イーゾラ・ヴィセンティーナの峡谷・トップ5

*Update February 2025: the main path has been cleared and widened, and the valley is no longer so difficult and adventurous; only the final part remains wild, with numerous fallen trees.

Pissaòra is a deep notch, similar to a vajo, along a large cliff used as a climbing gym, in the heart of Val Garzato. At the head of the crack there is an imposing and curious dry wall, slightly concave, formed by large square blocks of local magmatic rock: it was built by farmers in the 1930s as a plug, to prevent the overlying soil from being eroded by the rain and dragged down the valley through the deep crack, like in a funnel; above, in fact, there was a precious sheet of earth, still cultivated, near the ancient Contrà Cengia. I strongly advise against climbing up the gorge, because the bottom is very steep, earthy, slippery and slippery... the descent rather than the climb could be a big problem; better to look at it from below and from afar.

The Sant'Andrea Valley in Grumolo di Pedemonte is a wild, chaotic, intricate, humid, and gloomy environment. The adventurous trail is often interrupted by a stream that must be forded and large fallen trees that must be climbed over or circumnavigated; you'll need to be resourceful to continue. Furthermore, some sections and variants may be interrupted by a wall of brambles and nettles. Nature reigns supreme: the deep green moss contrasts with the black, shiny basalt—a sign of the Bregonze's volcanic origins—that emerges from the ground and characterizes the riverbed. The Valley is named after Sant'Andrea because in centuries past there stood a small rustic church dedicated to the saint, accessible by a path descending from the "Bosco del Prete" (Priest's Woods). A cross has been placed on the site of the former church, a small clearing surrounded by dense forest. https://www.altovicentinonline.it/rubriche/itinerari/da-grumolo-alla-valle-di-santandrea-e-al-rivon/

'Le Fosse' is a historic and important area for geology, mineralogy, paleontology, and paleobotany. It is a large depression caused by a volcanic explosion millions of years ago, later filled by the surrounding seawater, forming a brackish basin: essentially, it is the remains of an ancient atoll, similar to modern-day Hawaii. The site is a remarkable fossil deposit, where casts—mostly plant—of both continental and marine origin have been found. Today, it appears as a dense, shady forest: this particular highlight is characterized by paleolandslides, boulders that chaotically collapsed in ancient times, including two inclined boulders that form a unique and evocative stone arch. An educational trail has been created here, with information panels about an ancient stone bridge, an old lime kiln, and the origins of the valley. https://www.sharry.land/it/meraviglie/le-fosse-di-novale

The Val dei Molini is a surprisingly unspoiled and wild environment, where you enter a mysterious and evocative forest: water dominates, forming lively waterfalls and deep ravines; everywhere, lush moss covers rocks and tree trunks. You cross a series of small valleys (Val Sesura, Valle Arlene, Val dell'Asino, Val del Gambero, Val Smiderle, Val Bisele) and ford several streams that eventually flow into the Refosco stream. The Val d'Asino is particularly evocative, where two streams join in an enchanting clearing, forming waterfalls and a deep, winding ravine. The name reflects how the stream was once exploited: the remains of man-made structures, such as stone masonry and building foundations, bear witness to this. Obviously, the valley is at its best after days of rain.

All streams and waterfalls in the middle of the woods, even in some places you can swim

A beautiful corner of wild and uncontaminated nature in the middle of the woods, among water features, ferns and lush moss: two lively streams descend from the small valleys and join, digging a deep and tortuous gorge, to finally flow downstream into the Refosco stream . Obviously it is at its best after rainy days.