Brugnolo
If you’re looking for completely independent apartments surrounded by greenery you really are in the right place here!
In fact, Brugnolo is immersed in the green nature of the Emilian countryside. For your relaxation, for that of your children, and again for the runs of your 4-legged friends, you will have 6000 square meters of park at your disposal!
