Deciding to follow some paths and itineraries does not only mean practicing outdoor sports (with all the benefits that derive from it), but also discovering the peculiarities and identity of a given place. The paths of the Red Lands of Castellamonte are an excellent example of this, a real journey through geology, history and art.
In the Castellamonte area, the Castelletti are very well known, an interesting natural phenomenon located in the hamlet of Sant'Anna Boschi and easily reachable on foot with a very short walk, ideal even for those who do not walk. These curious formations are the result of water erosion on the clayey soil, which flows and forms real gullies.
The visit could end here, but continuing you can enjoy all the beauty of the woods in winter, of small hamlets and splendid views of the surrounding plain and mountains. Furthermore, for those who are curious, along the paths you can see numerous "traces" of these red lands, less evident than the more famous Castelletti, but equally important in the history and identity of Castellamonte.
This municipality in the Canavese area, in fact, is characterized by a clayey soil with a good presence of iron oxide which gives it a characteristic brick red colour. Already the Salassi and then the Romans used this land to create amphorae, lamps and funerary coffins; in the Middle Ages it was used to create terracotta decorations for the numerous castles in this area; starting from the 16th century there was specialization in the processing of clay, giving rise to a long tradition linked to pottery art, coverings, bricks, stoves, crockery and art ceramics. The nineteenth century was what could be defined as the golden century: thanks to technological development, many artisan workshops transformed into truly modern companies.
Today the red lands of Castellamonte are still famous and widely appreciated. Although the 1900s marked a sharp decline, especially in the production of bricks, today we still find artisan workshops and companies dealing with artistic ceramics, objects and tableware. Everything in this town takes us back to this long and important tradition, from the historic center to the Ceramics Museum.
It is precisely by walking along paths and hamlets that we can learn to read the landscape. Slowness allows us to see details, to observe: from an empty space without identity, the territory becomes alive and full of stories. The landscape, in fact, is not only the product of the work and actions of the people who inhabit it, in which nature and culture are inextricably intertwined generating meanings and values, but it is also the fruit of the perception and recognition of these dynamics. The gaze of the observer, of us tourists and hikers, allows all of this to exist.
In Castellamonte you cook and eat in terracotta at the ceramist's house Corrado Camerlo and Cristina Faccio have opened a home restaurant near the laboratory: «Healthy and traditional dishes, ceramics as the common thread» Reservation required 3-4 days before: